The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that National Bank Financial analyst Vishal Shreedhar has reaffirmed his "sector perform" recommendation for Canadian Tire. The Globe's David Leeder notes that Mr. Shreedhar lowered his share target by $5 to $185. On average, analysts target the shares at $175.60. Mr. Shreedhar anticipates "moderation" in sales growth for Canadian Tire stores when the parent company reports its third-quarter results next month, as it faces a less favourable comparable base. He is currently projecting earnings per share for the quarter at $2.95, which is four cents above the consensus estimate on the Street but lower than $3.56 during the same period last fiscal year, when the company benefited from a real estate gain and insurance recoveries. Excluding these factors, the decline is 6.2 per cent, which he attributes to "SG&A deleverage, retail (excluding petroleum) gross margin contraction, and lower financial EBT, partly offset by positive SSSG at all banners, lower interest expense, lower D&A, and share repurchases." The Globe reported in its Aug. 8 edition that Mr. Shreedhar continued to rate Canadian Tire "sector perform." At that time, the stock was valued at $243.