Three more updates to protect your gains

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SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO. $281 is a hold. The maker of paints for consumers and industrial users (New York symbol SHW; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 258.0 million; Market cap: $72.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.2; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.sherwin-williams.com) reported 6.3% higher sales in the second quarter of 2023, rising to $6.24 billion from $5.87 billion a year earlier. That’s mainly because the company increased its selling prices to offset rising raw material costs, including petrochemicals from oil. Acquisitions also contributed to the higher sales. The company is now selling its architectural paint business in China, and it is streamlining its operations. If you exclude writedowns and other unusual items, earnings in the quarter gained 36.5%, to $3.29 a share from $2.41. Sherwin expects its earnings will rise about 9% to between $9.30 and $9.70 a share in 2023. Even so, the stock trades at a somewhat high 29.6 times the midpoint of that range. The company also raised its quarterly…