The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday, Jan. 21, edition that EQB's deal to purchase Loblaw's PC Financial assets is "strategically enhancing," according to an analyst at BMO Capital Markets, who hiked his share target Tuesday and upgraded shares of the company, which offers banking services through its Equitable Bank. The Post's Gigi Suhanic writes that Etienne Ricard, a diversified financial analyst at BMO, raised his share target to $130 from $103 and upgraded the shares to "outperform" from "market perform" based on EQB's previously announced deal in early December that it was buying PC Financial and related insurance companies from Loblaw for $800-million, with the grocery store chain taking a minority interest in the financial services firm. EQB shares finished Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange up $4.84 at $106.84. "The acquisition of PC Financial is strategically enhancing insofar as it provides EQB with an expanded customer outreach and a more diversified bank from asset, funding and revenue perspectives," Mr. Ricard said in a note. He added he thinks there is more "upside potential" for shares from cross-selling between the two companies.