Procter taps Chinese influencers

Article Excerpt

PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $179 is a buy. The company (New York symbol PG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.4 billion; Market cap: $429.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 5.3; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pg.com) is the world’s largest maker of household and personal-care goods. Major brands include Tide (laundry detergent), Pampers (diapers), Gillette (razors), Crest (toothpaste) and Vicks (cold remedies). In response to slowing sales in China, where sales fell 15% in the latest quarter, Procter is offering more of its haircare and beauty brands on Douyin, a popular e-commerce platform. It’s also using influencers on China’s version of the TikTok video app to promote its products. The new strategy will help lift Procter’s earnings in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, by 6% to $6.96 a share. The stock trades at 25.7 times that forecast, which is a reasonable p/e in light of its strong brands. The $4.03 dividend yields 2.3%. Procter & Gamble is a buy. buy…