Alain Tadros Sells 960 Shares of Metro (TSE:MRU) Stock

Metro Inc. (TSE:MRU) insider Alain Tadros sold 960 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$90.27, for a total transaction of C$86,659.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 5,952 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$537,287.04. This trade represents a 13.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock.

Metro Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of MRU stock traded down C$0.34 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting C$89.71. 160,065 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 535,271. Metro Inc. has a fifty-two week low of C$86.63 and a fifty-two week high of C$101.30. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of C$91.04 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$92.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.09. The stock has a market cap of C$18.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.31, a PEG ratio of 4.06 and a beta of 0.11.

Metro (TSE:MRU) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 12th. The company reported C$1.24 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$6.97 billion during the quarter. Metro had a net margin of 4.00% and a return on equity of 12.87%. Equities analysts expect that Metro Inc. will post 4.8188614 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Metro Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 22nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 22nd will be given a dividend of $0.4075 per share. This represents a $1.63 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 3rd. Metro’s payout ratio is presently 36.94%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on Metro from C$111.00 to C$110.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. BMO Capital Markets lowered Metro from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price target for the company from C$105.00 to C$95.00 in a research report on Monday, July 20th. TD increased their target price on shares of Metro from C$106.00 to C$108.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 13th. National Bank Financial cut their target price on shares of Metro from C$105.00 to C$102.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 13th. Finally, TD Securities upgraded Metro to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Metro presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of C$102.33.

Metro Company Profile

With annual sales of more than $22 billion, METRO Inc is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario, providing employment to more than 97,000 people. Its purpose is to Nourish the health and well-being of our communities. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and provider of eCommerce services, the company operates or services a network of some 1,000 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis and Première Moisson, and some 640 pharmacies primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners.