Packaged Foods & Meats

J. M. Smucker (NYSE: SJM) today announced that the Board of Directors has approved an increase in the quarterly dividend from $0.44 to $0.48 per common share. The change represents an increase of nine percent, adding to the ten percent increase approved by the Board earlier this calendar year. The...

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR) unveils its next round of earnings this Wednesday, July 27, 2011. Here's Benzinga's advanced look at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' third quarter earnings report. Earnings and Revenue: Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are...

Shares of The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) are higher on the session by 2.17%, trading at $58.75. Overall call volume is now running at 5.63x the daily average, with 66% of all calls traded being purchases on the offer. 1,797 contracts have traded on the session so far. The Hershey Company is a...

According to Deutsche Bank, Kellogg (NYSE: K) Buy rating is retained. Deutsche Bank said that it retains its BUY opinion given its belief that top line growth (new product introductions, price/mix realization, investments in brand building) will drive stock performance in 2011. “For the LT, we...

According to Deutsche Bank, Dean Foods (NYSE: DF) Hold rating is maintained. Deutsche Bank said that to arrive at the $12 target it employs both a SOTP and a DCF analysis (using a 9.5% WACC derived via CAPM (0.7x beta, 4.5% risk free rate, 10% required return)). “On a LT basis we assume sales +2-3...

Snyder's-Lance, Inc. (Nasdaq: LNCE) today announced that, based on current information and market conditions impacting its private brand products, it expects diluted earnings per share for the full year 2011 to be in a range of $0.75 to $0.90, excluding special items. The Company's previous...

Below are the top small-cap meat products stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of operating margin. The trailing-twelve-month operating margin at Balchem Corporation (NASDAQ: BCPC) is 19.60%. BCPC's ROE for the same period is 19.78%. The trailing-twelve-month operating margin at Industrias...

A new partnership could help to bring bio-plastics to medicine cabinet near you. Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW) and Japan's Mitsui have formed a new Brazilian joint venture in order to turn sugar cane into ethanol and plastic. The pair plan on creating the world's largest integrated facility for...

Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announces its next round of earnings this Tuesday, July 26, 2011. Here's Benzinga's advanced look at Hershey's second quarter earnings report. Earnings and Revenue: Analysts are looking ahead to a positive EPS reading of 54 cents per share and revenues of $1.27 billion...

MegaMex Foods LLC, a joint venture between Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) and Herdez Del Fuerte, S.A. de C.V., today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100 percent of Fresherized Foods. Fresherized Foods produces Wholly Guacamole®, Wholly Salsa® and Wholly Queso...

Stocks trading at or near 52-week highs and lows provide excellent trading opportunities, as volatility tends to increase at such levels. The following stocks hit new 52-week highs in Wednesdays's trading session (listed from highest total volume to lowest): 1) Nalco Holding (NYSE: NLC): Shares...

Cusick's Corner Stocks took a breather, a little profit taking after yesterday's rally. Financials led the day on news from E-Trade (ETFC) and US Bancorp (USB). The Financial Select Sector ETF (XLF) was up +1.14% to close at 15 and the option volume was almost 80% higher than the average daily...

Cusick's Corner This market pops on bad news, chop and then pop in spite of negative sentiment for fear of missing the next leg up. This is the grinding, choppy segment after the poor data and continued debt fears here and across the Pond. So what to do? Well volatility has pulled back this week...

Goldman Sachs is out with its report today on The Mosaic Co. (NYSE: MOS), maintaining Neutral. In a note to clients, Goldman Sachs writes, "MOS reported 4Q11 EPS of $1.52 vs. GS/consensus of $1.44/$1.38, driven by stronger potash (K) volumes and margins and in-line Phosphate (P) results. MOS also...

Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSE: SOXL) led the gainers among the ETFs on Tuesday, with an increase of 9.90%. SOXL closed at $41.08, and it had a volume of 529K traded shares. Direxion Daily Technology Bull 3x Shares (ETF) (NYSE: TYH) jumped 8.12% on the strength in the technology...