How Will ConAgra Recover From Failed Ralcorp Deal?

Wall Street analysts believe it’s time for ConAgra’s board of directors to take a closer look at the struggling company, a year and a half after the soured $6.7 billion acquisition of Ralcorp Holdings. The purchase greatly increased its debt, and turned ConAgra from a branded foods marketer to a hybrid with increased revenue from private-label foods sold under supermarket names. Earnings performance has been so dismal since the deal that CEO Gary Rodkin has decided to step down. Rumored options on the table include breaking up the $14 billion company and selling it piecemeal, or simply divesting Ralcorp and getting back to ConAgra’s core business.