What happened
Dole plc (NYSE: DOLE) cut its full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA target to $380 million to $390 million, from about $400 million. Executive Chairman Carl McCann said higher costs lowered expectations for the rest of the year.
The cut came with a stronger quarter. Third-quarter net income rose $34.5 million to $48.3 million, helped by a gain on the Ecuador port sale. Revenue grew 3.8% to $2.4 billion.
Adjusted EBITDA rose 4.1% to $84.1 million. Net leverage fell to 1.3x after the port sale closed. Dole also completed the Greenfood Fresh Produce acquisition on July 2 and bought back $10.0 million of shares in the quarter.
Key numbers
| Metric | Latest | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 revenue | $2.4 billion | from $2.28 billion, +3.8% | SEC EDGAR 8-K Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1 |
| Q3 net income | $48.3 million | from $13.8 million, +$34.5 million | SEC EDGAR 8-K Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1 |
| Q3 Adjusted EBITDA | $84.1 million | from $80.8 million, +4.1% | SEC EDGAR 8-K Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1 |
| Q3 diluted EPS | $0.41 | from $0.05, +720.0% | SEC EDGAR 8-K Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1 |
| Q3 net margin attributable to Dole plc | 1.6% | from 0.2%, +1.4 percentage points | Calculated from SEC 8-K |
| 2026 Adjusted EBITDA target | $380 million to $390 million | SEC EDGAR 8-K Item 2.02, Exhibit 99.1 |
Read more: Dole (DOLE) company research
Why it matters
The profit jump comes from a one-time item. Operating income included a $48.6 million gain on the port sale, and Dole booked a $22.2 million tax charge on the same deal. Adjusted diluted EPS was flat at $0.16.
OptimistFi's calculation puts net income attributable to Dole plc at 1.6% of revenue, up from 0.2% a year earlier. That is a gain of about 1.4 percentage points, because profit grew faster than revenue. The margin includes the port-sale gain.
OptimistFi has argued that Dole's stock works only if it can pass cost and crop swings on to customers. This quarter splits. Fuel surcharges in North America protect Fresh Fruit. But higher shipping fuel costs in Europe are expected to cost about $16 million against original 2026 expectations.
Fresh Fruit revenue fell 8.0%, partly on tariff-related impacts. El Niño weather also continues to affect fruit availability. The quarter leaves the case mixed.
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What's next
The next test is fourth-quarter 2026 results. Dole still expects the quarter to improve on last year, though by less than it said at its second-quarter results. A full-year result inside the new range would hold the lower target. A miss would point to deeper cost pressure.
Separately, a third-quarter dividend of $0.085 per share is payable Jan. 6, 2027 to shareholders of record on Dec. 16.
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Sources
- Dole plc Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K, Item 2.02) — Earnings release dated Nov. 9, 2026 covering the three and nine months ended Sept. 30, 2026.
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Originally published on OptimistFi, evidence-first equity research. More at optimistfi.com.
