Analysts Set Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Price Target at C$199.38

Shares of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) have received a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the seven research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$199.38.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on L shares. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$225.00 to C$210.00 in a report on Friday, February 21st. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$205.00 to C$217.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, December 9th. Scotiabank lowered Loblaw Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a C$200.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. TD Securities decreased their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$202.00 to C$195.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 21st. Finally, CIBC raised their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$206.00 to C$208.00 in a report on Friday, February 21st.

Insider Buying and Selling at Loblaw Companies

In other Loblaw Companies news, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 104,364 shares of Loblaw Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$182.50, for a total value of C$19,046,690.91. Also, Senior Officer Kieran Barry Columb sold 11,309 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$186.55, for a total value of C$2,109,706.39. Insiders have sold 141,456 shares of company stock worth $25,966,244 over the last quarter. 53.77% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Loblaw Companies Stock Performance

TSE:L opened at C$198.30 on Friday. Loblaw Companies has a 1-year low of C$145.80 and a 1-year high of C$198.80. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$185.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$183.01. The firm has a market cap of C$59.96 billion, a PE ratio of 26.92, a P/E/G ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 166.11, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 0.68.

Loblaw Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be given a dividend of $0.513 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $2.05 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.03%. Loblaw Companies’s payout ratio is 27.83%.

Loblaw Companies Company Profile

Loblaw is one of Canada’s largest grocery, pharmacy, and general merchandise retailers, operating the most expansive store footprint in Ontario and maintaining sizable presences in provinces like Quebec and British Columbia. Key grocery banners include Loblaw, No Frills, and Maxi, while its pharmaceutical operations are the product of its 2014 acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart.