Insider buying is slowing to a snail delivering bad news pace, at least according to how iStock measure it. Executives and directors filed purchase records at just 93 publicly traded companies.
The fall off matches the dip in consumer confidence reported by the University of Michigan survey reported last week. �Hopefully, a couple of green days from the stock market and the first quarter's earnings results will cheer things up in boardrooms and living rooms in the weeks to come.
Despite the shallow pool, we still find insider buying ideas of interest. This week, we are going to highlight Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX).
[Related -Novavax, Inc. (NVAX): Insider Buying News You Can Use]
Novavax is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing recombinant protein nanoparticle vaccines to address a range of infectious diseases. The company's technology platform is based on proprietary recombinant vaccine technology that includes virus-like particles (VLPs) and recombinant protein micelle vaccines. Its vaccine candidates target seasonal influenza, pandemic (H5N1) influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch For 2015: Pepsico Inc.(PEP)
PepsiCo, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and sale of foods, snacks, and carbonated and non-carbonated beverages worldwide. The company operates in four divisions: PepsiCo Americas Foods (PAF); PepsiCo Americas Beverages (PAB); PepsiCo Europe; and PepsiCo Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA). The PAF division offers Lay?s and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips and dips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks, Fritos corn chips, Quaker Chewy granola bars, and SunChips multigrain snacks in North America; Quaker oatmeal, Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, Cap?n Crunch cereal, Quaker grits, and Life cereal, as well as Rice-A-Roni, Pasta Roni, and Near East side dishes in North America; and various snack foods under Doritos, Marias Gamesa, Cheetos, Ruffles, Emperador, Saladitas, Sabritas, and Lay?s brands in Latin America. The PAB division provides carbonated soft drinks, beverage concentrates, fountain syrups, and finished goods under Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, 7UP, Tropicana Pure Premium, Electropura, Sierra Mist, Epura, and Mirinda brands; ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and water products through joint ventures with Unilever and Starbucks; and sells concentrate to authorized bottlers, and branded finished goods directly to independent distributors and retailers. This division also manufactures third-party brands, such as Dr Pepper, Crush, Rock Star, and Muscle Milk. The PepsiCo Europe division offers Frito Lay Snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices, and Quaker foods in Europe. The AMEA division provides snack food under the Lay?s, Kurkure, Chipsy, Doritos, Smith?s, Cheetos, Red Rock Deli, and Ruffles brands; Quaker-brand cereals and snacks; and beverage concentrates, fountain syrups, and finished goods under the Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP, and Mountain Dew brands. PepsiCo, Inc. was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Blake Bos]
Late last night, an article was published in an Israeli newspaper claiming that Pepsi (NYSE: PEP ) would bid nearly $2 billion to buy SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA ) , at around a 40% premium to the stock's previous close. In the video below, Motley Fool consumer-goods analyst Blake Bos gives investors the blow-by-blow on SodaStream's ensuing share price chaos, as shares first skyrocketed, then fell tumultuously, when Pepsi's CEO came out with a statement that the story was totally and completely untrue. Blake also highlights why this roller coaster could be more evidence that SodaStream is a real threat to the giants of the soda industry, after all.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Forward Industries Inc.(FORD)
Forward Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes carry and protective solutions. The company offers soft-sided carrying cases, bags, clips, hand straps, protective plates, and skins, as well as other accessories for hand held electronic devices, including medical monitoring and diagnostic kits, bar code scanners, GPS and location devices, and cellular telephones. It also designs, markets, and distributes carry and protective solutions for other consumer products, such as laptop computers, MP3 players, firearms, sporting, recreational, and aeronautical products. The company provides its products for used by consumers in protecting, and carrying or transporting portable electronic and other products. Forward Industries, Inc. sells its products to original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe. Forward Industries was founded in 1954 and is based in Santa Monica, California. Advisors' Opinion:
- [By John Emerson]
I will conclude Part one of Reflections from 20 Years of Investing (2001- 2008) with the discussion of three more sizable winners: Forward Industries (FORD), Lake Gaming (LACO) and Fairchild (FA).
