With shares of General Mills (NYSE:GIS) trading around $50, is GIS an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:
T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement
General Mills�manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the foodservice and commercial baking industries. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, ready-to-serve soups, dry dinners, shelf stable and frozen vegetables, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, grains, fruit and savory snacks, ice cream, and grain snacks. Convenient, affordable, and enjoyable food products will see increased demand by consumers worldwide as they are staple items to an increasing world population. As countries around the world see modest to explosive growth, General Mills is one of the first that will see rising demand and in turn, rising profits.
Top High Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Hillshire Brands Co (HSH)
The Hillshire Brands Company, incorporated on September 4, 1941, is a manufacturer and marketer of food products. The Company�� portfolio includes brands, such as Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, Hillshire Farm, State Fair, Sara Lee frozen bakery and Chef Pierre pies, as well as artisanal brands Aidells and Gallo Salame. The Company operates in two segments: Retail and Foodservice/Other. Retail sells a variety of packaged meat and frozen bakery products to retail customers in North America. Foodservice/other sells a variety of meat and bakery products to foodservice customers in North America. On February 4, 2013, the Company completed the sale of its Australian bakery business.
Retail
Products in the retail segments include hot dogs and corn dogs, breakfast sausages, breakfast convenience items, including breakfast sandwiches and bowls, dinner sausages, deli and luncheon meats and cooked hams, as well as frozen pies, cakes, cheesecakes and other desserts. The Company�� brands include Jimmy Dean, Ball Park, Hillshire Farm, State Fair and Sara Lee, as well as artisanal brands Aidells and Gallo Salame. The sales of the Retail business are generated in the United States Sales are made in the retail channel to supermarkets, warehouse clubs and national chains. Retail�� business accounted for 74% of the Company�� sales during the fiscal year ended June 29, 2013 (fiscal 2013).
Foodservice/Other
Products in the foodservice/other segment include hot dogs and corn dogs, breakfast sausages and sandwiches, dinner sausages, deli and luncheon meats, ham, beef and turkey, as well as a variety of bakery products, including pastries, muffins, frozen pies, cakes and cheesecakes. Sales are made in the foodservice channel to distributors, restaurants, hospitals and other large institutions. Foodservice/Other�� business accounted for 26% of the Company�� sales in fiscal 2013.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
The market is heading higher today, with small-company stocks outperforming large, despite mixed economic data. American Express (AXP), Tyson Foods (TSN), First Energy (FE), Priceline�(PCLN) and Hillshire Brands (HSH) have helped lift stocks.
- [By Shauna O'Brien]
Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. (PPC) announced on Tuesday morning said that it has made an offer to acquire Hillshire Brands Co. (HSH) for $6.4 billion.
Pilgrim’s Pride has offered Hillshire a total of $45 per share in cash, or $6.4 billion. This deal is expected to close during the third quarter. This report comes just two weeks after HSH agreed to acquire Pinnacle Foods Inc (PF).
Bill Lovette, Pilgrim’s CEO commented: “For Hillshire shareholders, our proposal provides a substantial premium, greater certainty and immediate cash value for their shares. We have long respected the Hillshire business and we are confident that Hillshire�� board and shareholders will find our all-cash premium proposal to be superior to the pending acquisition of Pinnacle.”
HSH Dividend SnapshotAs market close on May 23, 2014
Click here to see the complete history of HSH dividends.
Hillshire Brands shares were up $8.21, or 22.20% during pre-market trading Tuesday. The stock is up 10.71% YTD.
