Retail stocks in Canada often fly under the radar, but at the moment, they deserve a fresh look. After a shaky start to 2025 due to global trade tensions and an uncertain monetary policy outlook, TSX investors have plenty of reasons to be cautious. But if you’re careful, Canadian retail stocks can still be a smart place to grow your money. With $6,500 to put to work, you may want to pick up shares of companies that could continue to grow stronger despite volatility.
In this article, I’ll show you exactly where I’d invest today to boost my net worth and why smart retail bets could pay off bigger than you might expect.
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George Weston stock
Speaking of solid retail bets, a stock that definitely makes my list is George Weston (TSX: WN). This Toronto-based firm operates through two main businesses, Loblaw Companies and Choice Properties, giving it a strong presence in both retail and real estate.
Right now, WN stock is trading at $261.30 per share, giving it a market value of about $33.7 billion. And it offers a quarterly dividend with a current annualized yield of about 1.3%.
George Weston wrapped up 2024 with a 2.5% YoY (year-over-year) increase in its total revenue, reaching $61.6 billion. On the profitability side, George Weston’s adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) climbed 6.4% from a year ago due to higher rental income at Choice and growth across Loblaw’s retail and healthcare services.
Another major factor that makes George Weston stock such a smart pick today is its strategy to keep expanding even in a tricky economy. Notably, its subsidiary Loblaw plans to open about 80 new food and drug stores and 100 new pharmacy clinics this year, while Choice Properties is focused on adding premium retail and industrial real estate to its portfolio. Given these strong fundamentals, WN stock has the potential to keep growing even amid market volatility.
Metro stock
Another attractive Canadian retail stock you can consider right now is Metro (TSX: MRU). This Montréal-based firm mainly focuses on food and pharmacy retail. It runs nearly 1,000 grocery stores under banners like Metro, Super C, and Food Basics, along with over 600 pharmacies under names like Jean Coutu and Brunet.
After climbing by 14% year to date, MRU stock is currently trading at $103.13 per share with a market cap of $22.6 billion. At this market price, it offers a dividend yield of about 1.4%.
In the quarter ended in March 2025, Metro’s revenue climbed by 5.5% YoY to nearly $4.91 billion, helped by strong food and pharmacy same-store sales and a boost from a shift in the holiday shopping calendar. Similarly, its net profit for the quarter rose 17.6% from a year ago to $220 million, while adjusted earnings grew 9.8%. This strong earnings growth was supported by solid online food sales and strong pharmacy demand, especially for prescription drugs.
Notably, Metro recently wrapped up major supply chain upgrades and is now focusing on boosting store efficiency and expanding its network. This is the kind of strategy that could help this top retail stock thrive even when markets get choppy.