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: WhiteWave Foods Co (WWAV)
WWF Operating Company, incorporated on March 14, 1988, is a consumer packaged food and beverage company. The Company manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy products throughout North America and Europe. The Company operates in two segments: North America and Europe. The North America segment offers products in the plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy product categories throughout North America. Europe segment offers plant-based food and beverage products throughout Europe. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dean Foods Company (Dean Foods).
The Company�� brands distributed in North America include Silk plant-based foods and beverages, International Delight and LAND O LAKES coffee creamers and beverages, and Horizon Organic dairy products, while its European brands of plant-based foods and beverages include Alpro and Provamel. The Company sell its products to a variety of customers, including grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and convenience stores, as well as various away-from-home channels, including restaurants and foodservice outlets, across North America and Europe. The Company sells its products in North America and Europe primarily through its direct sales force and independent brokers. The Company utilizes five manufacturing plants, two distribution centers, and three co-packers across the United States. Additionally, it has four plants across Europe in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, each supported by an integrated supply chain.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Pendulum]
Organic / Health Foods companies:
Hain Celestial (HAIN)WhiteWave (WWAV)Annie'sBest In Class Food Companies:
Coca-Cola (KO)Pepsico (PEP)Mondelez (MDLZ)Kraft Foods (KRFT)General Mills (GIS)Kellogg (K)ConAgra Foods (CAG)Hershey (HSY)J.M. Smucker (SJM)McCormick (MKC)Dean Foods (DF)A few comments about this analysis:
- [By Rich Duprey]
WhiteWave Foods (NYSE: WWAV ) , the Dean Foods spinoff whose organic products go out of their way to certify that they avoid being tainted with GMO ingredients, still sells Land o' Lakes products that contain sucralose.
- [By FinanceGuru]
In response to this shift in consumer preferences, Dean Foods (DF) was quick to spin off its fast-growing WhiteWave division, which makes Horizon Organic Milk and Silk soy products, into WhiteWave Foods (WWAV). WhiteWave Foods competes with the likes of Hain Celestial (HAIN) and Blue Diamond Growers in the plant-based beverages market, but is it a good buy?
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Post Holdings Inc (POST)
Post Holdings, Inc., incorporated on September 22, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded ready-to-eat cereals in the United States and Canada. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Great Grains, Grape-Nuts, Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Honeycomb. It markets and sells ready-to-eat cereal products in three different categories: sweetened, balanced and unsweetened. Its sweetened products include Pebbles, Honeycomb, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Waffle Crisp. Its balanced products include Honey Bunches of Oats, Post Selects, Great Grains and Shreddies. The Company�� unsweetened products include Post Shredded Wheat, Post Raisin Bran and Grape-Nuts. Effective January 1, 2014, the Company announced it has completed the acquisition of private label pasta manufacturer Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 2, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Agricore United Holdings Inc from Viterra Inc, a unit of Glencore Xstrata PLC, and the transaction also included Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 1, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC, a Farmers Branch-based manufacturer and wholesaler of nutrition supplement. Effective January 1, 2014, it acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC and Golden Boy Foods Ltd.
Honey Bunches of Oats is in the ready-to-eat cereal market. The Company�� Pebbles brands include Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles. The products are manufactured through a flexible production platform consisting of four owned primary facilities and sold through a variety of channels, such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Post Holdings (NYSE: POST ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q2), Post Holdings missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Luke Jacobi]
Shares of Post Holdings (NYSE: POST) were down 15.9 percent to $37.43 after the company reported a Q3 loss of $0.30 per share on revenue of $633.0 million. The company also announced its plans to acquire American Blanching Company. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey downgraded Post from Buy to Hold and lowered the price target from $70.00 to $45.00.
