(03-10-2016, 11:50 AM)DividendGarden Wrote: General Mills Inc. GIS recently announced a 4.5% increase in its quarterly dividend.
The dividend was increased from 44 cents to 46 cents per common share, bringing the annual payout to $1.78 per share for fiscal 2016, up 7% from $1.67 paid in fiscal 2015.
The quarterly dividend of 46 cents for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 will be paid on May 2 to shareholders of record as on Apr 11.
General Mills has increased its dividend seven times since 2010.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/general-mills-ups-dividend-4-211009821.html

(03-10-2016, 05:18 PM)Dividend Watcher Wrote: I like GIS and the changes they're making with many of their products but think it's a little stretched here although it never seems to go on sale. I don't see a problem opening a small position here if you want to put some money to work but, if it were me, I'd wait until the next market hiccup where you may be able to add in the mid-$50s.

(03-10-2016, 07:49 PM)kayboy Wrote: http://seekingalpha.com/news/3166410-general-mills-tapped-likeliest-next-3g-capital-target

Rumors abound.

(03-11-2016, 06:30 PM)Dividend Watcher Wrote:

(03-10-2016, 07:49 PM)kayboy Wrote: http://seekingalpha.com/news/3166410-general-mills-tapped-likeliest-next-3g-capital-target

Rumors abound.

I have  no interest in 3G or anyone else making a bid for the General. I like a lot of their products, they're making a lot of changes in their product mix to appeal to the "health nuts", and they've paid a dividend for over a hundred years and never reduced it. It's a reliable slow grower that just keeps plodding along and sends me money every quarter.

I don't need a wad of extra cash right now from a buyout bid. Where would I invest it? If you think GIS's P/E is high right now, look at the valuation and yield of the quality replacements right now; e.g., CL, HRL, MKC, SJM, CHD. Unilever & Nestle would be good replacements also but then you have to deal with currency fluctuations and, with Nestle, taxes whether in a tax sheltered account or not (AFAIK).

Looks like I got in around the same price range as you, kayboy, but my expectations when I opened a position in GIS was to grow old with it and pay the grocery bills. It's one of my few core companies that I wouldn't consider trading bar some catastrophe.

3G's done a nice job with Heinz and Kraft but both companies had gotten stodgy and couldn't change enough to get out of their own way. Kraft's CEO talked a good talk before the merger but couldn't seem to implement a lot of what he talked about. GIS, on the other hand, has actually made progress in changing the company's product line in reaction to the marketplace. I owned HNZ a long time ago and got out when I could see the results of their stagnation. Had KRFT in wife's portfolio and was becoming a little disillusioned when management couldn't seem to implement what they were touting at investor conferences so the merger and subsequent shakeup seems to be working with KHC. I suppose 3G could gut it internally with it's slash & burn mindset for a quick bounce in profits but I think that would throw them into disarray internally versus the planned transition they're executing on now.

I guess we'll see.