Stephens Reiterates Equal Weight Rating for Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI)

Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI)‘s stock had its “equal weight” rating reiterated by Stephens in a research report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $190.00 price objective on the stock. Stephens’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 22.18% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on MZTI. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Marzetti in a report on Friday, January 9th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Marzetti from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. Finally, DA Davidson raised their price objective on Marzetti from $179.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $188.00.

Marzetti Stock Down 3.1%

Shares of Marzetti stock opened at $155.51 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $166.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $171.07. The stock has a market cap of $4.28 billion, a PE ratio of 23.81 and a beta of 0.39. Marzetti has a 12 month low of $152.95 and a 12 month high of $198.39.

Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.23 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $509.77 million for the quarter. Marzetti had a return on equity of 18.55% and a net margin of 9.25%.The company’s revenue was up 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Marzetti will post 6.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Marzetti

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. M&T Bank Corp acquired a new position in shares of Marzetti during the fourth quarter worth about $1,118,569,000. Vanguard Group Inc. bought a new stake in Marzetti in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $367,969,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Marzetti by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 873,357 shares of the company’s stock valued at $150,890,000 after acquiring an additional 153,052 shares in the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp boosted its position in Marzetti by 14.7% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 344,605 shares of the company’s stock worth $59,537,000 after acquiring an additional 44,279 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Marzetti during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,196,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.44% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Marzetti

Here are the key news stories impacting Marzetti this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Marzetti announced a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan’s (premium sauces) in a ~$400M deal — management says this will expand the company’s premium sauces footprint and product portfolio, which investors may view as a growth and margin-enhancing move. Marzetti to Acquire Bachan’s in $400 Million Deal
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported record Q2 gross profit and highlighted strategic product expansion and higher-margin initiatives tied to the Bachan’s deal — a constructive sign for medium-term margin recovery. Q2 Highlights: Record Gross Profit and Strategic Plans
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call presentation and full Q2 earnings transcripts are available for detail on volume pressures, pricing, and cost trends — useful for investors wanting granular guidance and management commentary. Q2 Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating with a $184 price target (implies upside from current levels), signaling analysts see potential but expect modest near-term returns. DA Davidson Reaffirms Neutral
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 EPS of $2.15 missed consensus ($2.23) and revenue showed only modest year-over-year growth; that earnings miss is a near-term negative catalyst. Q2 Earnings Summary & Key Takeaways
• Negative Sentiment: Stephens lowered its price target from $190 to $180 while keeping an “equal weight” rating, reducing upside expectations and adding pressure to the stock. Stephens Lowers Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary highlights the sharp intraday decline and investor concern about volume and near-term demand softness — sentiment pieces detail the “bitter plunge” reaction. The Marzetti Company’s Bitter Plunge

Marzetti Company Profile

Lancaster Colony Corporation engages in the manufacturing and marketing of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice channels in the United States. It operates in two segments, Retail and Foodservice. The company offers frozen garlic bread under the New York BRAND Bakery; frozen Parkerhouse style yeast and dinner rolls under the Sister Schubert's brand; salad dressings under the Marzetti, Simply Dressed, Cardini's, and Girard's brands; vegetable and fruit dips under the Marzetti brand; croutons and salad toppings under the New York BRAND Bakery, Chatham Village, and Marzetti brands; and frozen pasta under the Marzetti Frozen Pasta brand.