Saputo expands beyond dairy

Article Excerpt

SAPUTO INC. $41 is still a hold. The dairy producer (Toronto symbol SAP; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares o/s: 410.4 million; Market cap: $16.8 billion; Divd. yield: 1.7%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.saputo.com) raised its quarterly dividend by 2.9% with the September 2020 payment. The new annual rate of $0.70 yields 1.7%. In response to growing demand for non-dairy products, Saputo is buying U.K.-based Bute Island Foods Ltd., a maker of vegan cheeses. It also acquired a facility in Wisconsin that makes ingredients such as goat whey and organic lactose. In all, these purchases cost $187 million. Using acquisitions to expand adds to Saputo’s risk. Restaurant closures due to COVID-19 are another risk factor given that restaurants account for about 30% of the company’s sales. Saputo is hold. hold…