LONDON -- Some investors prioritize capital growth through a rising share price; some prioritize income growth from a rising dividend. But some shares -- growth-and-income shares -- offer investors a bit of both.
Unilever (ULVR 0.27%) (UL -0.07%), J Sainsbury (SBRY 0.31%) (JSAI.Y -1.92%), and Standard Chartered (STAN 1.44%) are three companies from the U.K.'s elite FTSE 100 index that have grown both their earnings and dividends faster than inflation and are forecast to continue doing so.
Unilever
The global consumer goods giant owns powerful brands in food, drinks, cleaning, and personal care. The 2009 appointment of an outside chief executive for the first time in the company's history seems to be paying off. Paul Polman -- a Procter & Gamble and Nestle veteran -- has impressed in driving Unilever's sales and earnings upwards at a good clip over the last three years.
Unilever delivered earnings-per-share (EPS) growth of 10% for 2012 and increased its dividend by an ahead-of-inflation 4.4%. Analysts are expecting a similar growth performance for 2013, and the dividend to be covered 1.7 times by earnings.
At a recent share price of 2,792 pence, Unilever is trading on 19.5 times forecast earnings with a prospective yield of 3.2%. That's a pretty rich rating relative to the market, but there does seem to be above-average momentum in Unilever's business, notably from emerging markets, where the company has a stronger presence than its rivals.
J Sainsbury
Sainsbury is another company with good momentum in its business. The supermarket has prospered compared with its faltering FTSE 100 rivals Tesco and William Morrison over the last year or so.
In a competitive environment, Sainsbury delivered EPS growth of 6% for the year ended March 2012. Analysts expect the same when the company announces its results for the year to March 2013 -- and the same again the following year. The dividend is expected to grow a little slower -- at around 4% a year -- with cover edging up from 1.7 to 1.8.
At a recent share price of 385 pence, Sainsbury is trading on 12.3 times forward earnings with a prospective income of 4.7% -- both at value levels relative to the Footsie average.
Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered's geographical positioning is unlike any of its U.K. banking rivals: The company earns 90% of its profits from the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions. This exposure to higher-growth economies has enabled the bank to deliver 10 successive years of record profits.
Standard Chartered provided its shareholders with double-digit EPS and dividend growth for 2012, and analysts expect more of the same for 2013. The forward numbers suggest the dividend will be covered a healthy 2.6 times by earnings.
At a recent share price of 1,630 pence, Standard Chartered is trading on more than 10 times forecast 2013 earnings and offers a prospective yield of 3.6%. As with Sainsbury, Standard Chartered's earnings rating and yield are both at value levels. For the supermarket, the value is tilted more toward yield. For the bank, it is more toward earnings.
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