These two targets don’t inspire us

Article Excerpt

We keep an eye on activist investors as they tend to target struggling firms, such as Kenvue and El Pollo, that could boost shareholder value with asset sales and spinoffs. However, these two stocks offer limited appeal right now. KENVUE INC. $23 is a hold. The company (New York symbol KVUE; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $43.7 billion; Dividend yield: 3.6%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.kenvue.com) makes a variety of over-the-counter drugs and health products, including Tylenol, Band-Aid and Listerine. In May 2023, medical products giant Johnson & Johnson (New York symbol JNJ) sold shares in Kenvue to the public at $22.00 a share. It later let its own shareholders exchange JNJ shares for Kenvue shares at a 7% discount. The stock has made little progress since the spinoff. As a result, activist investment firm Starboard Value, which owns 1.1% of the shares, has pressured the company to review how it positions its brands and then adjust their prices to improve sales. Under a new…