Procter scales back in Russia

Article Excerpt

PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $151 is a buy. The maker of household and personal-care goods (New York symbol PG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.4 billion; Market cap: $362.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.7; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pg.com) is suspending most of its operations and new investments in Russia and Ukraine. However, it will continue to make basic hygiene and health items. Sales in those two countries account for less than 2% of Procter’s total sales, so the shutdowns will have little impact on its profits. Procter will probably earn $5.90 a share in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and the stock trades at 25.6 times that forecast. That’s still a reasonable multiple considering the company’s well-known brands. The $3.48 dividend yields 2.3%. Procter & Gamble is a buy. buy…