Big acquisition adds risk for SHW

Article Excerpt

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $271 (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 92.9 million; Market cap: $25.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 1.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.sherwin-williams. com) will probably have to sell some minor operations, but should soon receive regulatory approval for its acquisition of rival paint maker Valspar Corp. (New York symbol VAL). The combined company would be the world’s largest paint maker, with annual sales of $15.6 billion. Sherwin is paying $9.3 billion in cash. If you include Valspar’s debt, the price rises to $11.3 billion. The company will have to borrow the cash it needs for this purchase. That will push up its debt to around $13 billion, or a high 52% of its market cap. The stock also trades at 22.0 times its likely 2016 earnings of $12.33 a share. That’s a high p/e, particularly as big acquisitions like Valspar can add substantial risk. Sherwin-Williams is a hold. hold…