Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What is your opinion about adding Dow Chemical to a portfolio? I have recently heard they are sitting on a lot of cash reserves and have a high dividend yield. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Dow Chemical Co., $35.68, symbol DOW on New York (Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $42.8 billion; www.dow.com), is the world’s second-largest chemical maker. (BASF SE of Germany is the largest). Based in Midland, Michigan, Dow makes over 5,000 products at 197 plants in 36 countries. Europe, the Middle East and Africa account for 35% of its revenue, followed by the rest of the world (33%) and the United States (32%). Dow operates through six main divisions: Performance Plastics, which accounted for 27% of Dow’s 2011 revenue, makes plastic parts, including adhesives, Styrofoam insulation and packaging materials, for the automotive, construction and consumer products industries. Performance Materials (25% of revenue) makes chemicals for a wide variety of industrial and consumer products, including aircraft and runway de-icing fluids, automotive interiors and exteriors, carpeting, footwear, home furnishings, mattresses, personal care products, waterproofing membranes and wind turbines. Feedstocks & Energy (19% of revenue) supplies raw materials to Dow’s Performance Plastics and Performance Materials divisions. It also supplies…