Heinz taps into fast-growing market

Article Excerpt

H.J. HEINZ CO. $45 (New York symbol HNZ; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 318.1 million; Market cap: $14.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 4.0%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is buying privately held Foodstar, a leading maker of soy sauces in China. Heinz will pay $165 million for Foodstar. That’s equal to 18% of the $914 million, or $2.87 a share, that Heinz earned in the fiscal year ended April 28, 2010. The company aims to close the deal in a few months. Heinz feels its marketing and distribution expertise will help Foodstar expand its share of China’s soy-sauce market, which is growing by 7% to 8% a year. Heinz is a buy. buy…