Kraft Heinz pivots to better brands

Article Excerpt

KRAFT HEINZ CO. $36 is a hold. The foodmaker (Nasdaq symbol KHC, Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $43.2 billion; Dividend yield: 4.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) cut its quarterly dividend by 36.5% with the March 2019 payment, to $0.40 a share from $0.63. The annual rate of $1.60 nonetheless yields a high 4.4%. The company has acquired 85% of German-based Just Spices GmbH. It sells pure spices, spice blends, and quick-fix meal kits, mainly through its website. Kraft has not yet said how much it paid, but the business has annual sales of 60 million euros ($68 million U.S.) Just Spices’ expertise will help the company better anticipate changing food trends. This deal is part of Kraft’s focus on higher-quality brands. It also helps it expand outside its core North American market. Still, the company’s stock should stay in a limited range until it completes its transformation. Kraft Heinz is still a hold. hold…