Nestle SA to return US$20b to investors

Mark Schneider said Nestle will focus its portfolio on faster-growing brands of sparkling and flavored waters like Perrier and S. Pellegrino.

ZURICH: Nestle SA plans to return as much as $20 billion to shareholders by 2022 and indicated an appetite for acquisitions to help Chief Executive Officer Mark Schneider sustain faster growth and better profit margins.

Flush with cash after the $10 billion sale of a dermatology unit earlier this month, the Swiss food giant said Thursday that it will start a new share buyback program in January and may complement it with special dividends over the next three years. It’s also reorganizing its bottled-water business after a sales decline.