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George Weston (TSE:WN)
TSX:WN

George Weston (WN) AI Stock Analysis

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TSE:WN

George Weston

(TSX:WN)

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Neutral 65 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:65Neutral
Price Target:
C$102.00
â–²(6.58% Upside)
Action:DowngradedDate:03/05/26
The score is driven primarily by stable operating performance and strong cash generation, tempered by elevated and rising leverage that increases financial risk. Valuation is a meaningful positive due to the very low P/E, while near-term technicals are weak with the stock trading below key short-term moving averages and momentum indicators near oversold.
Positive Factors
Strong cash generation
Consistent and sizable operating and free cash flow provides durable funding to support capital expenditures, dividend payments, and share repurchases without relying on new financing. Over a 2–6 month horizon this strengthens financial flexibility and underpins the holding company’s ability to allocate capital to Loblaw, Choice Properties, or shareholder returns.
Control of Loblaw provides core earnings
The controlling stake in Loblaw anchors George Weston with exposure to grocery, pharmacy, loyalty and financial services, offering diversified, necessity-driven revenue streams. This ownership model produces recurring earnings and dividends that are structurally resilient across economic cycles, supporting steady parent-level cash inflows over months ahead.
Stable revenue & solid margins
Sustained single-digit revenue growth combined with stable gross margins and improving EBITDA indicates operational resilience and some operating leverage. For a grocery/food platform this suggests durable core profitability and the capacity to absorb input cost variability, supporting consistent operating performance over the coming months.
Negative Factors
High and rising leverage
A materially higher debt burden increases refinancing and interest-rate sensitivity for a defensive retailer/holding company. Elevated leverage constrains financial flexibility, raises funding costs if markets tighten, and magnifies downside risk to equity returns if operating cash flow softens over the next several months.
Thin net profitability
Despite healthy gross and EBITDA margins, thin net margins leave limited buffer against higher interest, taxes or unexpected costs. Below-the-line pressures have driven net income below prior peaks, making reported earnings more volatile and reducing retained earnings available to delever or invest in strategic initiatives over the medium term.
Moderate cash conversion & coverage
Free cash flow running well below net income and modest coverage metrics imply less headroom to absorb shocks or accelerate debt reduction. If operating conditions or interest costs deteriorate, the limited conversion and coverage reduce the company’s ability to rapidly rebuild liquidity or sustain aggressive capital returns without increasing leverage.

George Weston (WN) vs. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC)

George Weston Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionGeorge Weston Limited provides food and drug retailing, and financial services in Canada and internationally. 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, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, and financial services. It operates retail drug stores under the Shoppers Drug Mart name. This segment also provides credit card services, insurance brokerage services, guaranteed investment certificates, and wireless mobile products and services. The Choice Properties segment owns, operates, and manages commercial, residential, tenant, industrial, and office properties. It provides products under the President's Choice, Life Brand, and Farmer's Market brands. The company was founded in 1882 and is based in Toronto, Canada. George Weston Limited is a subsidiary of Wittington Investments, Limited.
How the Company Makes MoneyGeorge Weston generates revenue primarily through the sale of food products in its Grocery segment. This includes baked goods, snacks, and other grocery items sold through its retail operations, particularly Loblaw Companies. Additionally, the company earns income from its Real Estate segment through leasing properties and managing real estate investments. Key revenue streams include wholesale and retail sales, as well as rental income from commercial real estate. Strategic partnerships with suppliers and retailers enhance its market presence, while efficiencies in production and supply chain management contribute to cost savings and profitability.

