Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Kimberly-Clark is considering a spin-off next year; what is your recommendation?

Article Excerpt

Kimberly-Clark, $106.42, symbol KMB on New York (Shares outstanding: 381.6 billion; Market cap: $40.3 billion; www.kimberly-clark.com), makes and sells personal care products under many brands, including Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNights, Kotex, Lightdays, Depend, Poise and Kleenex. The company’s KC Professional division focuses on products for workplace health and safety, such as clothing, soaps, sanitizers, tissues and towels. As well, its health care segment sells medical devices and surgical and infection-prevention products. Kimberly-Clark is considering spinning off its health care business, which provides 8% of its revenue, possibly by the end of this year. That would let it focus on its personal care, tissue and KC professional businesses, which are its most profitable. The company faces increasing raw material costs, and the rising U.S. dollar will hurt the value of its international sales. However, its overall outlook is positive. The stock trades at 19.0 times this year’s forecast earnings of $5.60 a share and yields 3.0%. The heath care spinoff would likely…