Sluggish sales make Kraft a hold

Article Excerpt

KRAFT HEINZ CO. $57 (Nasdaq symbol KHC; Conservative-Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $68.4 billion; Dividend yield: 4.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) makes condiments and sauces (such as Heinz Ketchup). Its packaged foods include Velveeta and Philadelphia Cream Cheese; meats, including Oscar Meyer hot dogs; and beverages such as Maxwell House coffee. With the September 2017 payment, Kraft Heinz increased its quarterly dividend by 4.2%. The annual rate of $2.50 yields a high 4.4%. For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, sales decreased by 0.3%, to $6.30 billion from $6.32 billion a year earlier. Sales in the U.S., the company’s biggest market, declined 3.3% due to lower cheese and frozen potato shipments. Earnings before unusual items rose 5.8%, to $1.09 billion from $1.03 billion. Earnings per share improved 6.0%, to $0.98 from $0.84, on fewer shares outstanding. The company will probably earn $3.78 a share in 2018, up 5.3% from $3.59 in 2017. The stock trades at 15.1 times that…