George Weston (TSE:WN) Price Target Raised to C$212.00

George Weston (TSE:WN) had its price target boosted by Scotiabank from C$200.00 to C$212.00 in a research report released on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports. Scotiabank currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on WN. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on George Weston from C$216.00 to C$218.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$172.00 to C$185.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. CIBC upped their target price on shares of George Weston from C$213.00 to C$222.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, TD Securities raised their target price on shares of George Weston from C$205.00 to C$215.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$216.67.

George Weston Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of TSE WN opened at C$188.98 on Monday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is C$181.46 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$170.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 158.23. George Weston has a 52-week low of C$144.41 and a 52-week high of C$194.02. The stock has a market capitalization of C$25.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.56, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.38.

George Weston (TSE:WN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported C$2.51 earnings per share for the quarter. George Weston had a net margin of 2.56% and a return on equity of 19.71%. The business had revenue of C$14.70 billion for the quarter. On average, analysts anticipate that George Weston will post 11.8758003 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

George Weston Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Saturday, June 15th will be paid a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, June 14th. This is a boost from George Weston’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. George Weston’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.49%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Senior Officer Andrew Michael Bunston sold 2,303 shares of George Weston stock in a transaction on Friday, March 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$183.27, for a total transaction of C$422,079.10. In other George Weston news, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 79,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$144.88, for a total value of C$11,474,503.92. Also, Senior Officer Andrew Michael Bunston sold 2,303 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$183.27, for a total value of C$422,079.10. Insiders have sold 151,008 shares of company stock worth $24,350,724 over the last 90 days. 58.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

George Weston Company Profile

George Weston Limited provides food and drug retailing, and financial services in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) and Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (Choice Properties). The Loblaw segment provides grocery, pharmacy and healthcare services, health and beauty products, apparel, general merchandise, and financial services.