DIAGEO PLC ADRs $113 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 627.1 million; Market cap: $70.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.1; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) continues see strong demand for its top brands, such as Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker scotch whisky and Captain Morgan rum, in fast-growing markets like Latin America and Africa. The company aims to get half of its sales from emerging markets by 2015, up from the current 40%.
In its fiscal 2013 first quarter, which ended September 30, 2012, Diageo’s sales rose 6% from a year earlier. If you exclude contributions from acquisitions, sales would have risen 5%.
Sales increased 6% in North America, 11% in Africa, 16% in Latin America and 2% in Asia. However, European sales fell 1%.
Diageo is a hold for long-term growth.