Cheap Eats! Analyst Finds McDonald’s Irresistible At 14 P/E Posted by Bob O'Brien McDonald’s (MCD) is as cheap as it’s been in six years, throws off lots of cash, has been gobbling up market share off its under-performing challengers, and is about to hit some catalysts that could re-energize a stock that’s been in something of a year-long funk. Deutsche Bank boosted its rating on shares of the fast-food operator to a buy from a hold. That’d be the same Deutsche Bank that lowered its rating on the stock last summer, when shares traded at just under $60 a share before going into a period of suspended animation in which the stock lost fully one-quarter of its values by the time it bottomed in the fall, and has been on little more than a gradual updraft, but still traded 10% below what it commanded when it was downgraded in July. At less than 14 times earnings, McDonald’s multiple is about as attractive as it’s been since 2003, Deutsche Bank said. If the multiple were to swell to 16 times, the stock would trade at $67. Meanwhile, McDonald’s is throwing off about 4% in its dividend payments, pretty compelling yield for such a blue-chip name. Fundamentally, the roll-out of the McCafe’s project could juice sales, while declines in commodity costs this year could help margins and profits, Deutsche said. (Wondering about that exposure to rising coffee prices, personally.) Because of its sheer size, McDonald’s enjoys more leverage to sales increases. As Morgan Stanley noted Wednesday, smaller rivals, such as Wendy’s / Arby’s Group (WEN) or Burger King (BKC) have to generate as much as $3 in incremental sales to keep pace with every buck in new revenues that McDonald’s can collect. To date, those challengers haven’t managed to do so; in fact, McDonald’s has been winning the market-share war in a competition where getting a bigger piece of the pie - rather than growing the pie itself - is the convention. Original Article May Be Found Here: http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2009/05/20/cheap-...
$56.25 (05/21/09)
