PG cuts back to expand profit

Article Excerpt

In 2012, Procter & Gamble began a major restructuring that included selling dozens of its less-important brands, closing plants and cutting jobs. The company expects to finish the plan in the next few months. Those efforts will greatly improve Procter’s long-term profitability, and spur its stock price. Higher earnings will also give it more room to buy back shares and hike dividends. PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $80 (New York symbol PG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.7 billion; Market cap: $216.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.0; Dividend yield: 3.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pg.com) is one of the world’s largest makers of household and personal care goods. It began operating in the U.S. in 1837, and now sells its products in over 180 countries. Overseas markets account for 60% of its total sales. The company has five main business lines: fabric and home care products such as Tide laundry detergent (29% of fiscal 2015 sales, 24% of earnings); baby…