J Sainsbury

JSAIY

Grocery Stores · Consumer Defensive

Price

$18.07

+0.03 (+0.17%)

Market Cap

$9.85B

Exchange

Other OTC

Winston Score

Winston is curious

Mixed quality — meaningful strengths and weaknesses.

Data as of Aug 31, 2026 · filings through Feb 28, 2026

How the score breaks down

Quality

Mixed

Growth

Mixed

Cash Flow

Strong

Stability

Strong

Valuation

Strong

Dividends

Exceptional

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Share count falling — buybacks

−1.3% over 4y

The company has reduced its share count over this period, returning value to shareholders through buybacks.

Diluted shares outstanding: 587.8M (2022) → 580.2M (2026)

Winston Score History

The full picture

J Sainsbury is the second-largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. It sells groceries, clothing, and general merchandise to millions of everyday shoppers through roughly 1,400 supermarkets and convenience stores. The company also owns Argos, a major general merchandise retailer, and offers financial services through Sainsbury's Bank.

Sainsbury makes money primarily by selling food and household products at thin margins, which is typical for grocery retail. Nearly all of its revenue comes from the UK market, and it competes head-to-head with Tesco, Asda, and discounters like Aldi and Lidl. Its loyalty program, Nectar, and the integration of Argos into its stores give it some competitive differentiation. The main risk is ongoing price competition from discount grocers, which pressures already slim profit margins.

Growth Profile

For growth stock investors

When traditional metrics don't capture the full picture, these are the signals growth stock investors use instead.

Revenue Growth

+2.8% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Slow revenue growth

EPS Growth

+21.9% YoY

YoY Growth Rate

Steady EPS growth

R&D Spend

£0/ year

0.0% of revenue

Below sector average (2%)

Research and development spending

Insider Activity

26.4%ownership

Insiders own a meaningful stake in the company

Cash Position

Cash flow positive

£1.2B cash & investments

Quarterly Free Cash Flow

↑ Burn rate improving

Company generates more cash than it spends — no dilution risk from fundraising

Growth context

J Sainsbury is growing revenue at 3% year-over-year. The Winston Score measures business quality today — these growth metrics show what could matter tomorrow.

The Winston Score above measures business quality today. Growth stocks often score lower because they invest in the future rather than maximising current profits. These metrics show what matters most for evaluating that future.

Score breakdown

Every number that matters to educated investors.

Each metric is explained in plain language so you know exactly what you're looking at. Start your free trial now.

Quality

Profit per sale

Gross Margin

6.2%

Thin — 6.2% gross margin

Profit after running costs

Operating Margin

2.9%

Thin — 2.9% operating margin

Return on the money invested

ROCE

12.4%

Good — 12.4% return on capital

ROIC between 5% and 15%. They earn 5 to 15 cents back per year on every dollar invested.

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Growth

Sales growth

Sales YoY

+2.3%

Nearly flat sales (+2.3% YoY)

Profit growth

EPS YoY

+3.0%

Modest earnings growth (+3.0% YoY)

Single-digit earnings growth — steady but not exciting.

How steady the profit is

EPS Consistency

4/8 quarters

Earnings inconsistent quarter-to-quarter

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Cash Flow

Profit that turns into cash

Cash Conversion

468%

Turns 468% of profit into real cash

Spare cash per sale

FCF Margin

3.5%

Thin free cash flow (3.5%)

FCF margin between 0% and 10%. Some cash from sales, but not a lot.

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Stability

What it owes vs what it owns

Debt / Equity

0.17

Conservative — low debt load (0.17)

Covers its interest

Interest Cover

2.70x

Tight — interest eats into profit (2.7x)

Interest coverage between 1 and 3. Profits cover interest, but with little room to spare.

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Valuation

Price vs profit

P/E Ratio (TTM)

26.6x

Growth-priced — P/E 26.6

P/E above the market average. People are paying up for expected growth.

Cheaper or dearer next year

P/E vs Forward

+15.0

GROWING

Earnings expected to grow meaningfully — cheaper on forward P/E (26.6 → 11.5)

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Dividends

Dividend

Dividend Yield

5.70%

Healthy income — 5.70% yield

Generous yield. Worth checking whether the payout is sustainable.

Dividend record

Dividend Growth

+51.5%

Dividend growing fast (51.5% YoY)

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