Beverage stocks: 1 buy and 2 holds

Article Excerpt

Sales are slowing at these three beverage makers, mainly because health-conscious consumers are cutting back on sugary drinks and alcohol. Even so, we feel their well-known brands will continue to help them prosper. They’re also doing a good job of cutting their costs, which is freeing up additional cash for acquisitions and dividends. However, in light of their recent gains, only one is a buy right now. PEPSICO INC. $87 (New York symbol PEP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $130.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pepsico.com) is the world’s second-largest soft drink maker after Coca-Cola. It also makes other products, such as Frito-Lay snack foods, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana fruit juices and Quaker Oats cereals. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the health effects of soft drinks, as well as potato chips and other snacks. The company continues to develop more nutritious alternatives in response. For example, it owns the exclusive soft…