These two still have long-term appeal

Article Excerpt

On November 9, 2016, foodmaker Conagra Brands spun off its potato-processing operations as Lamb Weston. Investors received one share of the new firm for every three Conagra shares they held. Just in April, Lamb Weston’s shares dropped 20% after the company reported disappointing quarterly results. That was partly due to problems with a new computerized information system, which hurt its ability to make deliveries. The company is fixing those problems, and the efficiencies from the new system should help drive its future earnings. Even after its recent drop, the stock is still up 140% since the split. While Conagra is down 19%, we still like its prospects, particularly as its input costs are starting to come down as inflation eases. CONAGRA BRANDS INC. $30 is a buy. The company (New York symbol CAG; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 478.1 million; Market cap: $14.3 billion; Dividend yield: 4.7%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.conagra.com) makes a variety of popular foods, including Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Hunt’s tomato sauce, Orville Redenbacher…