Two blue-chips for safety-conscious investors

Article Excerpt

Here are two of our top safety-conscious recommendations. Both have strong growth ahead. Look for that to spur their share prices and your returns. LOBLAW COMPANIES, $147.30, is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 310.4 million; Market cap: $45.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.2%; www.loblaw.ca) operates 1,104 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. It also operates 1,351 Shoppers Drug Mart drugstores across Canada. Loblaw continues to benefit from higher selling prices, which helps it offset its own rising costs for food, fuel and other inputs. Higher consumer food prices are also spurring sales at its discount outlets. In the quarter ended December 30, 2023, overall sales rose 3.7%, to $14.53 billion from $14.01 billion a year earlier. Loblaw’s earnings before one-time items in the quarter gained 9.6%, to $630 million from $575 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings rose 13.6%, to $2.00 from $1.76. For 2024, the company’s earnings will probably improve…