Procter is still better for your new buying

Article Excerpt

These two firms continue to benefit from recent restructuring plans to focus to their most-profitable products. However, Procter is in a better position to cope if retailers have to close again due to COVID-19. PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $131 is a buy. The company (New York symbol PG; Income-Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.5 billion; Market cap: $327.5 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.pg.com) is one of the world’s largest makers of household and personal-care goods. Major brands include Tide (laundry detergent), Pampers (diapers), Gillette (razors), Crest (toothpaste) and Vicks (cold remedies). Starting with the May 2021 payment, Procter raises your quarterly dividend by 10.0%. Investors will then receive $0.8698 a share instead of $0.7907. The new annual rate of $3.48 yields 2.7%. Procter has paid shareholder dividends for 131 years and has increased its payout annually for the past 65 years. The company continues to benefit as consumers stock up on household and hygiene products, particularly premium-priced goods, due to the COVID-19…