Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.430-1.510 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.450. The company issued revenue guidance of $12.2 billion-$12.5 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.3 billion.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Tuesday, April 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $25.00 price target on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $23.00 price target (down from $28.00) on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Stephens set a $22.00 price target on shares of Hormel Foods and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hormel Foods currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $25.33.

Hormel Foods Stock Performance

Shares of HRL traded up $2.64 on Thursday, reaching $23.60. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 11,287,558 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,892,071. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 2.66 and a quick ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.52, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.33. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $21.39 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $22.96. Hormel Foods has a 12-month low of $19.70 and a 12-month high of $31.86.

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 27th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.05. Hormel Foods had a net margin of 4.03% and a return on equity of 9.38%. The company had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.35 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Hormel Foods will post 1.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hormel Foods Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.2925 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 13th. This represents a $1.17 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.0%. Hormel Foods’s payout ratio is currently 131.46%.

Key Stories Impacting Hormel Foods

Here are the key news stories impacting Hormel Foods this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Hormel beat second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates, reporting adjusted EPS of $0.40 versus $0.35 expected and revenue of $2.97 billion versus $2.96 billion expected, which signals execution is improving. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: The company said demand is strong for protein-rich and convenience foods, especially chicken, turkey, and other affordable protein products, which supports sales growth and margin expansion. Benzinga article
• Positive Sentiment: Hormel highlighted its sixth consecutive quarter of organic top-line growth and double-digit adjusted EPS growth, reinforcing the idea that its turnaround strategy is gaining traction. PR Newswire release
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary note that the stock had been under pressure over the past several years, so this stronger quarter is being viewed as a possible catalyst for a rebound. Motley Fool article
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the beat, one report noted Hormel’s profit was lower year over year and that full-year profit guidance was below prior expectations, which could limit upside if investors focus on margins and outlook. WSJ article

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hormel Foods

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HRL. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new position in Hormel Foods during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Strive Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Hormel Foods during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC purchased a new position in Hormel Foods during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in Hormel Foods by 354.7% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,314 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 1,025 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ankerstar Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Hormel Foods during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.99% of the company’s stock.

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation is a global branded foods company primarily engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of value-added, high-quality meat and food products. The company’s portfolio spans a range of categories including refrigerated and frozen meats, pantry staples, specialty foods and shelf-stable items. Through manufacturing facilities located across North America and international markets, Hormel Foods supplies retail grocers, foodservice operators, convenience stores and e-commerce platforms.

Among its best-known brands, Hormel Foods produces SPAM® canned meats, Jennie-O® turkey products, Skippy® peanut butter and Applegate® natural and organic meats.