Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2015

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2015: Smithfield Foods Inc.(SFD)

Smithfield Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and marketing of fresh meat and packaged meats products in the United States and internationally. The company involves in the production of hog; and produces various fresh pork, beef, poultry, and packaged meats products. It sells fresh pork to retail customers as unprocessed and trimmed cuts, such as butts, loins, picnics, and ribs; packaged meats products, including smoked and boiled hams, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli and luncheon meats; specialty products, such as pepperoni and dry meat products; and ready-to-eat prepared foods comprising pre-cooked entrees, and pre-cooked bacon and sausages. The company offers its products to supermarket chains; wholesale distributors; the foodservice industry, including fast food, restaurant and hotel chains, hospitals, and other institutional customers; export markets; and other further processors. It sells its products through its salespersons an d independent commission brokers. Smithfield Foods, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DailyFinance Staff]

  Ramin Talaie/Getty Images Markets oscillated wildly Friday, but ended the day virtually unchanged, as job market data removed some uncertainty about Federal Reserve policy but worries grew about escalating tensions between the U.S. and Syria. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) ended down 14 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,922, the Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) rose less than a point to 1,655 and the Nasdaq composite index (^IXIC) added 1 point to 3,660. Stocks opened slightly higher after a weak jobs report for August bolstered hopes that the Fed may wait to cut back on its bond-buying program. The Labor Department reported that employers added 169,000 jobs last month, fewer than the 177,000 economists had forecast. It also revised dow! nward the number of jobs added in July to 104,000, from its previous estimate of 162,000. But the market soon fell as traders worried about a standoff in Syria. Russian media reported that naval ships were en route to the country, raising worries of a wider conflict and sending stocks lower. Investors are continuing to assess the possibility of a U.S.-led strike against Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack against its civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear Friday that Russia didn't want to be sucked into a war over Syria, signaling that Moscow would maintain ongoing support to Damascus in the event of foreign military intervention. Energy prices have been among the most volatile on the issue, with investors concerned that military action in the Middle East will weigh on oil supplies. U.S. crude oil has spiked almost 4 percent during the past two weeks and rose 2 percent Friday. In corporate news, Smithfield Foods (SFD) fell 4 cents to $33.92 after reporting a 36 percent fall in quarterly profit, hurt by lower exports to key international markets such as Japan, China and Russia. The U.S. pork producer that has agreed to a $4.7 billion buyout by China's Shuanghui Internation

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Smithfield Foods is a provider of fresh and packaged meat products that are seen as a staple food item for many consumers and growing populations worldwide. The stock has seen an impressive run over the last few years and is now set to battle it out near all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, earnings have mostly decreased while revenue figures have been mixed, regardless, investors in the company have been optimistic. Relative to its peers and sector, Smithfield Foods has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Smithfield Foods to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Paula Deen has seen her future earnings prospects dim after her admission of using a racial slur. She lost her show. Several retailers have sto! pped stoc! king the celebrity chef's products. However, Deen has also lost lucrative endorsements with casino operator Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR  ) and packaged pork products producer Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD  ) .

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Finally, beyond the Dow, Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ: PPC  ) soared 22% on apparent speculation that the poultry giant might be next on the chopping block as a target for a big acquisition. The proposed buyout of pork producer Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD  ) by a Chinese company was controversial in large part because of the geopolitical implications of international buyers purchasing U.S. food-industry assets, but business analysts have rightly looked instead at the implications for further consolidation in the industry. With no formal announcement from Pilgrim's Pride, today's move could invite scrutiny from the SEC and other regulators should any sort of definitive buyout bid materialize in the days to come.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-10-dow-dividend-companies-to-own-for-2015-2.html