Metro (TSE:MRU) Shares Pass Below Two Hundred Day Moving Average – What’s Next?

Metro Inc. (TSE:MRU)’s stock price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$91.79 and traded as low as C$89.96. Metro shares last traded at C$91.40, with a volume of 377,566 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Metro Stock Performance

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 fifty day simple moving average of C$90.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$91.75. The company has a market capitalization of C$19.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.65, a PEG ratio of 4.06 and a beta of 0.11.

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

Metro Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Simon Rivet sold 2,650 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$89.35, for a total value of C$236,777.50. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 20,225 shares of the company’s stock, valued at C$1,807,103.75. The trade was a 11.58% decrease in their position. Also, insider Alain Tadros sold 960 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$90.27, for a total value of C$86,659.20. Following the sale, 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. Insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

About Metro

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.