Stephens Increases Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) Price Target to $27.00

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) had its price target hoisted by equities research analysts at Stephens from $25.00 to $27.00 in a research note issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Stephens’ target price would suggest a potential upside of 5.30% from the stock’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on HRL. Zacks Research raised shares of Hormel Foods from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Hormel Foods from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Bank of America increased their price objective on Hormel Foods from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Barclays set a $30.00 target price on shares of Hormel Foods and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Hormel Foods from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Hormel Foods presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $27.71.

Hormel Foods Stock Up 3.3%

Shares of NYSE:HRL opened at $25.64 on Friday. Hormel Foods has a 12 month low of $21.03 and a 12 month high of $32.07. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $24.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.31. The company has a market cap of $14.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.81, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.33.

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. Hormel Foods had a net margin of 4.03% and a return on equity of 9.36%. The business had revenue of $3.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.07 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.35 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Hormel Foods has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.430-1.510 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Hormel Foods will post 1.65 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its holdings in Hormel Foods by 130.0% in the 3rd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 91,706 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,269,000 after purchasing an additional 51,827 shares during the last quarter. Machina Capital S.A.S. purchased a new position in shares of Hormel Foods during the second quarter worth $820,000. ProShare Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Hormel Foods by 11.2% in the third quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 5,769,398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $142,735,000 after buying an additional 581,006 shares in the last quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC grew its stake in shares of Hormel Foods by 107.5% in the third quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC now owns 456,666 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,298,000 after buying an additional 236,637 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Hormel Foods by 67.4% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 296,782 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,978,000 after buying an additional 119,460 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 40.99% of the company’s stock.

Hormel Foods News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat on the bottom line — adjusted EPS $0.34 topped the $0.32 consensus while total sales rose ~1.3% year-over-year, supporting the view that profitability actions are working. Hormel Foods Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded HRL to a Rank #2 (Buy), citing improved earnings prospects — that upgrade is a clear positive near-term catalyst. Hormel (HRL) Upgraded to Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens raised its price target to $27 (from $25) while keeping an Equal Weight rating — the higher target provides incremental analyst support. Stephens raises price target
• Positive Sentiment: Company communications and press coverage suggest the multi-pronged turnaround (portfolio reshaping, margin actions) is gaining traction, which helps investor sentiment. HORMEL FOODS REPORTS FIRST-QUARTER FISCAL 2026 RESULTS
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 EPS guidance was set to $1.43–$1.51 (consensus ~ $1.46) — guidance narrows expectations but is roughly in line with Street estimates, so it’s not a clear tailwind or headwind. Hormel (HRL) Reports Q1 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
• Neutral Sentiment: Performance was mixed by channel — strong Foodservice and International sales offset significant retail weakness, making the top‑line outlook uneven. Hormel Mixed Q1: Retail Weakness Weigh On Strong Foodservice, International Sales
• Negative Sentiment: Retail demand softness drove a quarterly sales miss versus estimates and declining volumes, a durable risk if consumer downtrading continues. Hormel misses quarterly sales estimates on weak retail demand
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts/commentary note weaker relative total returns over recent years and question the valuation and long-term growth profile despite dividend‑king status — a caution for value-focused investors. Hormel: Hope Feels Canned Like The Ham

Hormel Foods Company Profile

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.