Looking for Stability? Premium Brands Holdings Corp. Is for You

Premium Brands Holdings Corp. (TSX:PBH) shareholders have hardly noticed the recent market volatility.

| More on:
The Motley Fool

If you’ve been hit by the recent market turmoil, shareholders of Premium Brands Holdings Corp. (TSX:PBH) haven’t noticed. Even with market volatility, Premium Brands stock has continued its steady upward march, advancing 63% in the last year versus a decline of 17% for the TSX. This outperformance isn’t a one-time thing either. Premium Brands has beat the TSX for five straight years and is up over 175% since 2011.

Why haven’t shares been subject to recent market declines, and can investors count on this to continue?

A staple industry

Premium Brands bills itself as a specialty food company, selling its products via retail outlets (60% of sales) as well as supplying food service companies such as restaurants (40% of sales). Selling to both of these outputs provides a natural form of diversification.

If consumer spending declines at restaurants, people are most likely buying more food at grocery stores. And when the economy is doing well and consumers are going out more, restaurant spending usually ticks up. Premium Brands has a solid position in both of these channels.

As a specialty food company, Premium Brands has targeted value-added products that aren’t commoditized. So instead of selling simple canned items like vegetables, fruit, or meat, it finds ways to package and produce items in a way that garners higher margins. For example, one of its biggest sellers is pre-made sandwiches (20% of sales). Selling the entire sandwich pre-made typically comes at a higher profit than when selling each component separately.

In all, Premium Brands’s success has come from operating in an incredibly stable industry with an added layer of diversification and profitability.

Weak loonie is also a plus

While a lower currency valuation has hurt many importers, it’s actually been a blessing for Premium Brands. A weak loonie means that it’s actually cheaper for U.S. citizens to buy Canadian goods than their own. In 2010 U.S. sales were less than $50 million. Last year, it surpassed $220 million. This has helped total sales grow at a 23% annual rate since 2010, outpacing the company’s long-term target of 6-8%.

Even with sales exploding, management has been able to keep returns steady. In the past five years the company has had a return on assets between 12-14% ever year. That’s remarkable stability for company expanding as quickly as Premium Brands.

Get ready for big dividends

Consistently rising sales and profits have resulted in impressive free cash flow growth. In 2006 free cash flow was under $1.40 a share. A decade later it’s close to $3 a share. Meanwhile, dividends have been roughly flat at only $1.38 a share, resulting in a 3.6% yield. Management could double the payout while still having excess cash.

If you’re an income investor looking for a stable dividend with growth potential, there are few better ideas out there than Premium Brands.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Ryan Vanzo has no position in any stocks mentioned.

More on Dividend Stocks

Two seniors float in a pool.
Dividend Stocks

TFSA: How to Earn $1,890 in Annual Tax-Free Income

Plunk these investments into your TFSA to earn passive income and avoid the taxman.

Read more »

Engineers walk through a facility.
Dividend Stocks

1 TSX Stock I Wouldn’t Touch With a 10-Foot Pole

AtkinsRéalis (TSX:ATRL) is one TSX stock I'd never invest in.

Read more »

edit Woman in skates works on laptop
Dividend Stocks

3 No-Brainer Stocks to Buy Under $30

These three stocks all offer a huge deal for investors looking for dividends, as well as growth that will last.

Read more »

You Should Know This
Dividend Stocks

How to Convert a $300 Monthly Investment Into $338 in Monthly Income

If you want a certain amount in monthly passive income, invest a similar amount today and leave the rest to…

Read more »

Increasing yield
Dividend Stocks

3 Income Stocks With Big Yields to Consider in April 2024

If you haven’t yet made your March investments, here are three income stocks to buy the dip and lock in…

Read more »

Senior Man Sitting On Sofa At Home With Pet Labrador Dog
Dividend Stocks

RRSP Investors: Don’t Miss Out on This Contribution Hack!

This hack has so many benefits for you -- not just when you put it in your RRSP but for…

Read more »

A red umbrella stands higher than a crowd of black umbrellas.
Dividend Stocks

Passive Income: 2 Safe Dividend Stocks to Own for the Next 10 Years

Dividend stocks such as Manulife and Fortis can help you generate a stable and recurring passive-income stream.

Read more »

Young woman sat at laptop by a window
Dividend Stocks

3 Dividend Stocks Everyone Should Own for the Long Haul

For investors looking for top-tier dividend stocks to buy and hold for the long term, here are three of my…

Read more »