Buy Diageo for global growth and income

Article Excerpt

DIAGEO PLC ADRs $66 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 626.2 million; Market cap: $41.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield: 3.6%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is the world’s largest premium alcoholic beverage company. Spirits account for 73% of Diageo’s sales, followed by beer (22%) and wine (5%). Each American Depositary Receipt represents four Diageo common shares. Diageo owns some of the top brands in the alcoholic-beverage business, including Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, Captain Morgan rum, Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur, J&B scotch whisky and Tanqueray gin. In the six months ended December 31, 2009 (Diageo’s fiscal year ends June 30), the company’s revenue rose 2.7%, to 5.2 billion pounds from 5.1 billion pounds a year earlier (1 British pound = $1.54 Canadian). Earnings fell 9.9%, to 1.64 pounds per ADR (or a total of 1.02 billion pounds) from 1.82 pounds per ADR (or 1.13 billion pounds) a year earlier. Overall sales volumes fell…