HILLSHIRE BRANDS CO. $63 (New York symbol HSH; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 123.4 million; Market cap: $7.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hillshirebrands.com) took its current form on June 28, 2012, when the old Sara Lee Corp. split into two separate companies: Hillshire and European coffee maker D.E. Master Blenders.
D.E. Master accepted a $16.50-a-share takeover offer in June 2013, for a 55% gain since the Sara Lee breakup.
Hillshire makes a variety of packaged meat products. Its main brands include Ball Park hot dogs, Jimmy Dean sausages and Hillshire Farm deli meats. Other foods include Sara Lee frozen desserts and Chef Pierre pies.
The company recently agreed to a $63.00-a-share takeover offer from Tyson Foods (New York symbol TSN), for a 228% gain since the breakup. Tyson aims to complete the takeover by September 27, 2014.
Hillshire Brands is a hold.