Reckitt holds onto its cash 19 Feb 2003 The AngloDutch consumer products group decided against a stock buyback to keep powder dry for doing deals. Having promised to hand back cash if it failed to make acquisitions last year which it did this policy simply looks stingy.
Unilever should offer more of the same 13 Feb 2003 The consumer products group has reached nearly all of its costcutting and margin expansion targets. It would be tempting for it to come up with a new growth story. But there s still a lot to shoot for from its current one.
Reckitt Benckiser nicked on Schick 21 Jan 2003 Whatever the case, investors can now expect even demand Reckitt to juice up its dividend or buy back stock. The AngloDutch consumer products group has shown either laudable restraint or an inability to win in recent auctions.
Reckitt should gear up and return cash 13 Nov 2002 The AngloDutch personal care company is fairly valued, even if it still has room to expand margins in line with P&G and Colgate. But it does have juice left to tickle shareholders a clean balance sheet that it can use to buy back its shares.
Boots runs to stand still 7 Nov 2002 Growth is proving elusive. Worse, Boots faces regulatory uncertainty on its drugs dispensing business. If everyone can sell prescription drugs, Boots will lose much of its competitive advantage.