Latest news with #MRU
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Metro Inc.: Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Written by Joey Frenette at The Motley Fool Canada Shares of Montreal-based grocery firm Metro (TSX:MRU) have been faring quite well in the past year, now up a solid 17% year to date and close to 40% in the past year. Undoubtedly, the 'boring' grocery play has been anything but amid its robust rally. And while the stock may be starting to get just a bit pricey, at least compared to its historical valuation metrics, I think the quality defensive is well worth the slightly higher price of admission at just north of $105 per share. Undoubtedly, Metro, which primarily operates in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, isn't the only grocery stock that has been firing on all cylinders of late. Indeed, the broad basket of grocery names has been on the ascent in recent years, seemingly undeterred by the threat of heftier food inflation and the impact of tariffs. Although you could do quite well by owning any one of the grocery plays or the broad basket, I think that shares of MRU stand out for their incredibly low beta, which is currently at 0.3. Indeed, for those seeking a less volatile ride for the second half, MRU stock seems to be a name to pick up while it yields a relatively attractive (and growing) 1.4% dividend yield. At the time of writing, shares trade at 23.75 times trailing price to earnings (P/E), which is not cheap for Metro standards. However, if you're in the market for a steady consumer staple that can move higher under its own power (the lower beta entails Metro is less likely to follow in the footsteps of the TSX Index), I'd not be against buying the stock at above $100 per share. Arguably, Metro still has the growth drivers in place to make higher highs going into year's end. Recently, Metro's top boss and CEO noted that the weakness in the Canadian dollar has been adding fuel to inflation. As the loonie gains a bit of ground again as the U.S. dollar looks to sink further (some pundits see the greenback falling by a high single-digit percentage point from here), I think Canadian consumers could be in for a bit of modest relief. And if Trump's tariffs go away in the back half of the year, either due to a friendly deal or perhaps some sort of blockage by the U.S. court, perhaps food inflation could have the chance to really cool off for a change. Either way, Metro's managers are doing a fantastic job of navigating the tariff environment. They've done their best to source more local products to help customers get a better deal for their dollar. And though there's no eating all of the tariff impact on imported goods, I think that the firm is better equipped than most other retailers to continue higher, regardless of what's in store on the trade front for the next 18 months. Most definitely not. But if you're a cautious investor looking for a resilient defensive dividend grower, I'd not sleep on the name. It's a buy, in my books. The post Metro Inc.: Buy, Sell, or Hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. Before you buy stock in Metro, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Canada analyst team just identified what they believe are the Top Stocks for 2025 and Beyond for investors to buy now… and Metro wasn't one of them. The Top Stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 ... if you invested $1,000 in the 'eBay of Latin America' at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $21,345.77!* Stock Advisor Canada provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month – one from Canada and one from the U.S. The Stock Advisor Canada service has outperformed the return of S&P/TSX Composite Index by 24 percentage points since 2013*. See the Top Stocks * Returns as of 4/21/25 More reading Made in Canada: 5 Homegrown Stocks Ready for the 'Buy Local' Revolution [PREMIUM PICKS] Market Volatility Toolkit Best Canadian Stocks to Buy in 2025 Beginner Investors: 4 Top Canadian Stocks to Buy for 2025 5 Years From Now, You'll Probably Wish You Grabbed These Stocks Subscribe to Motley Fool Canada on YouTube Fool contributor Joey Frenette has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Calgary Herald
27-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Alberta government to provide funding to MRU to explore optometry training in the province
Alberta's government has signed a letter of commitment with Mount Royal University, providing $300,000 to explore the potential of offering optometry training in the province. Article content Article content Canada currently offers only two options for students wanting to study optometry — the University of Waterloo and the Université de Montréal. Both programs are in high demand, and many students leave the country to pursue optometry studies, often not returning to Canada to practice. Article content Article content With the government's support, MRU will work with the University of Waterloo on ways to bring optometry training to Alberta. Article content Article content 'This is a great opportunity for Alberta. Mount Royal University has a strong reputation for providing high-quality health-related education, and we're confident this partnership will help strengthen Alberta's ability to train the health professionals we need to support the province's growing population,' said Myles McDougall, Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education, in a Government of Alberta news release. Article content The $300,000 grant will be provided over two years and support a study exploring program delivery, a financial model for the program and regulatory requirements. Article content The Alberta College of Optometrists and the Alberta Association of Optometrists have also expressed interest in the partnership and will be included in the study. Article content Article content 'Mount Royal University is grateful to the Government of Alberta for its support as we build on our strategic partnership with the University of Waterloo to address the increasing demand for vision care and optometry education for Albertans,' said MRU president and vice-chancellor Tim Rahilly. Article content Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, Adriana LaGrange, said the province is committed to improving Albertans' access to health services. Expanding local educational opportunities provides opportunities for graduates to stay and build their careers locally, she said.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Metro Inc.'s (TSE:MRU) Stock's Recent Performance A Reflection Of Its Financial Health?
