Kraft Heinz raises its dividend

Article Excerpt

KRAFT HEINZ CO. $89 (Nasdaq symbol KHC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $106.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.1; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.kraftheinzcompany.com) makes condiments and sauces (such as Heinz Ketchup) as well as other packaged foods. These include Velveeta and Philadelphia Cream Cheese, processed meats (such as Oscar Meyer hot dogs) and beverages (such as Maxwell House coffee). Kraft Heinz took its current form on July 2, 2015, through the merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz. The combined firm is the fifth-largest food and beverage producer globally. In the three months ended July 3, 2016, sales fell 4.7%, to $6.8 billion from $7.1 billion a year earlier. If you exclude exchange rates, sales fell just 0.5%. A 1.6% increase in selling prices helped offset a 1.2% decline in overall shipment volumes, mainly meat products and sales to restaurants. The company earned $770 million, or $0.63 a share,…