Today is the day the World Cup finally kicks off, and companies with an international mindset will use this conveniently set stage to advertise their wares. Savvy companies will use the opportunity to leverage the exposure into long-term sales growth, and provide a boost to share holders and sector-related exchange traded funds (ETFs).
Thomas M. Anderson for Kiplinger specifies four companies that may come out winners in this month-long tournament.
- Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). Coke has advertised in every World Cup since 1950. This time around, the company is sponsoring a five-continent tour with the World Cup trophy, launching a global ad campaign that highlights its Powerade drink and promoting Coke products and the World Cup in Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) stores. UBS analyst Kaumil Gajrawala is giving a “buy” signal on Coke after the company’s plans to cut costs by purchasing its own bottling plant and growing sales numbers in the emerging markets. [ETFs to Watch This Summer.]
- Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). Disney’s EPSN is partnering with Sony to offering World Cup coverage in 3-D. ESPN generated 29% of $36.1 billion in revenues for the October 2009 fiscal year and revenue from Disney’s cable company rose 9% in the last reported quarter year-over-year. Standard & Poor’s analyst Tuna Amobi rates Disney stock a buy as the company’s revenue increases on better movie sales.
- McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD). McDonald’s is featuring menu items and restaurant promotions that are tournament themed, along with a World Cup “fantasy Football” online game. Markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa – all big fans of soccer – are where the company is seeing revenues rise. Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst David Tarantino believes that McDonald’s can maintain global sales growth going for 2010 as economies recover. [Restaurant ETFs Looking Mighty Tasty.]
- Nike (NYSE: NKE). Revenue growth in football-adoring country Brazil increased by over 60%, and Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay each showed sales growth of about 30%. Umbro, Nike’s soccer-equipment brand, sales more than doubled in the quarter. Argus Research analyst Erin Smith opines that Nike will bring more earnings growth as “other brands” divisions expands.
For more information on consumer goods, visit our consumer discretionary category.
- iShares DJ US Consumer Goods (NYSEArca: IYK): KO is 9.4%. NKE is 1.7%.
- iShares S&P Global Consumer Discretionary Sector Index Fund (NYSEArca: RXI): DIS is 3.4%. MCD is 4.0%. NKE is 1.5%.
- iShares DJ US Consumer Services (NYSEArca: IYC): MCD is 5.2%.
- PowerShares Dynamic Food & Beverage (NYSEArca: PBJ): MCD is 2.8%.
- PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment (NYSEArca: PEJ): MCD is 3%.
Max Chen contributed to this article.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.