Proctor and Gamble Analysis

PG ( Proctor and Gamble ) is in the consumer staples business. It was the best performing dow jones stocks for the recently ended quarter. Let us quickly take a look at the financials to see if it is a buy at current prices. With a P/E of 23 and Price/Cash flow of close to 18, the stock doesnt appear cheap at current prices. Let us take a deeper look at the numbers to see how things look like.

The company bought Gillette recently, which has helped its cashflow and net margins. The EPS has grown at the rate of 9% a year for the past ten years and is likely to grow at that rate in the future.

The business is doing well on all fronts as noted in the company's 10-Q:

Net sales fiscal year to date increased 14 percent to $57.20 billion behind 11 percent volume growth, including an additional three months of Gillette results during the current fiscal year to date period versus the comparable year ago period. Organic volume grew five percent with broad-based growth across the business. Every reportable segment delivered year-on-year organic volume growth driven by product initiatives including Tide Simple Pleasures, Febreze Noticeables, Pantene Color Expressions, Olay Regenerist and Definity and the Head & Shoulders and Herbal Essences restages. Price increases taken across several segments added one percent to sales growth while favorable foreign exchange trends had a positive two percent impact. Product mix had no net impact on sales growth as the favorable mix impact from the additional period of Gillette results was offset by disproportionate growth in developing regions, where unit selling prices are below the Company average. Organic sales increased six percent fiscal year to date.

Additionally, the per share growth has been impressive partly because of the accretive nature of Gillette's business.

Net earnings increased 19 percent to $8.07 billion behind organic sales growth, the impacts from the addition of Gillette, including financing and other acquisition-related expenses, and profit margin expansion. Diluted net earnings per share were $2.37, up 13 percent versus the prior year. Earnings per share growth lagged net earnings growth due to a net increase in the weighted average shares outstanding in the current year to date period (incremental shares issued in conjunction with the Gillette acquisition on October 1, 2005, net of share repurchases, primarily under the Gillette repurchase program).

The fastest growing business segment was health care products. The gillette razors and blade segment is growing impressively in the developing countries.

Overall, PG is a great business. The current price levels are a bit too high - the right time to buy this was during the summer months during the peak of the credit crisis.