Previously, I kind of questioned Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) acquisition of Lorillard and taking over the Newport brand, but everything seems smooth sailing. On Tuesday, the company reported through Wall Street Journal a 42% increase in first quarter sales. In addition, the company increased cigarette volume by 34%. The U.S. leading menthol brand Newport has improved greatly through better retail placements and has increased its market share 14% this last quarter. On top of that, the company has recently raised its dividend 16.6%.
Company Overview: Reynolds American Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Simply explained, the company operates through its subsidiary holdings by manufacturing and selling regular cigarettes, chewing tobacco, vapor cigarettes other tobacco products around the world. The main company holdings include R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, American Snuff Company, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company and Niconovum AB. These subsidiaries hold some of the worlds most leading brands in tobacco industry such as: Newport, Camel, Pall Mall, Kent, Doral, Capri, Natural American Spirit, Grizzly & Kodiak brand names. The company primarily distributes its products through direct wholesale deliveries from local distribution centers and public warehouses into variety of retail stores. In 2010, Reynolds American’s companies sold around 28% of all cigarettes sold in U.S.
- Dividend Yield: 3.5%
- 3Yr Dividend Growth Rate: 9.4%
- Payout Ratio: 71.8%
- P/E: 18.4
- Consecutive Years of Dividend Raises: 6
I purchased 31 shares for the price of $47.34 adding $52.08 to my annual dividend income.
This is the 3rd time I am initiating a stock acquisition this year. This transaction is my additional purchase of RAI shares into the portfolio. As of today, I now hold 47 shares of this company. Currently, RAI ownership stake represents to be around 2.9% of my current portfolio value.
The 12-month dividend income increased to $2,760.
Thank you for reading & have a great day!