Strong brands give these foodmakers an edge

These two foodmakers continue to raise their selling prices to offset rising costs for ingredients, fuel, labour and other inputs. Even so, consumers seem willing to stick with their strong brands, which they see as affordable luxuries, instead of switching to cheaper products. Both firms… Read More

Updating your Conservative-Growth Payers: Kraft Heinz

KRAFT HEINZ CO. $36 is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol KHC, Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $48.0 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) is a leading producer of processed foods. Its top brands include Velveeta and Philadelphia cheese… Read More

Activist targets: 2 holds and 1 buy

We pay close attention to the moves of activist investors as they tend to seek companies that can boost their value by spinning off or selling undervalued assets. We advise against buying Freshpet or Shake Shack right now, but activist pressure improves the prospects of… Read More