Brian Yarbrough, Edward Jones

Tim Hortons Inc (THI) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Rather than sticking with a format that has become a part of Canadian culture, Tim's said it would open what it described as "redesigned upscale café/bake shops" that feature a menu that differs from the Canadian fare, including pastries baked on premises. "The bottom line is that the Tim Hortons you know today will be dramatically different in four years from now," CEO Don Schroeder said. The company told industry analysts Friday it would locate the 300 new cafés in parts of the U. S in which it already had a presence , mostly in New York , Ohio and Michigan ."They are making the right move by targeting current markets. You just can't continue to throw more stores out there. It's like throwing bad money after bad money," Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough told Reuters. 

RONA, Inc. (RON) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Noble is looking for additional acquisitions in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario "It's the beginning, hopefully, of a very profound and important statement that Rona has spent time consolidating and working on some of our backdoor functions and (now is) looking towards opportunities to grow the business again," Storfer added Brian Yarbrough of Edward Jones said the acquisition won't generate significant revenues for Rona, but that it does mark a return to an expansionary mode it recently promised investors "I definitely think this is a sign that these guys are back out there and they're definitely looking and on the prowl for some more deals," he said in an interview American rival Lowe's reported Monday that it is cautiously optimistic that sales for stores open a year will grow in 2010 for the first time in years 

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

CN and CP, which have extensive networks in Canada and the United States, could see year over year growth in 2010 in the volume of goods transported while enjoying "pricing power" in freight rates charged to customers, said Steve Hansen, an analyst at Raymond James Ltd Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said the railway industry will benefit from increased international trade by moving more "intermodal freight," or goods transported inside standardized metal containers that are readily transferred between ships, trains and trucks 

Panera Bread Company, Inc. (PNRA) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

Burger King Holdings, Inc. (BKC) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (WEN) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

Tim Hortons Inc (THI) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

McDonald's Corporation (MCD) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

Sonic Corporation (SONC) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Although the U.S operations are moving in the right direction, it will be a battle, analysts say. "While we believe Tim Hortons is a high quality restaurant concept, the U.S is a highly competitive market with many entrenched players such as McDonald's, Panera Bread, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's, Burger King and Sonic, which we believe will make Tim Hortons' expansion more challenging," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis, said in a research note. Mr. Yarbrough rates the stock a "hold," but some analysts are more bullish. National Bank Financial's Jim Durran rates Tims "outperform" with a price target of $36. 

Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

MONTREAL , The recession has taken some of the sting out of a strike by Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR) locomotive engineers as transportation demand is far below where it was during a similar dispute two years ago, industry analysts say. Individual sectors may feel the heat of a protracted strike, but fears about the impact on the overall economy have been overblown, says Brian Yarbrough of Edwards Jones. Canada's largest rail operator is running smaller and fewer trains as shipping volumes are lower than 2007 when it endured a two month strike by conductors. "It shouldn't be as big an impact as last time, because the network was running with a lot more items on the rail at that time," he said in an interview. 

Loblaw Companies Limited (L) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Inflation will disappear, competition will intensify, and volume growth and volume market share will be key," Leighton said. Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said Leighton is probably correct to assume declining inflation will continue to impact Loblaw for the next six months, although this could change if the economy rebounds more quickly than expected. "If the economy starts to strengthen and people start paying full price for things and they don't have to discount as much, that helps pricing," Yarbrough said. In addition to losing revenue due to lower prices, Loblaw will continue to lay out millions in capital expenditures in the fourth quarter under a program to renovate its stores and upgrade its information technology and supply chain infrastructure. Chief financial officer Robert Vaux said the investment in information technology cost the company about $25 million in the quarter and impacted earnings by about six cents per share. 

George Weston Ltd. (WN) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

Inflation will disappear, competition will intensify, and volume growth and volume market share will be key," Leighton said. Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough said Leighton is probably correct to assume declining inflation will continue to impact Loblaw for the next six months, although this could change if the economy rebounds more quickly than expected. "If the economy starts to strengthen and people start paying full price for things and they don't have to discount as much, that helps pricing," Yarbrough said. In addition to losing revenue due to lower prices, Loblaw will continue to lay out millions in capital expenditures in the fourth quarter under a program to renovate its stores and upgrade its information technology and supply chain infrastructure. Chief financial officer Robert Vaux said the investment in information technology cost the company about $25 million in the quarter and impacted earnings by about six cents per share. 

Saputo Inc. (SAP) - Brian Yarbrough at Edward Jones

"These guys continue to do an outstanding job in driving inefficiencies out of the business and taking these acquisitions, such as Neilson, integrating them very well and on top of that driving higher levels of profit out of these acquisitions," said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones in St. Louis, Mo. Saputo earned $94.5 million, or 45 cents a share, in the second quarter, ended Sept. 30, up from $69 million, or 33 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 2 per cent to $1.48 billion, mainly due to gains from the Neilson deal. Analysts had expected, on average, earnings of 41 cents a share before items and revenue of $1.56 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.