Earnings

The company reported net income of $158 million, or 27 cents per share, down from $210.84 million, or 36 cents per share, last year. Adjusted earnings were 41 cents per share – matching analysts’ estimate of 41 cents per share.

Revenue
Sales increased 7.6% to $12.1 billion from $11.24 billion last year. Analysts expected to see revenue of $11.93 billion.

Sysco could be a target name for a conservative investors seeking a defensive stock with an attractive yield over 3%. From a valuation standpoint, the stock is trading at 20x 2015 earnings estimates, which is a bit toward the high end of its range. Investors should also take the company’s pending merger with US Foods into consideration, as SYY will need time to integrate such a large acquisition.

Investors interested in SYY may also consider a mutual fund as an alternative to owning the individual stock. The funds below currently hold the largest stakes in SYY.

The funds listed above allow investors to gain exposure to Sysco while remaining diversified. Investors interested in SYY may also be interested in United Natural Foods (UNFI).