Masco weighs possible second spinoff

Article Excerpt

MASCO CORP. $38 (New York symbol MAS; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 293.5 million; Market cap: $11.2 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.masco.com) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of home improvement and building products. Based in Michigan, its brands include Behr (paint), Delta (faucets), KraftMaid (cabinets), and Milgard (windows and doors). North America accounts for 81% of its sales, followed by Europe (11%); the U.K. (4%); China (2%) and other countries (2%). Masco recently announced that it would explore strategic alternatives for both its cabinetry and window businesses (about 20% of its sales). Although those businesses are leaders in their respective markets, Masco feels it can generate greater value for shareholders by exploring all possible options. That likely includes spinning them off or selling them. It should complete the review by early summer. Meantime, the company’s overall sales fell 16.2%, from $8.52 billion in 2014 to $7.14 billion in 2015. That’s because it spun off its insulation installation business as TopBuild…