Greg Abel, the new CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, should consider acquiring McCormick as it pursues a transformative $45 billion acquisition of Unilever's food business. Unlike the failed Kraft Heinz merger that focused solely on cost-cutting, this deal combines two well-run industry leaders in spices, flavors, and food brands. With Berkshire's $400 billion cash position, financing McCormick's $16 billion capital need could provide significant upside.

McCormick announced a $45 billion merger with Unilever's food division to diversify away from its struggling spice business, which faces intense private-label competition. The combined company will reduce spice exposure from 30% to 15% of sales and add brands like Hellmann's and Knorr. While the strategic rationale is sound, execution risks including a complex Reverse Morris Trust structure, significant debt increase, and a mid-2027 closing timeline create investor uncertainty.

While Costco is a well-run company with a strong business model, its high valuation and low dividend yield (0.6%) make it unattractive for dividend-focused value investors. McCormick, currently out of favor due to earnings pressures from inflation, offers a more compelling opportunity with a 3.6% yield and historically attractive valuations, despite upcoming risks from its acquisition of Unilever's food business.

McCormick & Company's stock is down 50% from record highs ahead of a proposed merger with Unilever's food business. While the deal could triple the business and generate significant shareholder value, investors are concerned about post-close leverage rising to 4.0x EBITDA. However, management is committed to reducing debt below 3x within two years. Trading at roughly 8x current year earnings versus historical mid-20x valuations, McCormick presents deep value with strong Q2 results, a reliable 4% dividend yield, and upcoming merger catalysts.

The article identifies seven U.S. dividend stocks offering yields between 4.1% and 5.9% with 19-56 years of continuous dividend payments and valuations undervalued by 21.9% to 70.7%. It emphasizes that successful dividend investing requires evaluating payout ratios, dividend consistency, growth history, financial fundamentals, and valuation metrics rather than relying solely on yield. Two highlighted examples are Sonoco Products (50 consecutive years of dividend increases, 4.3% yield, 10x forward P/E) and McCormick & Company (102 consecutive years of dividend payments, 9.1% average annual payout growth).

The global onion powder market is valued at USD 1.34 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 2.61 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 6.2%. Growth is driven by increasing demand for convenient, shelf-stable ingredients in food processing, rising popularity of natural flavor additives, and expansion in ready-to-eat meals. North America currently dominates the market, while Asia Pacific shows the fastest growth due to high onion production and increasing urbanization.

The article recommends two consumer staples companies as long-term dividend investments: McCormick, a spice maker with 100+ years of dividend payments, currently trading at historically low valuations ahead of a transformative merger with Unilever's foods division; and Clorox, which has grown dividends for 48 consecutive years and is experiencing temporary operational challenges from an ERP system transition, creating an attractive entry point with a 5.5% yield.

Goldman Sachs President John Waldron stated that 2026 M&A activity is on track to approach or exceed 2021 record levels, driven primarily by corporate-led dealmaking. Q1 2026 saw $861.1 billion in M&A volumes, a 9.7% increase over Q1 2025. The bank remains optimistic about IPO prospects and continues to benefit from strong advisory backlogs.

Investor rights law firm Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating four major companies for potential securities law violations and breaches of fiduciary duties. The investigations concern McCormick & Company's merger with Unilever's Foods business, Leggett & Platt's sale to Somnigroup International, Organon & Co.'s sale to Sun Pharmaceutical, and Kennedy-Wilson Holdings' sale to a consortium led by its CEO. The firm is seeking increased consideration and additional disclosures on behalf of shareholders.

Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating four companies for potential securities law violations and breaches of fiduciary duties related to proposed mergers and acquisitions. The firm is examining whether McCormick & Company's merger with Unilever's Foods business, Odyssey Marine Exploration's merger with American Ocean Minerals Corporation, Soleno Therapeutics' sale to Neurocrine Biosciences, and Forian Inc.'s sale to a consortium led by its CEO are providing fair consideration to shareholders. The firm suggests insiders may receive substantial benefits unavailable to ordinary shareholders and seeks increased consideration and additional disclosures on behalf of investors.

McCormick & Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.48 per share, payable April 27, 2026, marking the 102nd consecutive year of dividend payments. The global flavor company, with approximately $7 billion in annual sales across 150 countries, manufactures and distributes herbs, spices, seasonings, and flavors through its Consumer and Flavor Solutions segments.

A major M&A week sees Sysco acquiring Restaurant Depot for $26 billion and McCormick merging with Unilever's food division for $44 billion, while Eli Lilly acquires Centessa Pharmaceuticals for $7.8 billion. The podcast discusses the track record of consumer brand mergers (mostly unsuccessful) and analyzes Whirlpool as a dividend investment amid housing market headwinds.