Peanut butter recall a short-term setback

Article Excerpt

CONAGRA FOODS INC. $25 (New York symbol CAG; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 505.2 million; Market cap: $12.6 billion; WSSF Rating: Above average) has shut down its peanut butter operations due to possible salmonella contamination. The company makes the Peter Pan brand of peanut butter, as well as private label brands for supermarkets. The recall of these products will cost ConAgra between $50 million and $60 million, excluding lost sales. It will probably take two to three months before production resumes. Meanwhile, the company is enjoying the benefits of its latest restructuring plan. In its third fiscal quarter ended February 25, 2007, profits from continuing operations rose grew 94.7%, to $0.37 a share (total $186.5 million) from $0.19 a share ($97.7 million) a year earlier. Revenue rose 2.1%, to $2.92 billion from $2.86 billion. The stock has held up well despite the recall, and now trades at 18.9 times the $1.32 a share it should earn in fiscal 2007 before one-time…