Metro's (TSE:MRU) stock is up by 4.2% over the past three months. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. Specifically, we decided to study Metro's ROE in this article. Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company's management is utilizing the company's capital. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity. We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Metro is: 13% = CA$963m ÷ CA$7.1b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024). The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that for every CA$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CA$0.13 in profit. View our latest analysis for Metro So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics. At first glance, Metro seems to have a decent ROE. Even when compared to the industry average of 13% the company's ROE looks quite decent. This certainly adds some context to Metro's moderate 6.0% net income growth seen over the past five years. We then compared Metro's net income growth with the industry and we're pleased to see that the company's growth figure is higher when compared with the industry which has a growth rate of 4.0% in the same 5-year period. The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. It's important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Has the market priced in the future outlook for MRU? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report. Metro has a three-year median payout ratio of 30%, which implies that it retains the remaining 70% of its profits. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the decent growth seen by the company, it looks like management is reinvesting its earnings efficiently. Moreover, Metro is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of paying a dividend for at least ten years. Upon studying the latest analysts' consensus data, we found that the company is expected to keep paying out approximately 31% of its profits over the next three years. Accordingly, forecasts suggest that Metro's future ROE will be 15% which is again, similar to the current ROE. In total, we are pretty happy with Metro's performance. In particular, it's great to see that the company is investing heavily into its business and along with a high rate of return, that has resulted in a sizeable growth in its earnings. That being so, the latest analyst forecasts show that the company will continue to see an expansion in its earnings. To know more about the company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Clinical research van reaching rural communities
A specially-designed van is visiting rural parts of Cornwall to make it easier for people in "underserved and remote" areas to take part in clinical research. The Mobile Research Unit (MRU) is part of a pilot project exploring how bespoke vehicles can improve clinical trial accessibility and efficiency. The unit is part of a clinical trial called NOVA 301 investigating the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine for norovirus. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) is one of 39 trusts in the country taking part. Bianca Mills, head of research and development at RCHT, said the MRU was a "transformative step in overcoming geographical barriers to clinical research in Cornwall". She said it was "a vital step towards reducing health inequalities, improving patient outcomes and positioning Cornwall as a leader in accessible, community-driven research." The trial has recruited about 3,000 participants nationally, with 30 of those from Cornwall. The MRU is going to visit areas including Penzance and Hayle, where research participation has historically been low. The van features a "high-quality clinical space" with an "ultra-low temperature freezer to store biological samples". The project is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway, pharmaceutical company Moderna and EMS Healthcare. Professor Andrew Ustianowski, interim executive director at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, said: "The team at RCHT has a strong track record of delivering commercial research and ensuring that local populations have opportunities to participate. "We look forward to seeing how this pilot, which includes mobile units in Cornwall and Blackpool, improves the participant experience and expands access to research." Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Trust awarded £3.5m to establish research centre Woman's hopes for brain tumours breakthrough Silent nurse call bells on trial in baby ward NIHR RCHT
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Clinical research van reaching rural communities in Cornwall
A specially-designed van is visiting rural parts of Cornwall to make it easier for people in "underserved and remote" areas to take part in clinical Mobile Research Unit (MRU) is part of a pilot project exploring how bespoke vehicles can improve clinical trial accessibility and unit is part of a clinical trial called NOVA 301 investigating the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine for norovirus. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) is one of 39 trusts in the country taking Mills, head of research and development at RCHT, said the MRU was a "transformative step in overcoming geographical barriers to clinical research in Cornwall". She said it was "a vital step towards reducing health inequalities, improving patient outcomes and positioning Cornwall as a leader in accessible, community-driven research."The trial has recruited about 3,000 participants nationally, with 30 of those from MRU is going to visit areas including Penzance and Hayle, where research participation has historically been van features a "high-quality clinical space" with an "ultra-low temperature freezer to store biological samples". The project is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway, pharmaceutical company Moderna and EMS Andrew Ustianowski, interim executive director at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, said: "The team at RCHT has a strong track record of delivering commercial research and ensuring that local populations have opportunities to participate. "We look forward to seeing how this pilot, which includes mobile units in Cornwall and Blackpool, improves the participant experience and expands access to research."
