Pepsi to Add Brazilian Cookies - Analyst Blog
January 03 2012 - 9:15AM
Zacks
In a move to strengthen its
foothold in Brazil, U.S. beverage major PepsiCo
International (PEP) plans to purchase local cookie maker
Marilan Alimentos. The potential deal follows the acquisition of
yet another Brazilian cookie company, Grupo Mabel in November,
2011.
According to the Valor Economico
newspaper, Marilan Alimentos has asked for a price between 600
million reais ($320 million) to 800 million reais ($426.6 million).
M. Dias Branco SA, Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) and
Bunge Ltd. (BG), are also interested for the bid,
but they feel that the price range asked by the cookie maker is too
high to concede to.
Based in Marilan, Sao Paulo,
Marilan Alimentos S/A. is the country’s fourth largest maker of
cookies. Its products include salted snacks, classical Italian,
filled, classic, and sandwich biscuits; and butter cookies, cream
crackers, and toasts. As per the most recent reports available,
Marilan Alimentos generated revenue of $219.56 million in 2009.
According to the analysts, the
acquisition will give the world’s largest beverage and snacks
maker, the number two position in the Brazilian biscuit market.
Brazil is the second largest cookie and cracker producing nation in
the world.
In the Brazilian cookie market,
PepsiCo will have to compete with Nestle, which holds a 21% share
in the market, Grupo Arcor with a 16.4% share and Pandurata
Alimentos with a 16.1% share in the Brazilian market.
The retail giant continues to push
deeper into the emerging market of Latin America. In September
2011, it opened a new manufacturing plant in Feira de Santana, in
the Northeast of Brazil that is expected to generate about 400
direct and indirect jobs in the region. It also acquired Dilexis, a
traditional manufacturer of cookies and crackers in Argentina.
In November 2011, PepsiCo acquired
Grupo Mabel, for an undisclosed price. However, according to
Bloomberg, sources with knowledge of the deal said that the retail
giant would pay $450 million for the acquisition.
PepsiCo’s diverse portfolio ranging
from sodas and snacks to juices, combined with its ability to
innovate and launch products suited to the requirements of the
local markets drove better-than-expected results in the recently
ended quarter. Moreover, strong sales in emerging markets helped
blunt the impact of ongoing weakness at home.
Currently, we prefer to be Neutral
on Pepsi’s stock. However, Pepsi holds a Zacks #4 Rank, which
translates into a short-term ‘Sell’ rating.
BUNGE LTD (BG): Free Stock Analysis Report
CAMPBELL SOUP (CPB): Free Stock Analysis Report
PEPSICO INC (PEP): Free Stock Analysis Report
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