The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, Oct. 19, edition that Beacon Securities analyst Russell Stanley commenced coverage of Green Thumb Industries ($23.71), a Chicago-based company that now operates in seven different jurisdictions in the United States, with a "buy" rating. The Globe's David Leeder writes in the Eye On Equities column that Mr. Stanley calls Green Thumb "a premier multistate operator." Mr. Stanley targets the shares at $32. Analysts on average target the shares at $29. Mr. Stanley says in a note: "The company has soundly focused on 'limited license' states, where regulations effectively preclude the intense competition we have seen in some western markets. Green Thumb has also demonstrated success in identifying acquisitions to speed its entry in some markets (e.g. New York and Florida), while successfully winning de novo licenses through competitive application processes in others (e.g. Illinois and, more recently, Ohio). With the recent completion of a bought deal financing, we expect GTII to exit Q418 with net cash and equivalents of $158-million, which positions it well to continue its aggressive expansion."