Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston Sells 104,364 Shares

Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 104,364 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$182.50, for a total transaction of C$19,046,690.91.

Loblaw Companies Price Performance

Shares of TSE L traded up C$3.05 during midday trading on Friday, reaching C$189.43. The stock had a trading volume of 598,336 shares, compared to its average volume of 373,037. The company has a market capitalization of C$57.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.17. Loblaw Companies Limited has a 12-month low of C$141.59 and a 12-month high of C$196.49. The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$183.58 and a 200-day moving average of C$180.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 166.11, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 1.29.

Loblaw Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.513 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $2.05 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.08%. Loblaw Companies’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.83%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have commented on L. National Bankshares lifted their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$188.00 to C$195.00 in a report on Thursday, November 14th. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$225.00 to C$210.00 in a research report on Friday, February 21st. TD Securities dropped their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$202.00 to C$195.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 21st. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$205.00 to C$217.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Finally, CIBC increased their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$206.00 to C$208.00 in a research note on Friday, February 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of C$199.38.

About Loblaw Companies

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.