This carveout will benefit Post investors

Article Excerpt

After several years of expanding by acquisition, food maker Post Holdings is going on a diet and stripping down to its core business. As a result, it will spin off its health food unit. That should help the company capitalize on growing consumer interest in healthy eating. The move should also reward you with two better-focused, more-profitable investments. POST HOLDINGS INC., $98, is still a spinoff buy. The company (New York symbol POST; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 73.1 million; Market cap: $7.2 billion; No dividends paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.postholdings.com) is a leading maker of packaged foods. The U.S. supplies 87% of its sales. The company has five operating units: Consumer Brands, Michael Foods, Active Nutrition, Private Brands, and Weetabix. Its top products include Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Post Selects, Great Grains, Shredded Wheat, Post Raisin Bran, Grape Nuts, Power Bar, and Uncle Sam. In 2012, Ralcorp Holdings spun off its cereals operations as Post Holdings. Since then, the new company…