- [By Suravi Thacker]
Even peers such as Post Holdings (POST) were also facing similar problems of lower cereal sales. Post Holdings too reported its first quarter results recently which failed to meet analysts��expectations. Although its revenue grew 77% to $438 million over last year, the increase was mainly because of a host of acquisitions made by the company. In fact, revenue from Post Foods, which includes cereal business under the name of Post brand, fell 2.4% to $239.5 million.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Career Education Corp (CECO)
Career Education Corporation, incorporated on January 5, 1994, through its colleges, schools and universities offers education to a student population of more than 75,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines through online, on-ground and hybrid learning program offerings. The Company operates four business units: University Schools, Career Schools, International and Transitional Schools. The Company�� institutions include, among others, American InterContinental University (AIU); Brooks Institute; Colorado Technical University (CTU); Harrington College of Design; INSEEC Group (INSEEC) Schools; International University of Monaco (IUM); International Academy of Design & Technology (IADT); Le Cordon Bleu North America (LCB), and Sanford-Brown Institutes and Colleges. In December 2013, Career Education Corp announced sale and transfer of control of its European education properties to private equity firm Apax Partners.
University Schools
The Company�� Colorado Technical University (CTU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information systems and technologies, criminal justice, computer science and engineering, and health sciences in an online, classroom or laboratory setting. American InterContinental University (AIU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information technologies, criminal justice and design technologies in an online, classroom or laboratory setting.
Career Schools
The Company�� Health Education includes its Sanford-Brown schools, along with Brown College, Briarcliffe College and Missouri College. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of health education, complemented by certain programs in business studies and information technology in a classroom, laboratory or online setting. Culinary Arts includes its Le Cordon Bleu schoo! ls in North America that collectively offer hands-on programs in the career-oriented disciplines of culinary arts and patisserie and baking in the commercial kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu, and advanced degree programs in culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management online. Design and Technology includes IADT, Harrington College of Design and Brooks Institute schools. These schools collectively offer academic programs primarily in the career-oriented disciplines of fashion design, game design, graphic design, interior design, film and video production, photography and visual communications in a classroom, laboratory or online setting, as well as jobs training in the field of energy conservation.
International
The Company�� International includes its INSEEC schools and IUM school which are located in France, the United Kingdom and Monaco. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, health education, advertising, communications and technologies and luxury goods and services in a classroom or laboratory setting.
Transitional Schools
The Company�� Transitional Schools includes its campuses that are being taught out. Schools that operate within this segment include Collins College, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Technical University (CTU), CTU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, and CTU Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls, SD.
The Company competes with Apollo Group, Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Capella Education Company, Corinthian Colleges, Inc., DeVry Inc., Education Management Corporation, Grand Canyon Education, Inc., ITT Educational Services, Kaplan and Strayer Education.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
While the given problems that are plaguing Corinthian Colleges Inc. (NASDAQ:COCO) are unique to that particular for-profit school today, the underpinnings for today's 62% implosion from COCO shares are just as big of a threat to the likes of Apollo Education Group Inc. (NASDAQ:APOL), Career Education Corp. (NASDAQ:CECO), and most other for-profit education names. In fact, those woes have been well documented for a while, and showing up each company's books for almost as long. Pictures tell the grim tale for CECO, APOL, and all the rest as effectively as any words could, so let's let the images of what's going on here do most of the talking, beginning with... Career Education Corp.
- [By Bill Smith]
Competition
ESI competes with many other for-profit ventures, including:
Other for-profit educators, such as: Strayer (STRA), Apollo (APOL), DeVry (DV), Capella (CPLA), Corinthian Colleges (COCO), and Career Education Corporation (CECO)Traditional colleges/universitiesCommunity colleges
Sales, EBITDA and Earnings
ESI has steadily increased revenue and earnings. In the last decade they've grown revenue at 20.8%; EBITDA at 34.4%; FCF at 22.5%, and Book Value at 8.5%. - [By Lauren Pollock]
Career Education Corp.(CECO) agreed to sell its European education properties to private equity firm Apax Partners for a total of $305 million. Shares of Career Education rose.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Campbell Soup Co (CPB)
Campbell Soup Company (Campbell), incorporated on November 23, 1922, together with its subsidiaries, is a manufacturer and marketer of branded convenience food products. The Company operates in five segments: U.S. Simple Meals; Global Baking and Snacking; International Simple Meals and Beverages; U.S. Beverages; and North America Foodservice. In June 2012, the Company purchased 1300 Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden. On August 6, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of BF Bolthouse Holdco LLC (Bolthouse Farms). In September 2012, Vilmorin & Cie SA acquired the tomato and pepper breeding and sales business of the Company. In June 2013, Campbell Soup Co completed the acquisition of Plum Organics. In August 2013, Campbell Soup Company completed the acquisition of Kelsen Group A/S.
