Saputo expands down under

Article Excerpt

SAPUTO INC. $43 (Toronto symbol SAP; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 386.7 million; Market cap: $16.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.saputo.com) is Canada’s largest producer of dairy products. It also operates dairies in the U.S., Australia and Argentina. The company last raised its quarterly dividend in September 2017. Investors now receive $0.16 a share, up 6.7% from $0.15. The new annual rate of $0.64 yields 1.5%. Saputo recently agreed to pay $1.3 billion for Australian dairy producer Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co. Limited. It operates 11 facilities in Australia and China and has annual revenue of $2.5 billion. Saputo has a strong history of improving the profitability of its new businesses. However, relying on acquisitions adds to its risk. Saputo is a hold. hold…