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
Elsewhere, Hillshire Brands� (NYSE: HSH ) �jumped 5% as Tyson Foods� (NYSE: TSN ) �appears to have won its bidding war with Pilgrim's Pride�for the parent of Jimmy Dean sausages, as Pilgrim's Pride withdrew its proposal following Tyson's latest offer. The nation's No. 1 poultry producer said it will pay $7.7 billion for Hillshire, or $63 a share. Hillshire has not formally accepted the bid, but the acquisition seems inevitable given that Tyson is the only remaining suitor. Notably, Tyson shares fell 6.5%, a sign that investors believe the poultry-maker is overpaying for the parent of Ball Park franks. Hillshire shares, meanwhile, have gained nearly 70% since offering to buy Pinnacle Foods, which sparked the bidding war between Pilgrim's and Tyson to acquire it.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Toby Talbot/AP NEW YORK -- Hillshire Brands is at the center of a barnyard brawl. Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat processor, has made a $6.2 billion offer for the maker Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs, topping a bid made two days earlier by rival poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride. Based in Greeley, Colorado, Pilgrim's Pride is owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS. The takeover bids for Hillshire Brands (HSH) by the two major meat processors are being driven by the desirability of brand-name processed products like Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. The convenience foods are more profitable than fresh meat, such as chicken breasts, where there isn't as much wiggle room to pad prices. Selling more types of products also would give the companies a buffer from volatile price swings of fresh meat. When beef prices rise and shoppers turn to other meats, the companies can sell more chicken or bacon, for example. While both Tyson (TSN) and Pilgrim's (PPC) sell some prepared products like frozen fried chicken pieces, their main business has been as suppliers of fresh meat for supermarkets and restaurant chains. Both offers are contingent on Hillshire abandoning its plan to acquire Pinnacle Foods (PF), which makes Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Wish-Bone salad dressings. Hillshire had been trying to diversify its own portfolio by moving into other areas of the supermarket with the $4.23 billion acquisition. But some investors questioned whether combining with Pinnacle made sense, given the sharp differences in product categories and the outdated image of some Pinnacle brands, such as Hungry Man frozen dinners. Hillshire said earlier it strongly believes in its deal with Pinnacle Foods but would review Pilgrim's offer. In its latest statement Thursday, the Chicago-based company said it would review Tyson's offer as well and made no mention of its Pinnacle deal. Pilgrim's Pride said it is considering its options and will "update the markets in due cou
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM)
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (Sprouts), incorporated on January 27, 2011, is a specialty retailer of natural and organic food focusing on health and wellness. The Company offers fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, grocery, meat and seafood, bakery, dairy, frozen foods, body care and natural household items. The Company�� product offerings focus on fresh, natural and organic foods. Natural foods can be defined as foods that are minimally processed and are free of synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other additives, growth hormones, antibiotics, hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The Company categorize the over 7,000 range of products, it sells as perishable and non-perishable. Perishable product categories include produce, meat, seafood, deli and bakery. Non-perishable product categories include grocery, vitamins and supplements, bulk items, dairy and dairy alternatives, frozen foods, beer and wine, and natural health and body care.
The cornerstones of the Company�� business are fresh, natural and organic products. As of July 19, 2013, the Company opened 87 new stores while rebranding 43 Henry�� and 39 Sunflower stores to the Sprouts banner. The Company�� stores include Produce, Bulk Items, Vitamins and Supplements, Grocery, Meat, Seafood, Deli, Bakery, Dairy and Dairy Alternatives, Frozen Foods, Beer and Wine and Natural Health and Body Care.The Company offer its customers a farmers market open-feel environment consisting of an abundant and affordable offering of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, focused on appearance, flavor and value. The Company�� stores include a crafted selection of more than 450 ranges of scoopable nuts, fruits, trail mixes, grains, beans, cereals, coffee, tea, spices, candy and snacks featured in the center of the store. The Company�� stores feature more than 4,200 vitamins, supplements, natural remedies, functional food, lifestyle support, and herbal supplements. This department includes ! an extensive private label offering.
The Company�� grocery offering focuses on healthy options. The Company carries approximately 4,200 natural and organic products in its grocery aisles, including meal components, natural sodas and other beverages, snacks and bars, baking goods, baby, pet and household items such as detergent and paper towels, and earth-friendly mercantile items. The Company�� Olde Tyme Butcher Shops combine sourcing through its trusted supplier network, product variety and old-fashioned customer service. The Company offers a range of seafood favorites delivered up to six days a week. The Conpany feature a range of fresh deli specialties, including sliced deli meat, salads, dips, entrees, side dishes, fresh made to order sandwiches at value prices and an abundant selection of over 200 varieties of cheeses from around the world.
