Emerging markets fuel Diageo’s growth

Article Excerpt

DIAGEO PLC ADRs $94 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 625.6 million; Market cap: $58.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.6; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) continues see strong demand for its top brands, such as Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker scotch whisky and Captain Morgan rum, in fast-growing markets like Latin America and Africa. The company now gets 40% of its sales from emerging markets. In the six months ended December 31, 2011 (Diageo’s fiscal year ends June 30), the company’s revenue rose 8.2%, to 5.8 billion pounds from 5.3 billion pounds a year earlier (1 British pound = $1.57 Canadian). Due to an unusual tax charge, earnings per ADR fell 20.3%, to 1.53 pounds from 1.92 pounds a year earlier (each American Depositary Receipt represents four Diageo common shares). Without this charge, earnings would have risen 16.0%. Diageo is a buy. buy…