Dividend increase: Kraft Heinz

Article Excerpt

KRAFT HEINZ CO. $78 (Nasdaq symbol KHC, Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $93.6 billion; Dividend yield: 3.2%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) makes condiments (such as Heinz Ketchup) as well as other packaged foods. These include Velveeta and Philadelphia Cream Cheese, processed meats (such as Oscar Meyer wieners) and Maxwell House coffee. With the September 2017 payment, Kraft Heinz increased its quarterly dividend by 4.2%. The new annual rate of $2.50 yields 3.2%. In the three months ended July 1, 2017, sales fell 1.7%, to $6.7 billion from $6.8 billion a year earlier. The company continues to cut costs, mainly by closing plants. If you disregard all unusual items, earnings per share in the latest quarter rose 15.3%, to $0.98 from $0.85. However, demand for processed foods continues to fall as consumers switch to healthier alternatives. The stock also trades at a high 21.4 times the $3.64 a share the company is likely to earn…