Weekly Top Insider Buys: The CocaCola Company, Carnival Corp., Reynolds American Inc., L3 Communications Holdings Inc., SLM Corp., and Pactive Corp.

Weekly Top Insider Buys: KO, CCL, RAI, LLL, SLM, PTV

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Nov 02, 2009
Weekly highlight of top insider buys: The CocaCola Company (KO, Financial), Carnival Corp. (CCL, Financial), Reynolds American Inc. (RAI, Financial), L3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL, Financial), SLM Corp. (SLM, Financial), and Pactiv Corp. (PTV, Financial).

The CocaCola Company (KO): Director Barry Diller Bought 510,000 Shares

Director of The CocaCola Company, Barry Diller, bought 510,000 shares on 10/26/09 at an average price of $53.31.

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, and is the leading producer and marketer of soft drinks. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's best-known brand, The Coca-Cola Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite. The CocaCola Company has a market cap of $123.54 billion; its shares were traded at around $53.31 with a P/E ratio of 17.6 and P/S ratio of 3.8. The dividend yield of The CocaCola Company stocks is 3.1%. The CocaCola Company had an annual average earning growth of 5.3% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated The CocaCola Company the business predictability rank of 2-star.

On July 21, The Coca-Cola Company reported healthy second quarter 2009 operating results with unit case volume increasing 4 percent, successfully cycling 3 percent growth in the prior year quarter. Internationally, the company achieved broad-based unit case volume growth of 5 percent, cycling 5 percent growth in the prior year quarter. In the quarter, unit case volume growth increased strongly in key emerging markets with 33 percent growth in India and 14 percent growth in China.

The Coca Cola Company is in the portfolios of Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway, Donald Yacktman of Yacktman Asset Management Co., Arnold Van Den Berg of Century Management, Steve Mandel of Lone Pine Capital, Bill Gates of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, David Winters of Wintergreen Advisors, Robert Olstein of Olstein Financial Alert Fund, Chris Davis of Davis Selected Advisers, Ruane Cunniff of Ruane & Cunniff & Goldfarb Inc, HOTCHKIS & WILEY of HOTCHKIS & WILEY Capital Management LLC, Tom Gayner of Markel Gayner Asset Management Corp, Tweedy Browne of Tweedy Browne CO LLC, Jean-Marie Eveillard of Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder Advisers, LLC, Richard Snow of Snow Capital Management, L.P., Richard Aster Jr of Meridian Fund, Kenneth Fisher of Fisher Asset Management, LLC, Bruce Berkowitz of Fairholme Capital Management, Dodge & Cox.

Last week, Buy:: Director Barry Diller bought 510,000 shares of KO stock and the price of the stock has decreased by 1.33% since

Carnival Corp. (CCL): Director Randall J Weisenburger Bought 20,000 Shares

Director of Carnival Corp., Randall J Weisenburger, bought 20,000 shares on 10/28/09 at an average price of $29.12.

Carnival Corporation is one of the world's largest multiple-night cruise companies. The company offers a broad range of cruise brands. Carnival Corp. has a market cap of $18.23 billion; its shares were traded at around $29.12 with a P/E ratio of 12.1 and P/S ratio of 1.3. Carnival Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 17% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Carnival Corp. the business predictability rank of 4-star.

On September 22, Carnival Corporation reported net income of $1.1 billion, or $1.33 diluted EPS, on revenues of $4.1 billion for its third quarter ended August 31, 2009. Net income for the third quarter of 2008 was $1.3 billion, or $1.65 diluted EPS, on revenues of $4.8 billion.

Carnival Corp. is in the portfolios of six Gurus: Richard Aster Jr., Arnold Schneider, Kenneth Fisher, PRIMECAP Management, David Dreman, and John Rogers.

Sell:: Chairman & CEO, 10% Owner Micky Meir Arison has been selling shares of CCL stock since 10/16/09; the price went down 4% after his last sell. Last week, Buy:: Director Randall J Weisenburger bought shares, and Sell:: See Remarks Continued Irrevocable T Nickel Sell:: Director Stuart Subotnick sold shares.

Reynolds American Inc. (RAI): Director H G L Hugo Powell Bought 7,600 Shares

Director of Reynolds American Inc., H G L Hugo Powell, bought 7,600 shares on 10/27/09 at an average price of $48.48.

Reynolds American Inc. is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc., Lane Limited, and R.J. Reynolds Global Products Inc. Reynolds American Inc. has a market cap of $14.13 billion; its shares were traded at around $48.48 with a P/E ratio of 10.1 and P/S ratio of 1.6. The dividend yield of Reynolds American Inc. stocks is 7%. Reynolds American Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 20.6% over the past 5 years.