The Company��bakery offering includes artisan bread alongside a wide assortment of sandwich breads, rolls, tortillas, pitas, muffins, cookies and pies as well as sugar free, gluten free and low carbohydrate products. The Company�� dairy department features a selection of organic, natural and regionally sourced milk, yogurt (including Greek, Australian, organic, and soy-based), butter and eggs, as well as a full selection of vegan and vegetarian alternative dairy products. The Company�� freezer cases feature traditional and ethnic natural and organic entrees and side dishes, along with frozen vegetables, desserts and specialty items, such as gluten-free breads and non-dairy ice creams. The Company offers approximately 2,400 natural, cruelty-free health and beauty products, old-fashioned remedies and modern body care innovations, including facial care products and make up, skin, hair, dental, baby care and grooming products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Grace L. Williams]
Curious to see what the competition was doing, we found Safeway (SWY) down 0.1% at $31.67, Supervalu (SVU) down 1.4% at $6.25, and Sprouts Farmers Markets (SFM) up 0.9% at $39.60.
- [By Charles Sizemore]
All of this points to a rosy picture for premium grocery chains. Yet the stock performancee paint a very different picture. Compare the performance of publicly traded premium grocers — Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM), The Fresh Market (TFM), and Fairway Group Holdings (FWM) — against that of the ultimate common-man�� grocer, Walmart. Since last October, Walmart is the only grocer stock that hasn�� seen substantial declines. What gives? I have one word for you: valuation.
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: Post Holdings Inc (POST)
Post Holdings, Inc., incorporated on September 22, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded ready-to-eat cereals in the United States and Canada. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Great Grains, Grape-Nuts, Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Honeycomb. It markets and sells ready-to-eat cereal products in three different categories: sweetened, balanced and unsweetened. Its sweetened products include Pebbles, Honeycomb, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Waffle Crisp. Its balanced products include Honey Bunches of Oats, Post Selects, Great Grains and Shreddies. The Company�� unsweetened products include Post Shredded Wheat, Post Raisin Bran and Grape-Nuts. Effective January 1, 2014, the Company announced it has completed the acquisition of private label pasta manufacturer Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 2, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Agricore United Holdings Inc from Viterra Inc, a unit of Glencore Xstrata PLC, and the transaction also included Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 1, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC, a Farmers Branch-based manufacturer and wholesaler of nutrition supplement. Effective January 1, 2014, it acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC and Golden Boy Foods Ltd.
Honey Bunches of Oats is in the ready-to-eat cereal market. The Company�� Pebbles brands include Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles. The products are manufactured through a flexible production platform consisting of four owned primary facilities and sold through a variety of channels, such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Post Holdings (NYSE: POST ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q2), Post Holdings missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Michael Calia]
Post Holdings Inc.(POST) agreed to acquire the PowerBar and Musashi brands from Nestle SA(NESN.VX), further expanding the cereal maker’s position in the active nutrition category.
- [By Shamus Funk]
Following the same line of logic, don't be surprised if Post (NYSE: POST ) Grape-Nuts soon carry the GMO-free label. They are currently marketing Vintage Grape-Nuts which do not contain the likely GMO-laden isolated soy protein that is found in their current formulation of the cereal. Presumably with a little consumer demand, the transition back to the original recipe would be easy and enable the GMO-free label.
- [By Maureen Farrell]
The first bit came from Herbalife bull William Stiritz, the CEO of Post Holdings(POST).
The market has viewed Post as a potential buyer of Herbalife, after Post’s CEO William Stiritz personally purchased a 6.7% stake in Herbalife. Last week one of�Wall Street’s most bullish analysts�on Herbalife joined Post Holdings as an adviser, raising even more questions about whether the cereal company might bid for Herbalife.
