Mixed results but we still like both

Article Excerpt

Conagra spun off its potato-processing business Lamb Weston in November 2016; investors received one Lamb Weston share for every three Conagra shares they held. Since the split, Conagra is down roughly 20%, but Lamb Weston has soared 225%. We still like the outlook for both stocks. Conagra owns some of the best-known brands in the industry, which should help it pass along its rising costs to consumers. Lamb Weston’s high share of its niche market also gives it pricing power. CONAGRA BRANDS INC. $29 is a buy. The company (New York symbol CAG; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 477.1 million; Market cap: $13.8 billion; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; Dividend yield: 4.8%; www.conagra.com) makes a variety of popular foods, including Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Hunt’s tomato sauce and Orville Redenbacher popcorn. In its fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, ended May 28, 2023, Conagra’s sales rose 2.2%, to $2.97 billion from $2.91 billion a year earlier. Higher prices (up 9.9%) offset lower volumes (down 7.7%). The company also wrote down the carrying…