Key updates for dividend investors

Article Excerpt

SAPUTO INC. $33 is still a hold. The dairy producer (Toronto symbol SAP; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 418.1 million; Market cap: $13.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.saputo.com) last raised its quarterly dividend by 2.9% with the September 2021 payment. The new annual rate of $0.72 yields 2.2%. In its fiscal 2023 first quarter, ended June 30, 2022, sales jumped 24.1%, to $4.33 billion from $3.49 billion a year earlier. That increase is largely because the company raised its selling prices to offset higher input and labour costs. Recent acquisitions also contributed $41 million to the latest quarterly sales. The higher sales lifted Saputo’s earnings before unusual items in the quarter by 34.5%, to $0.39 a share (or a total of $161 million) from $0.29 a share (or $122 million). However, the company remains vulnerable to alternative dairy products, such as plant-based milks. Saputo is a hold. STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $80 remains a buy. The company (New York symbol SWK; Conservative…