Updating BHP Billiton Ltd. and C.R. Bard Inc.

Article Excerpt

BHP BILLITON LTD. ADRs $44 (www.bhpbilliton.com) has completed the spinoff of South32, which holds BHP’s aluminum, manganese, nickel and silver businesses, as well as some of its coal mines. These assets are in Australia, southern Africa and South America. Investors received 0.4 of a South32 American depositary receipt for each BHP ADR they own. The South32 ADRs trade on the U.S. over-the-counter market (symbol SOUHY). Following the spinoff, BHP now focuses on four main commodities: iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper and petroleum, at properties in Australia, North America and South America. We don’t recommend South32, but it’s a worthwhile hold. BHP is still a buy. C.R. BARD INC. $172 (www.crbard.com) has raised its dividend by 9.1%. The new annual rate of $0.96 a share yields 0.6%. Bard also added $500 million to its share buyback authorization. It can now repurchase $660 million of its shares, or 5.2% of its $12.8-billion market cap. There are no time limits for these purchases…