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: Flowers Foods Inc (FLO)
Flowers Foods, Inc. (Flowers Foods), incorporated in October 2000, is a producer and marketer of bakery products in the United States. The Company is the producer and marketer of packaged bakery foods for retail and foodservice customers in the United States. Flowers Foods operates 44 bakeries that produce a range of bakery products, which include breads, buns, rolls, snack cakes, and pastries. These products are sold through a direct-store-delivery network with access to approximately 70% of the United States population in the East, South, and Southwest, as well as in certain markets in California. Select Flowers products are sold nationwide through customers' delivery systems. Among the Company�� top brands are Nature�� Own and Tastykake. The Company has two business segments: direct-store-delivery (DSD segment) and warehouse delivery segment (warehouse segment). In May 2011, the Company acquired Tasty Baking Company. In July 2012, it acquired Lepage Bakeries, Inc.
The DSD segments focuses on the production and marketing of bakery products to United States customers in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southwest, as well as select markets in California and Nevada primarily through its DSD system. The warehouse segment produces snack cakes and breads and rolls that are shipped both fresh and frozen to national retail, foodservice, vending, and co-pack customers through their warehouse channels. The Company�� brands include Whitewheat, Cobblestone Mill, Blue Bird, ButterKrust, Dandee, Mary Jane, and Mary Jane and Friends. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it introduced the new products under this brand, including Nature�� Own Whitewheat Sandwich Rounds; Nature�� Own Whole Grain Sandwich Rolls and Hot Dog Rolls; Nature�� Own Cinnamon Raisin Thin Sliced Bagels; Nature�� Own Soft Oatmeal Specialty Bread; Nature�� Own 100% Whole Grain Specialty Bread, and Nature�� Own Honey Wheat Berry Specialty Bread. In addition to Nature�� Own, its DSD segment also marke! ts: a range of specialty breads and rolls under the Company-owned Cobblestone Mill brand; white breads and buns under regional company owned and franchised brands, such as Sunbeam, Bunny, Aunt Hattie��, Holsum, and ButterKrust; Tastykake and Blue Bird branded snack cakes and pastries; flour, white, and corn tortillas under the Mi Casa and Frestillas brands, and fresh packaged bakery products under store brands for retailers.
The Company�� warehouse segment markets a range of specialty breads and rolls under the European Bakers brand, breads, buns, and rolls for specific foodservice customers, and tortillas and tortilla chips under Leo�� Foods and Juarez. This segment�� snack cakes are sold under the Mrs. Freshley��, Broad Street Bakery, and store brands. Its warehouse segment products are distributed nationally through retail, foodservice and vending customer warehouses.
The Company competes with Grupo Bimbo S.A. de C.V./Bimbo Bakeries, Hostess Brands, Inc., Sara Lee Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, McKee Foods Corporation, Cloverhill Bakery, Hostess Brands, Inc., Alpha Baking Co., Inc., Rotella�� Italian Bakery, United States Bakery, Turano Baking Company and All Round Foods, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Tomorrow, Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed, knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.
- [By Gerrit De Vynck]
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (MFI), the Canadian producer of foods from hamburgers to frozen pasta, has drawn bids for its bread unit from Grupo Bimbo SAB, Flowers Foods Inc. (FLO) and several private-equity firms, three people with knowledge of the matter said.
- [By Caroline Bennett]
The board of directors for Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO ) announced a three-for-two stock split at the annual shareholders meeting this week and increased the total annual cash dividend by $0.035.
- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Thursday
Earnings Expected From: Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN), Kohl�� (NYSE: KSS), Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) Economic Releases Expected: �US industrial production, US CPI, eurozone GDP, eurozone CPI, German GDP, French GDPFriday
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: Cencosud SA (CNCO)
Cencosud SA (Cencosud) is a Chile-based holding company primarily engaged in the retail sector. The Company�� activities include the management and operation of a network of supermarkets, home centers, department stores and shopping malls, which operate under such names as Jumbo, Disco & Vea, Santa Isabel, Easy, Paris, Blaisten and GBarbosa, among others. The Company�� business also comprises the provision of consumer financial services and insurance brokerage, as well as it operates family entertainment centers and a travel agency. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, the Company has operations established in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru. As of December 31, 2010, the Company was a 25.74%-owned affiliate of Inversiones Quinchamali Limitada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Will Ashworth]
In terms of growth, Asia is where the company is achieving its greatest success. Operating joint ventures in China, India and Japan, Aegon’s gross deposits in new markets grew 31% in fiscal 2013 to $19.8 billion. Its underlying earnings before tax have grown 28% over the last two fiscal years, with fee-based earnings representing a much bigger part of its business than in the past. That�� a good thing, because fee-based earnings don�� have nearly the same bite if things go south than assets on your own balance sheet. Its operations outside of Europe are getting stronger, providing the diversification necessary to survive financial hiccups. As far as insurers go, AEG is one of the best cheap stocks worth owning.
Cheap Stocks to Buy: Cencosud S.A. (CNCO)Cencosud is one of the largest retailers in Latin America. It operates grocery stores, home improvement stores and department stores in five countries including Chile, its home base. Its stock is down 51% over the past year for several reasons, including a deal falling through that would have seen it sell 51% of its credit card operations in Chile and Argentina to Itau Unibanco (ITUB) and using the proceeds to reduce its heavy debt load. Add to that a major devaluation of the peso in Argentina, where it generates a quarter of its overall revenue, and you have investors in a full-on panic.
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: SAP AG(SAP)
SAP AG provides business software primarily in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific Japan region. The company?s products includes SAP Business Suite software, which supports large organizations in their core business operations, such as supplier relationship, production, warehouse management, sales, administration, and customer relationship; SAP Business All-in-One, a business management software that assists midsize companies in managing various business functions, including financials, human resources, procurement, inventory, manufacturing, logistics, product development, sales, and marketing; SAP Business One, a business management application for small businesses; and SAP Business ByDesign, an on-demand solution for integrated business management applications. Its products also comprises SAP BusinessObjects Edge business intelligence and enterprise performance management solutions; Xcelsius, a data visualization software; Crystal Reports, which helps users design interactive reports; Sybase IQ, an optimized analytics server designed to deliver results for business intelligence, analytics, data warehousing, and reporting solutions; SAP solutions for sustainability; and SAP NetWeaver technology platform, which integrates information and business processes across various technologies and organizational structures. In addition, the company offers industry and solution-focused, business transformation, information technology transformation, custom development, and support services; and program, project management, quality assurance, and education and certification services. It sells its products through its subsidiaries and resellers. SAP AG has a strategic relationship with Cap Gemini S.A. to develop and deploy enterprise mobility solutions. The company was formerly known as SAP Aktiengesellschaft Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung. SAP AG was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Walldorf , Germany.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
MBIAcommon stock is The Allocation Fund�� largest position. Recent legal settlements paid and reserves taken by defendants are convincing skeptics of the company�� ability to more than just survive. Following GAAP, the company reports a book value of about $12 per share. Following Statutory Accounting Principles (SAP) utilized by insurance regulators, book adjusts to $16. Assuming an orderly run-off, the company calculates an adjusted book value of $35. Each method has its strengths and weaknesses and does not include a value for new business.
- [By Sarah Jones]
SAP AG (SAP) climbed 1.2 percent to 57.36 euros and Cap Gemini SA (CAP) gained 1.8 percent to 39.95 euros as peer Infosys Ltd. surged the most in six months in Mumbai trading after first-quarter profit rose and the company�� sales forecast in dollar terms beat analyst estimates.
