Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat, I was wondering what do you think of Richards Packaging as an investment? Thanks much.

Article Excerpt

Richards Packaging Income Fund, $8.31, symbol RPI.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 10.0 million; Market cap: $83.1 million; www.richardspackaging.com), is a full-service packaging distributor that serves small- and medium-sized North American businesses. The fund first sold shares to the public at $10 a unit, and began trading on Toronto in April 2004. Richards distributes more than 5,000 different types of rigid-packaging containers, which are made from stiff plastic and include bottles, caps, trays and food cups. The fund gets these containers from over 600 suppliers, and makes them at its own manufacturing facilities. Richards’ customers include over 10,000 regional food, wine and spirits, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and other companies. Richards also offers packaging design and helps customers choose the appropriate packaging with factors such as usability, child resistance and their brand image in mind. It also offers logistics-management services, through which Richards maintains an appropriate supply of inventory for a customer in a nearby warehouse and makes deliveries on an as-needed basis. In addition, the…