Loblaw sharpens a key tool

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $67 (Toronto symbol L; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 369.3 million; Market cap: $24.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.loblaw.ca) operates 1,085 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. In March 2014, the company purchased the Shoppers Drug Mart chain for $12.3 billion in cash and shares. Shoppers now operates 1,337 drugstores across Canada. Loblaw continues to expand its popular PC Optimum loyalty rewards program. The plan currently has over 18 million members, who earn and redeem points at all of company’s supermarkets and drugstores. Loyalty rewards are an increasingly important tool for retailers like Loblaw. Through a smartphone app or its website, the company typically offers members special deals based on their purchasing history. That helps spur repeat visits and higher spending per visit. Loblaw now plans to make it easier for consumer product makers to reach those shoppers. The company will give PC Optimum members the…