Topic: Value Stocks

Restructuring set to bolster Tupperware Brands Corp.’s 5.5% yield

Sales are down 14.1% and earnings fell 10.1% in the most recent quarter, but a restructuring plan aims to stem the declines and turn around the company.

A dividend cut has also freed up cash for new investments, while leaving a high 5.5% yield.

The stock trades at just 4.9 times the company’s 2019 earnings forecast.


Do You Own Any U.S. Stocks?

Time to see what the best U.S. stocks will do for you

The most successful Canadian investors have at least 20% of their portfolios in U.S. stocks to build the power of their portfolios.

Click here to find the best US stocks >>
 

TUPPERWARE BRANDS CORP. (New York symbol TUP; www.tupperwarebrands.com) makes consumer goods such as plastic food and beverage containers, and cosmetics and fragrances. It sells these products through 3.1 million independent dealers; that keeps its distribution costs down.

In the quarter ended December 29, 2018, Tupperware’s sales fell 14.1%, to $505.9 million from $588.6 million a year earlier. That missed the consensus forecast of $542.5 million.

Tupperware gets 90% of its revenue from outside the U.S., and the high U.S. dollar hurt the contributions of its overseas operations. If you adjust for currency rates, sales in the quarter fell 7%.

Earnings before unusual items declined 10.1%, to $64.8 million from $72.1 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share fell just 5.7%, to $1.33 from $1.41. That matched the consensus estimate.

The lower sales and earnings were largely due to weaker demand for consumer goods in China and other parts of Asia.

Value Stocks: Restructuring should cut costs and free up cash for investments

The company subsequently announced that it would invest $100 million through 2022 on developing products and expanding its salesforce. Tupperware will also streamline its operations. These initiatives should save it $50 million a year. That’s in addition to the company’s current restructuring plan, which includes job cuts and plant closures. It alone should save $35 million a year by the end of 2019.

Following that plan (and if you exclude related costs), Tupperware’s earnings in the first quarter of 2019 fell 1.1%, to $0.90 a share from $0.91 a year earlier. The company gets 69% of its sales from emerging markets, so if you factor our currency rates, earnings per share gained 12.5%.

Sales in the quarter fell 10.2%, to $487.3 million from $542.6 million. Without currency rates, sales fell just 2%.

To free up cash for its new investments, Tupperware cut its dividend by 60.3%, to $0.27 a share from $0.68. The new annual rate of $1.08 yields a high 5.5% after the stock fell 30% after the dividend cut.

The company should earn $4.00 a share for all of 2019. The stock trades at just 4.9 times that estimate.

Recommendation in Wall Street Stock Forecaster: Tupperware Brands is a buy.

Comments

  • Shiv 

    Any time a company cuts its dividend, it should be a matter of concern for an investor. There are many companies with attractive yields that may not be suitable for investment. I would wait to see how the initiatives affect the stock price. I would not invest until the stock price passes above the 50 day moving average of $22. Once that happens, that would provide an indication that the stock is recovering.

Tell Us What YOU Think

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Please be respectful with your comments and help us keep this an area that everyone can enjoy. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Terms of Use, please click here to report it to the administrator.