Kellogg Snatches Pringles Deal - Analyst Blog
February 16 2012 - 8:49AM
Zacks
Kellogg Company (K) cleverly sneaked in and
made good use of the fuss between Procter & Gamble
Company (PG) and Diamond Foods Inc (DMND)
as it grabbed the Pringles deal from P&G for $2.77 billion. The
transaction is expected to close by the end of June this year.
P&G was supposed to sell its Pringles brand of potato snack
to Diamond Foods for $2.4 billion. However, the retail giant
refrained from handing over its brand after Diamond Foods’
reputation was stigmatized with the allegation that it had
misappropriated the payouts of walnut workers.
The Pringles deal will shore up Kellogg’s overseas business and
increase returns from its snacks by almost three times. The buyout
is expected to strengthen sales in Europe and mark a forceful entry
for the retail giant to Asia and Latin America. The snacks business
is booming with the increasing appetite for on-the-go foods
worldwide, particularly in emerging markets like China and
India.
Kellogg, which till now was most popular at the breakfast table
with its offerings of Frosted Flakes and Eggo frozen waffles, now
also becomes a strong player in the savory salty snacks business,
second only to PepsiCo International (PEP).
Moreover, the Pringles buyout is likely to reduce Kellogg’s
dependence on its mainstay cereal business apart from adding an
important brand to its already popular offerings of snacks like
Keebler and Cheez-It.
Pringles is famous for its packaging, as the chips are packed
inside cans to preserve freshness and prevent it from breaking.
Pringles are available in 140 countries and generates about two
thirds of its total $1.5 billion annual sales from international
business.
P&G has been shedding its non-core business to focus more on
beauty and personal care products. Recently it also shed its
Folgers coffee business and Jif peanut butter. Pringles was its
only remaining food business, and its sellout is expected to bring
an after-tax gain of $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion.
Analysts, however, have mixed opinions about the deal. While
some felt that Pringles will add to the already dominant position
of Kellogg in the snacks category, some are of the opinion that the
brand is not very useful as it had not been faring well in its
domestic market for quite some time. Moreover, they point out that
the snack is not in the trend as nowadays people are more hyped
about the ‘good for you’ snacks offered by PepsiCo.
Kellogg currently holds a short-term Zacks #3 Rank (Hold). On a
long-term basis, we maintain an Underperform rating. P&G holds
a short-term Zacks #4 Rank (Sell). On a long-term basis, we
maintain a Neutral rating.
DIAMOND FOODS (DMND): Free Stock Analysis Report
KELLOGG CO (K): Free Stock Analysis Report
PEPSICO INC (PEP): Free Stock Analysis Report
PROCTER & GAMBL (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report
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