Spinoffs are set to spur them higher

Article Excerpt

POST HOLDINGS INC. $107 (New York symbol POST; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 73.3 million; Market cap: $7.8 billion; No dividends paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.postholdings.com) is a leading maker of packaged foods. Its main brands include Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Post Selects, Great Grains, Shredded Wheat, Post Raisin Bran, Grape Nuts, Power Bar, and Uncle Sam. Post still plans to set up its Active Nutrition business as a separate firm. That division makes protein bars, shakes and nutritional supplements. In the fiscal 2019 second quarter, ended March 31, 2019, the business accounted for 16% of Post’s sales, and 20% of gross profits. The company plans to sell about 20% of the Active Nutrition division through an initial public offering, probably in October 2019. Post has yet to say what it will do with the remaining 80%. However, the company is likely to eventually hand out those shares to its investors as a special dividend. The stock has gained 22% in the past year, and the…