Low-key Stanley keeps growing

Article Excerpt

A key part of our three-part investing approach is to downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight (the other two parts are invest mainly in well-established stocks and to spread your money out across the five main economic sectors). Stanley is a good example of an out-of-the-limelight stock. Tools and industrial parts attract far less interest than, say, cloud computing. However, the company has a long history of rising earnings and dividends. It is also expanding into new fields and countries. STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $85 (New York symbol SWK; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 160.1 million; Market cap: $13.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) began operating in 1843 and is now one of the world’s largest makers of hand and power tools for consumers. Its top-selling brands include Stanley, Black & Decker, FatMax and Powerlock. In 2012, this business supplied 51% of Stanley’s sales and 50% of…