George Weston Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Income statement and cash flow are supportive (steady revenue growth, solid gross margin ~32–33%, improved EBITDA margin ~12% in TTM, consistently strong operating and free cash flow). The major offset is balance-sheet risk: leverage is high and rising (debt-to-equity ~4.0x TTM) with reduced equity, pressuring flexibility and contributing to thinner net profitability (~2–3%) and net income below prior peaks.
Income Statement
72
Positive
Revenue shows steady, low-to-mid single-digit growth across the annual periods and remains positive in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Profitability is solid for the sector, with gross margin holding near ~32–33% and EBITDA margin improving into ~12% in TTM. The key weakness is earnings pressure: net margin is thin (~2–3%) and net income has trended down from 2022 levels, with TTM net income below recent annual peaks—suggesting higher costs, interest, or other below-the-line headwinds.
Balance Sheet
48
Neutral
The balance sheet is the main constraint. Leverage is high and rising, with debt-to-equity moving from ~2.7x (2020) to ~4.0x in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), while equity has stepped down versus prior years. Returns on equity are strong in recent periods (TTM elevated), but that strength is amplified by leverage, increasing sensitivity to rate and refinancing risk. Overall asset base is stable to modestly growing, but the capital structure is aggressive for a defensive industry profile.
Cash Flow
69
Positive
Cash generation is a clear positive: operating cash flow is consistently strong and improved in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), and free cash flow is sizable with strong TTM growth. That said, cash flow conversion versus reported earnings is only moderate (free cash flow running well below net income), and cash flow coverage metrics are not particularly high, leaving less cushion if operating conditions soften or financing costs rise.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue64.51B61.61B60.12B57.05B53.75B
Gross Profit20.64B20.31B19.61B18.52B17.31B
EBITDA8.29B6.32B5.84B6.01B5.52B
Net Income1.14B1.36B1.54B1.82B431.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets52.17B51.44B49.77B48.96B47.08B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments1.49B2.70B2.92B2.82B3.86B
Total Debt19.58B22.21B21.30B20.65B19.50B
Total Liabilities39.56B38.30B36.31B35.78B33.95B
Stockholders Equity5.28B6.24B6.67B6.84B6.96B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow3.23B3.10B3.01B2.60B3.21B
Operating Cash Flow5.29B5.11B4.95B4.07B4.26B
Investing Cash Flow-2.15B-2.31B-1.68B-2.55B-289.00M
Financing Cash Flow-3.34B-3.22B-3.13B-2.19B-3.57B

George Weston Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price95.70
Price Trends
50DMA
97.95
Negative
100DMA
94.78
Positive
200DMA
91.18
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.78
Positive
RSI
44.23
Neutral
STOCH
31.88
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:WN, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 95.7 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 99.80, below the 50-day MA of 97.95, and above the 200-day MA of 91.18, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.78 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.23 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 31.88 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for TSE:WN.

George Weston Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
73
Outperform
C$3.48B5.7211.72%4.95%-0.03%497.79%
68
Neutral
C$11.17B17.2912.66%1.78%2.58%7.85%
66
Neutral
C$20.06B23.4214.48%1.50%3.71%12.40%
65
Neutral
C$36.64B31.9021.94%1.23%4.15%149.50%
64
Neutral
$73.99B27.6424.03%1.52%4.21%14.03%
64
Neutral
C$53.61B38.9599.41%0.20%14.02%20.11%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:WN
George Weston
96.55
20.67
27.25%
TSE:L
Loblaw Companies
63.14
16.93
36.65%
TSE:DOL
Dollarama
195.80
45.07
29.90%
TSE:EMP.A
Empire Co Cl A NV
49.26
6.43
15.02%
TSE:MFI
Maple Leaf Foods
27.90
6.86
32.59%
TSE:MRU
Metro Inc.
94.72
3.43
3.76%

George Weston Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
George Weston posts strong Q4 on Loblaw and Choice Properties growth
Positive
Mar 4, 2026

George Weston reported solid fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, supported by an extra week of operations and strong performance at Loblaw and Choice Properties. Revenue in the quarter rose 11.2% to $16.54 billion, adjusted EBITDA increased 10.7% to $1.89 billion, and adjusted diluted earnings per share climbed 15.2%, while reported net earnings fell due to an unfavourable fair value adjustment to its trust unit liability.

Loblaw gained market share as customer visits increased, e-commerce sales grew, and food retail same-store sales strengthened alongside robust beauty, OTC, specialty pharmacy, and healthcare services. Choice Properties delivered higher occupancy and cash flow from its grocery-anchored and industrial portfolio, executed $801 million of real estate transactions, expanded its leasable area, and signalled continued confidence with a fourth consecutive annual distribution increase, underscoring stable long-term value creation for investors.

The most recent analyst rating on (TSE:WN) stock is a Buy with a C$121.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on George Weston stock, see the TSE:WN Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 05, 2026