Overseas growth offsets currency risk

Article Excerpt

These two alcoholic-beverage makers have been increasing their international sales. That has added currency risk, but their top brands will keep fuelling their growth. Still, only one is a buy right now. DIAGEO PLC ADRs $118 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 627.8 million; Market cap: $74.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.7; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) is the world’s largest premium alcoholic beverage company. Its major brands include Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum. The company recently agreed to acquire the 50% of Don Julio tequila that it doesn’t already own from Casa Cuervo in exchange for its Bushmills Irish whisky business. Diageo will also get $408 million when it completes the deal later this year. Gaining full control over Don Julio is part of Diageo’s plan to use premium brands to expand in emerging markets. It will use the cash to pay down its debt, which…