Procter & Gamble Co. in 3 Charts

One of the main benefits of selling consumer staples is that your business tends to improve even during market downturns. That simple fact helps explain why Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), the company behind Pampers diapers, Bounty paper towels, and Tide laundry detergent, has one of the longest-running dividend growth streaks on the stock market.

But P&G has been a disappointment to many investors lately. Its stock has underperformed the broader market by a wide margin over the past five years, which led to a proxy challenge that nearly put an activist investor on the board of directors.

Let's look at the key operating trends that left P&G's management open to that challenge.

Source: Fool.com