An out-of-the-limelight buy

Article Excerpt

As part of our three-pronged investing approach, we’ve long recommended that you downplay stocks that are in the broker/media limelight. (We also recommend that you invest mainly in well-established, dividend-paying companies, and spread your investments out across the five main economic sectors.) International Flavors & Fragrances is a good example of a well-established, dividend-paying stock that gets little media attention. It began operating in 1909, and has played a vital role in developing some of the world’s top-selling foods and consumer products. We feel IFF’s close relationships with its clients will continue to fuel its growth, particularly in emerging markets. As well, the company’s high research spending is a hidden asset. INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC. $63 (New York symbol IFF; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 80.3 million; Market cap: $5.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 1.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.iff.com) makes over 34,000 unique compounds that improve the taste of foods and the smell of a wide variety…