Inflation could cut into its earnings

Article Excerpt

SNAP-ON INC. $203 is a hold. The company (New York symbol SNA; Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 53.4 million; Market cap: $10.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.snapon.com) makes tools for auto mechanics and industrial customers. With the December 2021 payment, Snap-On raised your quarterly dividend 15.4%, to $1.42 a share from $1.23. The new annual rate of $5.68 yields a solid 2.8%. The company is also adding $500 million to its share repurchase authorization: it can now repurchase up to $503 million of its shares. There are no time limits for those purchases. The stock trades at a reasonable 13.2 times the $15.39 a share that the company will probably earn in 2022. However, higher prices for steel and other inputs could slow its earnings growth. Snap-On is a hold. hold…