Newell hurt by slowing sales

Article Excerpt

NEWELL BRANDS INC. $13 remains a hold. The consumer products maker (Nasdaq symbol NWL; Conservative-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 413.6 million; Market cap: $5.4 billion; Dividend yield: 7.1%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.newellbrands.com) last raised its quarterly dividend with the June 2017 payment. The current annual rate of $0.92 a share yields a very high 7.1%. In the quarter ended September 30, 2022, Newell’s sales fell 19.2%, to $2.25 billion from $2.79 billion a year earlier. If you factor out the recent sale of its home and security business (which makes smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fireproof safes), sales still fell 10.8% as retailers ordered fewer goods while working down their current inventories. Due to rising costs for plastic resins, labour and transportation, earnings also dipped 1.9%, to $0.53 a share from $0.54. Newell is a hold. hold…