Loblaw widens its scope

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES, $66.13, is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 356.9 million; Market cap: $23.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.9%; www.loblaw.ca) aims to boost your returns with new investments outside of its core businesses. For example, it’s re-entering the banking business after it ended its partnership with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (Toronto symbol CM) in 2017. Loblaw recently launched its PC Money Account, which comes with no fees, unlimited transactions and no minimum balance. Customers also collect PC Optimum points. Another new business for Loblaw is telehealth. Through its Shoppers Drug Mart business, it has invested $75 million in Maple Corporation, Canada’s leading virtual health care provider. Shoppers is already working with Maple to offer virtual care through 160 locations in B.C. Loblaw Cos. is a buy. buy…