3 Top Performers to Consider

- By Alberto Abaterusso

Shareholders of Dover Corp. (NYSE:DOV), Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE) and Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE:BF.A) (NYSE:BF.B) have seen their holdings return more than the S&P 500 Index in recent years. The benchmark index for the U.S. market advanced by approximately 10.5% over the past year, 33% over the past three years and 25% over the past five years through Sept. 18.

Dover


Shares of Dover have returned 14% over the past year, 55% over the past three years and 135% over the past five years through Sept. 18, beating the S&P 500 by 3.5%, 22% and 110%.

The Downers Grove, Illinois-based specialty industrial machinery company has also paid quarterly dividends over the observed years. On Sept. 15, Dover paid a quarterly cash dividend of 49.5 cents per common share, for a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 1.75% and a forward dividend yield of 1.76% as of Sept. 18.

GuruFocus assigned a positive rating of 5 out of 10 for the company's financial strength and a high rating of 8 out of 10 for its profitability.

The stock traded around $112.6 per share at close on Sept. 18 for a market capitalization of $16.21 billion.

3 Top Performers to Consider
3 Top Performers to Consider




The stock has a price-earnings ratio of 24.37 and a price-book ratio of 5.25. These ratios tell the share price is currently not cheap.

Wall Street sell-side analysts issued an overweight recommendation rating for this stock and have established an average target price of $121.15 per share.

Deere & Co.

Shares of Deere & Co. have returned 34.4% over the past year, 86.5% over the past three years and 180.4% over the past five years through Sept. 18, beating the S&P 500 by 24%, 54% and 155.4%.

The Moline, Illinois-based global manufacturer and supplier of farm and heavy construction machinery has also paid quarterly dividends over the observed years. On Nov. 9, the company will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 76 cents per common share, which produces trailing 12-month and forward dividend yields of 1.37% as of Sept. 18.

GuruFocus assigned a low rating of 3 out of 10 to the company's financial strength and a high rating of 8 out of 10 to its profitability.

The stock was trading at $221.97 per share at close on Sept. 18 for a market capitalization of $69.56 billion.

3 Top Performers to Consider
3 Top Performers to Consider




The stock has a price-earnings ratio of 25.87 and a price-book ratio of 5.4. These ratios suggest that this stock is not trading cheaply.

Wall Street sell-side analysts issued an overweight recommendation rating for this stock and have produced an average target price of $224.06 per share.

Brown-Forman

Shares of Class A common stock of Brown-Forman have returned 12% over the past year, 105.3% over the past three years and 52.3% over the past five years through Sept. 18, beating the S&P 500 index by 1.5%, 72.3% and 27.3%.

Shares of Class B common stock have returned 21% over the past year, 77% over the past three years and 91% over the past five years through Sept. 18, beating the S&P 500 index by 10.5%, 44%, and 66%.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based manufacturer, import/export trader and seller of alcoholic beverages has also paid quarterly dividends over the years in question.

On Oct. 1, the company will, in line with the previous distribution, pay a quarterly cash dividend of 17.4 cents per common share. The payment, as of Sept. 18, produces trailing 12-month and forward dividend yields of 1.02% on Class A common stock and trailing 12-month and forward dividend yields of 0.91% on Class B common stock.

GuruFocus assigned a financial strength rating of 5 out of 10 and a profitability rating of 9 out of 10 to the company.

At close on Sept. 18, the share price was $68.08 for class A stock and $76.36 for class B stock, determining a market capitalization of about $35.13 billion.

Class A common stock:

3 Top Performers to Consider
3 Top Performers to Consider

Class B common stock:

3 Top Performers to Consider
3 Top Performers to Consider




The stock has a price-earnings ratio of 37.99 and a price-book ratio of 16.99. These ratios suggest that current share prices are not at their cheapest.

Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend a hold rating for the stock and have established an average target price of $71.93 per share of Class A stock and $72.81 per share of Class B stock.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any securities mentioned.

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.