NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - Parmalat SpA, best known to many U.S. investors for its 2003 bankruptcy and accounting scandal, may benefit as the market again focuses on its boring but steady dairy business, Barron's said Sunday.
The Italian firm's shares, re-listed in 2005, remain well below their high two years ago at 1.53 euros.
'Special-situation' investors have been exiting the stock now that most legal gains are behind Parmalat.
What is left is a milk, yogurt and juice producer whose shares trade well below those of rivals such as Nestle and Groupe Danone. Parmalat's enterprise value is less than five times its cash flow, Barron's said.
Parmalat, which has a strong balance sheet post bankruptcy, also should benefit from improving prospects for its sales in Australia and South Africa and continued gains in Italy and Canada.
That said, Barron's noted Parmalat shares are already up one third since bottoming out Dec. 29 last year.
(Reporting by Joseph A. Giannone; Editing by Jan Paschal) Keywords: PARMALAT/ (joseph.giannone@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6184; Reuters Messaging: joseph.giannone.reuters.com@reuters.net ) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The Italian firm's shares, re-listed in 2005, remain well below their high two years ago at 1.53 euros.
'Special-situation' investors have been exiting the stock now that most legal gains are behind Parmalat.
What is left is a milk, yogurt and juice producer whose shares trade well below those of rivals such as Nestle and Groupe Danone. Parmalat's enterprise value is less than five times its cash flow, Barron's said.
Parmalat, which has a strong balance sheet post bankruptcy, also should benefit from improving prospects for its sales in Australia and South Africa and continued gains in Italy and Canada.
That said, Barron's noted Parmalat shares are already up one third since bottoming out Dec. 29 last year.
(Reporting by Joseph A. Giannone; Editing by Jan Paschal) Keywords: PARMALAT/ (joseph.giannone@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6184; Reuters Messaging: joseph.giannone.reuters.com@reuters.net ) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.