We like Diageo’s outlook

Article Excerpt

DIAGEO PLC ADRs $57 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 624.9 million; Market cap: $35.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is the world’s largest premium alcoholic-beverage company. (Each American Depositary Receipt represents four Diageo common shares.) London-based Diageo owns some of the most dominant brands in the business, including Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, Captain Morgan rum, Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur, J&B scotch whisky and Tanqueray gin. Despite the recession, Diageo expects that its gross profit will still rise 4% to 6% in its latest fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2009. However, that’s down from its earlier prediction of 7% to 9%. The stock trades at 13.7 times the company’s likely 2009 earnings of $4.17 per ADR. The $2.28 dividend yields 4.0%. Brand loyalty is strong in the alcoholic-beverage business, and building public awareness of new products is very expensive. As the owner of many of the world’s leading brands,…