Dole (NYSE:DOLE) Releases Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.03 EPS

Dole (NYSE:DOLE) issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.03), Briefing.com reports. The company had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.23 billion. Dole had a net margin of 0.56% and a return on equity of 7.81%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.35 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Dole’s conference call:

• Solid Q1 performance with revenue up 12% year‑over‑year and adjusted EBITDA of $100M in line with expectations, driven by strong consumer demand and favorable FX.
• Management reiterates a full‑year target of at least $400M adjusted EBITDA, expecting Q3–Q4 to benefit from bunker surcharge lags, dynamic pricing in diversified divisions, and contract price adjustments.
• Fresh Fruit profitability was pressured by elevated fruit sourcing costs, the appreciating Costa Rican colón and higher input/fuel costs (expected to peak in Q2), causing a year‑over‑year decline in adjusted EBITDA for the segment.
• Diversified Americas outperformed with adjusted EBITDA up 29%, helped by a strong Chilean cherry season, higher export volumes and synergies from the Oppy/DDNA integration.
• Capital allocation plans include routine CapEx of ~$100M, opportunistic share buybacks, a planned ~$100M automation/development investment targeting ~12–15% returns, and expected ~$75M net proceeds from the sale of the Guayaquil port.

Dole Price Performance

DOLE opened at $15.19 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $14.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $14.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 1.17. Dole has a 52 week low of $12.52 and a 52 week high of $16.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.45 billion, a PE ratio of 28.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.67.

Dole Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, June 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.085 per share. This represents a $0.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, June 17th. Dole’s payout ratio is currently 64.15%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $15.00 price target (down from $18.00) on shares of Dole in a report on Monday, March 30th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Dole from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Dole from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, March 7th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $15.50.

Institutional Trading of Dole

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Dole by 120.8% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,835 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 1,004 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dole by 269.0% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 3,716 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,000 after buying an additional 2,709 shares during the period. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Dole in the 4th quarter valued at $58,000. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of Dole by 22.8% in the 4th quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 5,087 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 943 shares during the period. Finally, Boothbay Fund Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dole in the 3rd quarter valued at $175,000.

Dole Company Profile

Dole plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company’s product range includes bananas, pineapples, berries, grapes, salads and a variety of other fresh and packaged produce, sold under the Dole brand and through private-label arrangements. Dole’s operations span the full fresh-produce value chain, from farming and sourcing to packing, ripening, cold‑chain logistics and wholesale and retail distribution, supporting both retail grocery and foodservice customers.

The company traces its commercial heritage to the early 20th century Hawaiian pineapple business founded by James Dole and has evolved through subsequent corporate restructurings and combinations.