Updating Buckeye Partners L.P., Tupperware Brands Corp. and AT&T Inc.

Article Excerpt

BUCKEYE PARTNERS L.P. $42 (New York symbol BPL) earned $53.8 million in the three months ended March 31, 2009, up 25.7% from $42.8 million a year earlier. The gain was largely due to acquisitions in 2008, including a natural gas storage facility in northern California. Buckeye issued new units to pay down the debt it took on to pay for these purchases. As a result, earnings per unit rose 20.8%, to $0.87 from $0.72, on more units outstanding. Buckeye also raised its quarterly distribution by 1.4%. The new annual rate of $3.60 yields 8.6%. Buy. TUPPERWARE BRANDS CORP. $24 (New York symbol TUP) earned $0.41 a share in the first quarter of 2009, down 19.6% from $0.51 a year earlier. Sales of plastic containers and beauty products fell 14.8%, to $462.8 million from $543.4 million. Overseas markets account for 80% of its total sales, and the higher U.S. dollar hurt their contribution. If you exclude foreign currency, earnings climbed 18% and…