In the United States, Canada and Latin America, the Company�� products are resold to consumers in retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores, drug stores, dollar stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments. In Europe, the Company�� products are resold to consumers in retail food chains, mass discounters, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments. In the Asia Pacific region, the Company�� products are resold to consumers through retail food chains, convenience stores and other retail, commercial and non-commercial establishments.
U.S. Simple Meals
The U.S. Simple Meals segment aggregates the operating segments: U.S. Soup and U.S. Sauces. The U.S. Soup retail business includes the products, such as Campbell�� condensed and ready-to-serve soups, and Swanson broth and stocks. The U.S. Sauces retail business includes Pregopasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauces, Campbell�� canned gravies, pasta, and beans, and Swanson canned poultry.
Global Baking and Snacking
The Global Baking and Snacking segment include Pepperi! dge Farm cookies, crackers, bakery and frozen products in the United States retail. It also includes Arnott�� biscuits in Australia and Asia Pacific.
International Simple Meals and Beverages
The International Simple Meals and Beverages segment aggregates the simple meals and beverages operating segments outside of the United States, including Europe, the retail business in Canada, and the businesses in Asia Pacific, Latin America and China. The segment�� operations include Erasco and Heisse Tasse soups in Germany,Liebig and Royco soups in France, Devos Lemmens mayonnaise and cold sauces and Campbell�� and Royco soups in Belgium, and Bla Band soups and sauces in Sweden. In Canada, operations include Habitant and Campbell�� soups, Prego pasta sauces, Pace Mexican sauces, V8 juices and beverages and certain Pepperidge Farm products. In Asia Pacific, operations include Campbell�� soup and stock, Kimball sauces, V8 juices and beverages, Prego pasta sauce and Swanson broths.
U.S. Beverages
The U.S. Beverages segment represents the United States retail beverages business, including V8 juices and beverages, and Campbell�� tomato juice.
North America Foodservice
The North America Foodservice segment represents the distribution of products, such as soup, specialty entrees, beverage products, other prepared foods and Pepperidge Farm products through food service channels in the United States and Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
While Campbell Soup's (NYSE: CPB ) stock has jumped 44% over the past year and is�30% higher so far in 2013, profit growth has been a much more tepid 6% over the last five years, like a bowl of soup left too long on a windowsill to cool off. That's why its purchase of organic baby foods and snacks maker Plum Organics holds the promise of getting sales and earnings back to a rolling boil.
