iShares US Consumer Goods

Ralph Lauren has a $1.7 billion capex. Its capex-to-sales ratio of 5.1% (as of March 28, 2015) is among the highest in its fashion and apparel peer group.

Ralph Lauren’s long-term strategies include expanding global presence, extending direct-to-consumer reach, and expanding apparel and accessory portfolio.

Ralph Lauren’s (RL) advertising programs are created and executed through the company’s in-house creative and advertising organization.

On April 18, PepsiCo is scheduled to announce its results for fiscal 1Q16. PepsiCo’s revenue has declined in each of the past five consecutive quarters.

Ferrari is expected to witness high growth in earnings with relatively lower leverage than the industry average. This could be a reason why Ferrari has a high forward price-to-earnings multiple.

Hershey had a total debt of $2.4 billion on its balance sheet in 2014. It had a total debt-to-equity ratio of 195% during the same period.

Hershey’s international segment contributes only ~30% of total revenues. Its goal is to increase international revenues to ~50% of total revenues by 2018.

Along with advertising, Hershey is focusing on cross-merchandising complimentary products like beverages and snacks, which should help expand consumption.

In 2010, Hershey announced Project Next Century, which aims to streamline its global supply chain operations and create a more competitive cost structure.

Hershey applies a micro-marketing concept to its businesses, which means that it markets certain products to small target audiences.

Hershey is a leading player in the confectionery industry, which grew globally at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2009–2014, reaching $198.4 billion in 2014.

On August 12, 2015, Dr Pepper Snapple announced that it purchased an 11.7% stake in BA Sports Nutrition, the company that owns BodyArmor.