Big savings a plus for Molson Coors

Article Excerpt

MOLSON COORS CANADA INC. (Toronto symbols TPX.A $41 and TPX.B $42; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 181.1 million; Market cap: $7.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 3.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molsoncoors.com) reports that its sales rose 9.1% in the three months ended September 24, 2011, to $954.4 million from $875.0 million a year earlier (all amounts except share prices and market cap in U.S. dollars). That’s mainly due to favourable foreign currency rates and higher beer sales overseas. However, higher ingredient prices and lower sales in North America and the U.K. cut earnings by 11.2%, to $212.4 million, or $1.14 a share, from $239.1 million, or $1.28 a share. The company continues to cut its costs as a result of MillerCoors, its joint venture in the U.S. with rival brewer SABMiller. Combined with savings from its own plan, Molson Coors cut its expenses by $29 million in the latest quarter. Molson Coors is a buy. The class B shares are…