TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:
Toronto Stock Exchange (18,274.07, down 100.71 points.)
Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financials. Down eight cents, or 0.32 per cent, to $25 on 26.4 million shares.
The Supreme Cannabis Co. Inc. (TSX:FIRE). Health care. Down 1.5 cents, or 4.69 per cent, to 30.5 cents on 23.9 million shares.
Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Industrials. Down four cents, or 6.56 per cent, to 57 cents on 13.1 million shares.
Zenabis Global Inc. (TSX:ZENA). Health care. Down one cent, or 5.88 per cent, to 16 cents on 12.4 million shares.
Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down 40 cents, or 1.65 per cent, to $23.78 on 12.1 million shares.
Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSX:CPG). Energy. Up 44 cents, or 10.53 per cent, to $4.62 on 11.3 million shares.
Companies in the news:
Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. (TSX:CTC.A). Down 19 cents to $175.78. Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. says it's closing all National Sports stores to reduce overlap in the company's sporting goods assortment after an internal evaluation. The decision to close all 18 of the retail stores across southern Ontario came as the company reported its fourth-quarter profit and revenue both rose significantly compared with a year ago. The company operates multiple brands including Canadian Tire, Mark's, SportChek, Atmosphere, Sports Experts and Pro Hockey Life. Across the company's banners, consolidated comparable sales grew a "record breaking" 9.5 per cent in the fourth quarter while e-commerce sales grew 142 per cent, he said. Meanwhile, Canadian Tire said its net income attributable to shareholders totalled $488.8 million, up from $334.1 million in its fourth quarter a year earlier. Revenue was $4.87 billion, up from $4.32 billion.
Sienna Senior Living Inc. (TSX:SIA). Down 16 cents, or 1.2 per cent, to $13.05. Sienna Senior Living Inc. is reporting a net loss of $8.7 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31 as the company faces higher costs related to the pandemic. The company's net income in the fourth quarter was $9.8 million lower than a year earlier, with net operating expenses increasing by 4.4 per cent year over year. From March to December, Sienna, which operates long-term care and retirement homes with 10,000 residents across its properties, increased its staffing level from 1,200 to more than 13,000 employees as it grappled with the pandemic, the company says. Sienna's revenue decreased by 0.2 per cent to $168.8 million in Q4 2020, in line with analysts' forecast of $167.5 million.
Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX). Down 70 cents, or 2.6 per cent, to $25.71. Buoyed by stronger gold and copper prices and flush with cash after realizing $1.5 billion in proceeds from the sale of non-core assets since 2019, Barrick Gold Corp. is proposing to return US$750 million to its shareholders later this year. The Toronto-based miner said Thursday it will ask shareholders at its annual meeting in May to vote in favour of a one-time distribution of 42 cents per share. The payment would be made in three equal tranches and is in addition to the company's regular dividend, it said. The miner's updated 2021 gold production guidance for a range between 4.4 million and 4.7 million ounces was slightly lower than previous expectations.
Teck Resources Ltd. (TSX:TECK.B). Up 77 cents, or 2.9 per cent, to $27.09. Teck Resources Ltd. is again writing down part of its stake in the Fort Hills oilsands mine in northeastern Alberta operated by partner Suncor Energy Inc. The Vancouver-based miner reported Thursday a net fourth-quarter loss of $464 million, which includes a non-cash, pre-tax charge of $597 million to account for lower future expectations for bitumen crude oil prices from its 21.3 per cent share in the project. The charge comes despite a forecast for the oilsands mine's average output to increase by 25 per cent while operating costs fall by 20 per cent this year versus 2020, Teck CEO Don Lindsay said on a conference call. Teck reported fourth-quarter revenue of $2.56 billion, down from $2.66 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Nutrien Ltd. (TSX:NTR). Down 42 cents to $70.48. The CEO of Nutrien Ltd. says the fertilizer company will continue to grow organically as well as through acquisitions as it increases its dividend and launches a new share buyback program. The Saskatoon-based company is poised to ride a continuing recovery in agriculture in 2021 that will be marked by higher fertilizer prices and volumes as well as the implementation of new technologies and products for its farm customers around the world, said Chuck Magro. The company, which reports in U.S. dollars, noted net earnings of US$316 million or 55 cents per share on sales of $4.05 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $48 million or eight cents on sales of $3.46 billion in the same period a year ago. The company's quarterly dividend is being raised for the third time in three years to 46 cents per share, up a penny, and it says it plans to buy back up to five per cent of its shares over the next year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2021.
The Canadian Press