Spicemaker adds capacity

Article Excerpt

MCCORMICK & CO. INC. $86 remains a hold. The company (New York symbol MKC; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 267.0 million; Market cap: $23.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.9; Dividend yield: 1.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.mccormick.com) continues to benefit from strong consumer sales of its spices and seasonings as more people cook at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, McCormick now plans to invest $40 million to expand its plant in South Bend, Indiana. This investment will help satisfy rising demand for its Franks Red Hot sauce. The cost is equal to 21% of the $193.6 million, or $0.72 a share, that McCormick earned in the three months ended February 28, 2021. Despite the higher sales, the stock is down 10% since the start of 2021. It now trades at a somewhat high 28.7 times this year’s projected earnings of $3.00 a share. The $1.36 dividend yields 1.6%. McCormick is a hold. hold…