Activists target two undervalued firms

Article Excerpt

BEMIS COMPANY INC. $45 (New York symbol BMS; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 92.0 million; Market cap: $4.1 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.bemis.com) is a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of food packaging for companies such as PepsiCo and Colgate-Palmolive. In the fourth quarter, ended December 31, 2017, Bemis’s revenue increased 1.6%, to $1.0 billion from $988.0 million a year earlier. Strong packaging sales in Latin America contributed to the gain. Excluding unusual items, the company earned $57.5 million, or $0.63 a share, in the quarter. That’s down 8.6% from $62.9 million, or $0.67. Bemis recently raised its quarterly dividend by 3.3%, to $0.31 from $0.30. That represents its 35th consecutive year of dividend increases. The stock now yields 2.8%. Activist investor Starboard Value—known for taking positions in underperforming companies—now owns 3.3% of Bemis. The company recently agreed to add four new directors nominated by Starboard to its 13-member board. It will also establish a new Finance and Strategy Committee to identify ways to…