
TSE:L
This summary was created by AI, based on 14 opinions in the last 12 months.
Loblaw Companies Ltd (L-T) is seen as a dominant player in the Canadian grocery and pharmacy sectors, with its CEO focusing on successful initiatives like the No Frills brand and Shoppers Drug Mart. Many analysts acknowledge the company's private label strength, which has proven resilient during inflationary periods. Despite these positives, there are reservations about the stock's current valuation, as it is considered to be at its highest in 25 years, making some experts hesitant about buying at this price point. Additionally, competition from Walmart and Costco is a continual challenge. While it boasts strong revenue growth and free cash flow, the stock is viewed by some as potentially overvalued relative to its peers.
(A Top Pick Jul 10/19, Up 6%) Relatively defensive with food and pharma. Nice defensive stock to own in this environment. Pantry loading with Covid, but they also have higher costs with protection equipment and higher labour costs. Leader in online grocery. The trading discount from Metro should narrow over time.
Are grocers safe? Yes, during this stay at home phase. Loblaw trades at 16x forward PE with a 7% growth rate. It's low beta at half the volatility of the TSX. Q2 will probably be good in terms of revenues. But he's concerned with their private label segment has required a lot of investment. Also, Loblaw is highly unionized and faces wage pressure. He prefers Metro a bit for its better valuation.
Food retailing is defensive. Unlike Empire, Loblaw owns Shoppers which gives it an edge. Loblaw is expanding their health business, entering digital health with a new acquisition. The locations of both Loblaw and SDM are great and boast a 30% market share. People are becoming comfortable using online medical services, a trend that will continue across North America long term. The growth rate in their click-and-collect and grocery delivery may not be that strong, but will continue to rise. Trades at 14x forward earnings, reasonable. The dividend is a moderate 2%. Even if we enter high volatility, this sector and stock will be fine. (Analysts’ price target is $80.82)