- [By DAILYFINANCE]
David J. Phillip/APSysco's Houston corporate office. HOUSTON -- One of the largest food supply companies is buying one of its key rivals, creating an even larger, global distribution company. Sysco is buying privately held US Foods for about $3.5 billion in cash and stock. When the deal closes, Sysco expects the addition of US Foods to boost its annual sales by about 46 percent to around $65 billion. Sysco shares jumped as much as 26 percent Monday, setting an all-time high. Houston's Sysco will pay $3 billion in common stock and $500 million in cash. It will also assume or refinance about $4.7 billion in debt. That puts the total value of the deal at about $8.2 billion. Sysco President and CEO Bill DeLaney said that the two companies have highly complementary core strengths including large product portfolios. For the fiscal year that ended in June, Sysco's sales totaled $44.41 billion. It trucks food and cooking supplies to about 425,000 customers through 193 locations in the U.S., Bahamas, Canada, Ireland and Northern Ireland. US Foods' customers include independent and chain restaurants, health care and hospitality companies, and government and educational institutions. Major stakeholders in the company, based just outside of Chicago, in Rosemont, Ill., include Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Representatives from both of those investment firms will join Sysco's board. When the deal closes, US Foods shareholders will own about 87 million shares, or about 13 percent, of Sysco's common stock. The buyout has been approved by the boards of both companies. Sysco said it expects the deal, which is set to close in the third calendar quarter of 2014, to immediately boost its profit after adjusting for acquisition-related costs and expenses. It's also expected to create annual cost savings of at least $600 million after three or four years. Moody's Investors Service placed all of Sysco's ratings, including its investment-g
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top Headline
Campbell Soup Co (NYSE: CPB) reported a 71% gain in its fiscal second-quarter profit. Campbell's quarterly earnings surged to $325 million, or $1.03 per share, versus $190 million, or $0.60 per share, in the year-ago quarter. Excluding special costs, it earned $1.04 per share. Its sales climbed 5.5% to $2.28 billion. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.73 per share on revenue of $2.27 billion.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Kraft Foods Group Inc (KRFT)
Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (Kraft Foods Group), incorporated on March 16, 2012, operates food and beverage businesses in North America. The Company manufactures and markets food and beverage products, including convenient meals, refreshment beverages and coffee, cheese and other grocery products, in the United States and Canada, under a stable of iconic brands. Its product categories span breakfast, lunch and dinner meal occasions, both at home and in foodservice locations. The Company sells its products to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributors, convenience stores, drug stores, gasoline stations, value stores and other retail food outlets in the United States and Canada. On September 14, 2012, the Company�� parent company, Kraft Foods Inc. (Kraft ParentCo), issued a press release relating to the anticipated trading markets for Kraft Foods Inc. and Kraft Foods Group, Inc. common stock through the completion of its spin-off from Kraft Foods Inc. In October 2012, Mondelez International, Inc. completed the spin-off of North American grocery business, Kraft Foods Group. In June 2013, Kraft Foods Group Inc announced plans to create two new, standalone business units: Meals and Desserts, and Enhancers and Snack Nuts.
The Company�� brand portfolio consists of food brands in North America, including three brands: Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats, and Maxwell House coffees- plus over 20 brands. It manufactures and sells food and beverage products in 50 categories. The Company operates in five segments: U.S. Beverages, which manufactures packaged juice drinks, powdered beverages and coffee; U.S. Cheese, which manufactures processed, natural and cream cheeses; U.S. Convenient Meals, which manufactures processed meats and lunch combinations; U.S. Grocery, which manufactures spoonable and pourable dressings, condiments, desserts, packaged dinners and snack nuts, and Canada & N.A. Foodservice, which sells products that span ! all of its segments and includes the Canadian and Puerto Rico grocery business, the North American foodservice operations and the North American Grocery Export Business.
U.S. Beverages
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company�� U.S. Beverages segment contributed 16% of its combined net revenues. This segment manufactures refreshment beverages, including Capri Sun (under license) and Kool-Aid packaged juice drinks, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light and Country Timepowdered beverages and MiO liquid concentrate, and coffee products, including Maxwell House, Gevalia and Yuban coffees, Maxwell House Internationalbeverage mixers and Tassimo (under license) hot beverage system.
U.S. Cheese
During 2011, U.S. Cheese segment had contributed 20% of the Company�� combined net revenues. This segment manufactures processed cheese, including Velveeta and Cheez Whiz processed cheeses, Kraft and Deli Deluxe processed cheese slices, Kraft grated cheeses and Polly-O and Athenos hummus and cheeses; natural cheese, including Kraft and Cracker Barrel natural cheeses, and cream cheese, including Philadelphia cream cheese and cooking creme.
U.S. Convenient Meals
During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Convenient Meals segment contributed 18% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Oscar Mayer lunch meats, hot dogs and bacon, Lunchables lunch combinations, Boca soy-based meat alternatives, and Claussen pickles.
