We prefer food sellers over food producers

Article Excerpt

Under pressure from the federal government, Canada’s leading grocery chains have agreed to a series of measures to lower prices for consumers. Those include discounts, price-matching campaigns, and price freezes. The government is also looking at ways to get food producers to lower their prices. We feel food sellers like Loblaw and Metro, with their high market shares, are in a better position to adapt than food producers like Saputo and Maple Leaf Foods. Moreover, those producers will continue to struggle with changing consumer tastes. LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $116 is a buy. This food retailer (Toronto symbol L; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 317.1 million; Market cap: $36.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.loblaw.ca) is Canada’s largest, with 1,104 supermarkets. Those stores operate under a variety of banners including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. Franchisees operate about half of the outlets. Loblaw’s investors continue to benefit from its March 2014 acquisition of Shoppers Drug…