Recall a minor setback

Article Excerpt

SAPUTO INC. $37 (Toronto symbol SAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 206.3 million; Market cap: $7.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 1.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.saputo.com) has fallen from its recent peak of $40 in November 2010. That’s mainly because possible listeria contamination forced it to recall cheese produced at one of its Quebec plants. The same bacteria forced Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (Toronto symbol MFI) to recall meat from its Toronto plant in 2008. However, this recall is much smaller. As well, there have been no reports of illness, so Saputo will likely not have to pay a large class-action settlement, as Maple Leaf did. Saputo continues to grow by purchasing other firms and assets. It is particularly interested in buying dairies in the U.S. and Australia. Growing by acquisition is more risky than internal growth, but Saputo has a long history of cutting costs at its new businesses. The company’s strong balance sheet gives it plenty of room…