U.S. Grocery
During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Grocery segment contributed 25% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Kraft and Kraft Deluxe macaroni & cheese dinners, Planters nuts, trail mixes and peanut butter, Corn Nuts corn snacks, Jell-O dry packaged desserts and refrigerated gelatin and pudding snacks, Cool Whip whipped topping, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, Baker�� chocolate and baking ingredients, Kraft and Miracle Whip sp! oonable d! ressings, Kraft and Good Seasons salad dressings, A.1. steak sauce, Kraft and Bull��-Eye barbecue sauces, Grey Poupon mustards, Shake N��Bake coatings, Stove Top stuffing mix, Taco Bell Home Originals (under license) meal kits, Velveeta shells and cheese dinners, and Velveeta Skillets meal kits.
Canada & N.A. Foodservice
During 2011, the Company�� Canada & N.A. Foodservice segment contributed 21% of its combined net revenues. The principal products and brands in this segment span all of its segments. Canadian grocery offerings include Nabob coffee and Kraft peanut butter, as well as a range of products in the Grocery Business Lines. The North American foodservice business sells branded products, including Maxwell House coffee, A.1. steak sauce and a range of Kraft sauces, dressings and cheeses, and serves the needs of restaurants and other foodservice operations. Puerto Rico grocery offerings include all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages, such as Crystal Light, Tang and MiO. The North American Grocery Export Business products and brands span all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages and certain products sold under brands, such as Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraftmayonnaise, which marketed and sold locally by Kraft ParentCo in countries outside the United States and Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Getty Images/Joe Raedle Nelson Peltz doesn't want to wash down his Fritos with a Pepsi -- at least, not if they're both sold by the same company. His investment firm, Trian Fund Management, is a major shareholder in PepsiCo (PEP), which owns both of those brands, and he's pushing for it to separate its beverage business from its snack foods. The proposal cuts at the foundation of PepsiCo's business strategy, which revolves around the perceived synergies between its liquid offerings and its foodstuffs. Not surprisingly, the company has been swift to reject Peltz's idea in the strongest possible terms. But before we toss it out with the recycling, let's take a look to see if the proposal could be beneficial, or if it's really just so much flat soda. On its website, PepsiCo's lineup of products appears under the category "Brands You Love." Indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to fine someone who isn't a fan of at least one -- Pepsi, Tropicana, Lipton, Quaker Oats, Doritos, Fritos, Lay's and Ruffles, among many others. Synergy Among a Portfolio of Lovable Brands But Peltz argues the familiarity and renown of those products has not translated into meaningful returns lately. In a letter Trian sent PepsiCo, it said that under the reign of current CEO Indra Nooyi, the firm's growth in earnings per share "has significantly trailed that of peers." Trian argues that separating the two businesses would eliminate the overhead that comes from a sprawling corporate structure, and make each of the resultant companies leaner and more "entrepreneurial." A glance at recent history seems to indicate otherwise. Look at the arc of a recent snack food divorcee, Mondelez International (MDLZ). The company, which divested itself of what is now Kraft Foods Group (KRFT) in October 2012, saw fourth-quarter 2013 revenues of just under $9.5 billion. This was slightly lower than the result in the same quarter last year, its first as a stand-alone entity. Attributable net ballooned more than th
- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
Kraft Foods Group has set earnings per share guidance of $2.75 for the 2013 fiscal year. While slightly below analysts��expectations, this guidance puts Kraft’s growth in line with the rest of the consumer packaged food industry at 6 percent for the coming year. Kraft�� ability to sustain new product interest past the first year has often been called into question; however, management is bucking this trend with line extensions like MiO water enhancers, which grew 67 percent in the second year of its release. Additionally, Kraft differentiates itself from private label brands by its ability to create brand extensions for its already popular products��ne such product planned for 2013 is Philadelphia Spicy Jalape帽o Cream Cheese.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
When shares of old Kraft stock broke into two components last fall, most investors expected the higher-growth Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ ) global snacks business to be the more attractive segment of the two post-spinoff companies. Yet the North American grocery business that now trades as Kraft Foods Group (NASDAQ: KRFT ) has shown surprising success as an independent company, and as it's turned out, shares of the new Kraft stock have done a lot better than Mondelez during the first nine months of their separate existence. Let's take a closer look at exactly how the new Kraft has done so well and what's in store for its stock going forward.
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