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

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.450-1.510 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 1.500. The company issued revenue guidance of $12.1 billion-$12.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.2 billion.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have commented on HRL. Stephens reissued an “equal weight” rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Hormel Foods in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Hormel Foods from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. BNP Paribas Exane increased their target price on shares of Hormel Foods from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Hormel Foods from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group set a $25.00 price target on Hormel Foods in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Hormel Foods presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $26.57.

Hormel Foods Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:HRL opened at $23.69 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.94. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $24.87 and its 200-day moving average is $23.41. The company has a market cap of $13.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.34. Hormel Foods has a 52-week low of $19.70 and a 52-week high of $29.10.

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 26th. The company reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.03 billion. Hormel Foods had a return on equity of 9.74% and a net margin of 3.82%. Equities research analysts predict that Hormel Foods will post 1.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Gary C. Bhojwani sold 20,200 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.51, for a total transaction of $495,102.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 32,002 shares in the company, valued at $784,369.02. This represents a 38.70% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.58% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Hormel Foods

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

• Positive Sentiment: Hormel raised and narrowed its fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS outlook to $1.45–$1.51, from a previous range of $1.40–$1.50. The midpoint is broadly in line with the $1.50 analyst consensus, suggesting improved confidence in underlying profitability. Hormel Foods Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Operating cash flow increased 54% year over year to $240.6 million, while Foodservice sales grew 2%, indicating resilience in some channels. Hormel Foods Reports Third-Quarter Sales and EPS
• Neutral Sentiment: Hormel appointed former Tyson Foods executive Ash Bhumbla as chief financial officer. The leadership change could support financial and operational improvements, but its near-term earnings impact is unclear. Hormel Foods Names Former Tyson Executive CFO
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter net sales fell to $2.96 billion from $3.03 billion a year earlier and missed the approximately $3.03 billion consensus estimate. Retail sales declined 4% and International sales dropped 5%, reflecting weak volume. Hormel Foods Q3 Profit Declines on Weak Volume
• Negative Sentiment: Reported net earnings plunged to $59.6 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, from $183.7 million, or $0.33, a year earlier. Results included a $56 million Brazil divestiture loss, a $48 million Indonesia investment impairment, and a $38 million litigation settlement. Hormel Foods Reports Third-Quarter Sales and EPS
• Negative Sentiment: Fiscal 2026 revenue guidance was reduced to $12.1–$12.2 billion, versus the prior $12.2–$12.5 billion range, with the midpoint slightly below consensus. GAAP EPS guidance was set at $1.06–$1.12, signaling continued pressure from restructuring and special charges. Hormel Foods Cuts Sales Outlook

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Hormel Foods

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new stake in shares of Hormel Foods in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Strive Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Hormel Foods in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC bought a new position in Hormel Foods in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in Hormel Foods by 354.7% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,314 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 1,025 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ankerstar Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Hormel Foods during the fourth quarter worth $35,000. 40.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.