Two food stocks with gains ahead

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES $34.65 (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 289.9 million; Market cap: $10.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 2.4%; www.loblaw.ca) is Canada’s largest food retailer, with about 1,000 stores. In the three months ended June 16, 2012, Loblaw’s sales rose 1.3%, to $7.4 billion from $7.3 billion a year earlier. Overall sales at its supermarkets rose 1.1%, while same-store sales gained 0.2%. Revenue from its financial-services division, which mainly issues credit cards, rose 14.9%. Earnings fell 19.3%, to $159 million, or $0.57 a share, from $197 million, or $0.70 a share, a year earlier. But the decline was mainly because Loblaw continues to invest in new computers as part of a far-reaching plan to improve its efficiency and avoid product shortages in its stores. In the latest quarter, the company spent $20 million on these initiatives. Loblaw started selling its popular Joe Fresh clothing and accessories in its supermarkets in 2006. It has also opened 12 stand-alone Joe Fresh stores in…