Higher prices offset its higher costs

Article Excerpt

MAPLE LEAF FOODS INC. $30 is still a hold. The company (Toronto symbol MFI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 122.1 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.mapleleaffoods.com) sells fresh and prepared meats under the Maple Leaf and Schneider labels. It also makes plant-based hamburgers, hot dogs and other protein products under the Lightlife and Field Roast brands. In the three months ended June 30, 2023, Maple Leaf’s sales improved 6.2%, to $1.27 billion from $1.20 billion a year earlier. That increase was mainly because the company raised its selling prices to offset rising costs for labour, fuel and other inputs. Maple Leaf lost $53.7 million, or $0.44 a share, in the quarter. That’s slightly better than the year-earlier loss of $54.6 million, or $0.44. If you exclude all unusual items, the company broke even in both quarters. Maple Leaf will likely earn just $0.43 a share in 2023, and the stock trades at a high…