Reynolds American Inc. recently announced third-quarter 2009 earnings of $1.24 per share on both an adjusted and reported basis. Adjusted EPS was down 3.9 percent from the prior-year period. On a reported basis, EPS was up 72.2 percent, driven by prior-year trademark impairment and restructuring charges.

Reynolds American Inc. is in the portfolios of Richard Aster Jr of Meridian Fund and David Winters of Wintergreen Advisors.

Last week, Buy:: Director H G L Hugo Powell bought 7,600 shares of RAI stock; the price of the stock has increased by 1.3% since. Sell:: Director Thomas C Wajnert sold 2,000 shares in August and Sell:: Director Betsy S Atkins sold 2,000 in June.

L3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL): Director Robert B Millard Bought 10,000 Shares

Director of L3 Communications Holdings Inc., Robert B Millard, bought 10,000 shares on 10/29/09 at an average price of $72.29.

L3 Communications Holdings is a merchant supplier of sophisticated, secure communication systems and specialized communication products. They produce secure high data rate communication systems, microwave components, avionics and ocean systems, and telemetry instrumentation and space products. L3 Communications Holdings Inc. has a market cap of $8.43 billion; its shares were traded at around $72.29 with a P/E ratio of 9.9 and P/S ratio of 0.6. The dividend yield of L3 Communications Holdings Inc. stocks is 1.9%. L3 Communications Holdings Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 33.9% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated L3 Communications Holdings Inc. the business predictability rank of 3-star.

On October 6, L3 Communications today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.35per share, payable on December 15, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 17, 2009.

L3 Communications Holdings Inc. is in the portfolios of Richard Pzena of Pzena Investment Management LLC and David Dreman of Dreman Value Management.

Last week, Buy:: Director Robert B Millard bought 10,000 shares of LLL stock and the price decreased by 1.16%. Sell:: Director Alan H Washkowitz sold 2,000 shares in August.

SLM Corp. (SLM): Executive Vice President Joseph A Depaulo Bought 1,740 Shares

Executive Vice President of SLM Corp., Joseph A Depaulo, bought 1,740 shares on 10/26/09 at an average price of $9.7.

SLM Corporation is the one of nation's largest private sources of funding and servicing support for higher education loans for students and their parents. The company provides a wide range of financial services, processing capabilities, and information technology to meet the needs of educational institutions lenders students and guarantee agencies. SLM Corp. has a market cap of $4.54 billion; its shares were traded at around $9.7 with a P/E ratio of 15.7 and P/S ratio of 0.7. Slm Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 12.8% over the past 10 years.

On October 20, LM Corporation reported net income on a core earnings basis of $164 million ($.26 per diluted share) for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2009, compared to $170 million ($.31 per diluted share) for the prior quarter, and $117 million ($.19 per diluted share) for the year-ago quarter.

SLM Corp. is in the portfolios of eight Gurus: John Keeley, Irving Kahn, Brian Rogers, David Dreman, Michael Price, Dodge & Cox, Edward Lampert, and Charles Brandes.

Last week, Buy:: Executive Vice President Joseph A Depaulo bought 1,740 shares of SLM stock and the price of the stock decreased by 11.17%.

Pactiv Corp. (PTV): VP & Chief HR Officer Michael O Oliver Bought 2,000 Shares

VP & Chief HR Officer of Pactiv Corp., Michael O Oliver, bought 2,000 shares on 10/26/09 at an average price of $23.09.

Pactiv Corporation is one of the leading providers of advanced packaging solutions for the consumer foodservice/food packaging and protective/flexible packaging markets. The specialty packaging leader currently operates facilities in numerous countries around the world. Pactiv Corp. has a market cap of $3.05 billion; its shares were traded at around $23.09 with a P/E ratio of 9.2 and P/S ratio of 0.9. Pactiv Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 4.8% over the past 5 years.

On July 22, Pactiv Corp. reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2008. Income from continuing operations was $64 million, or $0.49 per share, compared with $69 million, or $0.52 per share, in 2007. Excluding a charge of $0.01 per share related to a restructuring program announced in January, second quarter earnings per share were $0.50. Sales rose 15 percent to $951 million from $828 million, primarily reflecting the inclusion of sales of Prairie Packaging, which was acquired in June 2007, as well as 3-percent favorable pricing.

Pactiv Corp. is in the portfolios of Steve Mandel of Lone Pine Capital and David Dreman of Dreman Value Management.

Last week, Buy:: VP & Chief HR Officer Michael O Oliver bought 2,000 shares of PTV stock; the price of the stock has decreased by 5.68% since.

For the complete list of stocks that bought by their company executives, go to: Insider Buys.