Dean Foods (DF), No. 1 in dairy products formerly known as Suiza Foods, has grabbed the attention of Wall Street almost overnight, driving up its stock to more than $17 a share on Aug. 8, 2012, from over $11 a week before. It closed on Aug. 21, at $16.04.
The Dallas-based company seeks, through an initial public offering, to unlock the value of one of its major divisions that makes the big-seller Silk Almond soymilk and other equally popular organic plant-based beverages.
Many investors seeking to lock in the value what the IPO could deliver have snapped up shares of Dean Foods, and for good reason. The plan to take public its WhiteWave-Alpro Foods unit by the end of this year would eventually result in Dean Foods’ shareholders owning a majority interest in the new company. Dean Foods is one of the major U.S. food and beverage companies, with its WhiteWave division the leading maker of soymilk and organic milk.
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