Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: Can you give your opinion on Beam Inc.? It has a lot of good brands. Looking forward to your comments.

Article Excerpt

Beam Inc., $51.50, symbol BEAM on New York (Shares outstanding: 154.8 million; Market cap: $8.0 billion; www.beamglobal.com), is the successor to consumer conglomerate Fortune Brands, Inc. following the spinoff of that company’s home and security business in October 2011. Fortune Brands shareholders received one share of Fortune Brands Home & Security (New York symbol FBHS) for each Fortune Brands share they held. In addition, Fortune Brands sold its Acushnet golf business (maker of the Titleist and Footjoy brands) to a group led by Fila Korea, Ltd. and Mirae Private Equity. Fortune Brands then changed its name to Beam Inc. The company now mainly produces and distributes spirits. It is the world’s fourth-largest premium spirits company and the biggest in the U.S. Its brands include Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark (bourbon), Courvoisier cognac, Canadian Club whisky, Teacher’s Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper Cordials, Sauza tequila and Skinnygirl cocktails. The company has recently added to its product lineup by purchasing a number of other brands. For example,…