Here are key updates for dividend investors

Article Excerpt

NEWELL BRANDS INC. $10 remains a hold. The company (Nasdaq symbol NWL; Conservative Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 416.0 million; Market cap: $4.2 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.newellbrands.com) makes a wide range of consumer and household products such as PaperMate pens, Elmer’s glue, Rubbermaid food containers, and Graco baby strollers. With the June 2023 payment, Newell cut its quarterly dividend by 69.6%, to $0.07 a share from $0.23. The annual rate of $0.28 yields 2.8%. Under a new restructuring plan, Newell continues to reduce the number of products it makes from over 100,000 in 2019 to 20,000 in 2024. At the same time, the revenue generated per SKU (stock-keeping unit) has tripled. The plan should lift its projected earnings from $0.66 a share in 2024 to $0.75 in 2025. The stock trades at 13.3 times that 2025 estimate. Newell is a hold. LEON’S FURNITURE LTD. $24 is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbol LNF; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 68.2 million; Market cap:…