Updating MCDONALD’S CORP., 3M COMPANY, and D.E. MASTER BLENDERS

Article Excerpt

MCDONALD’S CORP. $98 (www.mcdonalds.com) has increased its quarterly dividend by 5.2%, to $0.81 a share from $0.77. The new annual rate of $3.24 yields 3.3%. Best Buy. 3M COMPANY $120 (www.3m.com) makes over 55,000 consumer and industrial products. It earned $1.20 billion in the second quarter of 2013, up 2.6% from $1.17 billion a year earlier. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 3.0%, to $1.71 from $1.66. 3M now plans to buy back between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion of its shares in 2013. That’s up from its earlier target range of $2 billion to $3 billion. Buy. D.E. MASTER BLENDERS $17 (www.demasterblenders1753. com) makes coffee and tea under a variety of brands. In April 2013, the company accepted a 12.50 euros-a-share ($16.91 U.S.) takeover offer from Joh A Benckiser (JAB), a privately held German firm. JAB now expects to close the deal by the end of September 2013. Investors should tender their shares. shares…