- [By Investometrica]
First, I compare the stock performance of Salesforce.com with other competitors. Although some competitors are not exactly in the same business, all of them have either a cloud computing or CRM component in their revenue: Citrix Systems (CTXS), Rackspace (RAX), SAP (SAP), Oracle (ORCL), Microsoft (MSFT), IBM (IBM), Amazon (AMZN) and VMware (VMW). Salesforce.com's one year stock performance, 13.51%, is far from the top (that is, SAS, with 31.19%) gainer. On one hand, things could have been worse, as a good number of competitors show negative returns. On the other hand, we should notice that the current stock price level has not changed that much since early 2011 ($39.2 per share). This stagnation is hard to ignore.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
With the key back-to-school season upon us, Oxford is working to boost its sales opportunities. Last month, the company chose to use tech giant SAP's (NYSE: SAP ) Hybris suite of commerce support products to help it boost its already-growing online business. With the ability to add in-store kiosks to its existing Internet presence, Oxford's Tommy Bahama stores hope that giving their customers as many ways to buy as possible will help increase revenue.
Top 10 Food Companies To Own In Right Now: Danone SA (DANOY)
Danone SA, incorporated on February 2, 1899, is a France-based company engaged in food processing activities. The Company operates in four business lines, including Fresh Dairy Products, Waters, Baby Nutrition and Medical Nutrition. The Fresh Dairy Products business line�� brands are Danone, Actimel, Activia, Danacol and Vitalinea. The Water business line offers brands, such as Evian, Volvic, Aqua, Bonafont, Font Vella and Lanjaron. The Baby Nutrition business line include Bledina, Gallia, Nutricia, Cow & Gate, Milupa, Mellin and Dumex brands. Medical nutrition business includes Nutricia, Nutrini, Nutrison, Fortimel, FortiCare, Fortisip, Neocate and Infatrini brands. As of December 31, 2009, the Company acquired Danone Clover and a 26.85% interest in Micropharma. In December 2010, the Company and Unimilk announced the finalization of the merger of their Fresh Dairy Product businesses.
In Europe the Company�� main markets are France, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Benelux countries, the United Kingdom, Poland and Russia. The Company�� product Actimel, the probiotic dairy product, if consumed daily, helps to strengthen the organism�� natural defenses. The Waters business line includes activities focused on natural or flavored mineral water and on fruit-flavored or tea drinks, with a positioning concerned with health benefits. The Company�� baby nutrition business line�� activities consist mainly of producing food for newborns and babies (infant milk formula, follow-on milk, and growing up milk). It also offers a diverse range of products for
children aged 6 to 36 months. Specially developed and clinically tested formulas have also been developed for babies suffering from milk protein intolerance. The Medical Nutrition business line develops nutritional products adapted to specific needs, namely those of hospitalized patients, in order to prevent malnutrition and to improve its consumers daily life.
The Company competes with Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca-cola, Abbott, Mead! Johnson and Fresenius.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeff Reeves]
Take the widely held Fidelity Worldwide Fund (FWWFX), which has 30% of its assets invested in Europe. Holdings include Swiss bank UBS (UBS), German automaker Volkswagen (VLKAY) and French food and consumer products giant Danone (DANOY).
- [By Tamara Rutter]
Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) ,�the world's most popular coffee chain, is joining forces with Danone� (NASDAQOTH: DANOY ) to create an exclusive yogurt line called "Evolution Fresh, Inspired by Dannon."�The line of co-branded yogurts will be sold in U.S. Starbucks locations as soon as next year, and will reach grocery store shelves by 2015.
- [By Rich Duprey]
What exactly is Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) up to? Is it still a drink experience destination or is it pursuing recognition as a broader food and beverage brand? Analysts may view its deal with yogurt maker Danone (NASDAQOTH: DANOY ) as nothing but creamy goodness, but I think it risks mixing its message too much and will end up confusing the consumer.
- [By Jamal Carnette]
More than just Os
The American public's seemingly insatiable desire for lean protein in an "on-the-go" form will help General Mills going forward. They have a strong brand with the controlling acquisition of Yoplait, but have yet to parlay that brand recognition to rival Groupe Danone's (NASDAQOTH: DANOY ) Dannon brand, and privately held Chobani's lock on the "Greek Yogurt Craze." I'd encourage management to make this a priority; matter of fact, I'd consider this a microcosm of management's execution effectiveness. I'm willing to give this some time to materialize, because the company has executed so well over the last couple of years from both an operations and capital allocation standpoint.
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