Hormel Foods: A Potential Millionaire Maker at Low Valuation
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 12 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Sustained Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved its fifth consecutive quarter of organic net sales growth in Q1 fiscal 2026, with foodservice and international markets delivering high single-digit growth, indicating a recovery in specific channels, particularly with Spam's branded export growth in China and globally.
- Strategic Divestitures: In February 2026, Hormel sold its whole-bird turkey business, focusing on branded value-added products, which reduces exposure to volatile commodity protein segments, enhances pricing power, and mitigates competition from private labels.
- Stable Dividend Growth: Hormel has raised its dividend for 60 consecutive years, earning the title of
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Analyst Views on HRL
Wall Street analysts forecast HRL stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 23.590
Low
26.00
Averages
27.40
High
30.00
Current: 23.590
Low
26.00
Averages
27.40
High
30.00
About HRL
Hormel Foods Corporation is a global-branded food company. The Company develops, processes, and distributes a range of food products in a variety of markets. Its segments include Retail, Foodservice, and International. The Retail segment is primarily engaged in the processing, marketing, and sale of food products sold predominantly in the retail market. This segment also includes the Company’s MegaMex Foods, LLC joint venture. The Foodservice segment consists primarily of the processing, marketing, and sale of food products to foodservice, convenience store, and commercial customers located in the United States. The International segment processes, markets, and sells its products internationally. This segment also includes the results from the Company’s international joint ventures, international equity method investments, and international royalty arrangements. It has a global presence within several major international markets, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, and England.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Hormel Foods Reports 3% Organic Sales Growth in Q2
- Sustained Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% organic sales growth in Q2, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of sales increases, which demonstrates the company's resilience despite an uncertain overall market environment.
- Profitability Improvement: Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose by 14%, reflecting the company's ability to expand margins effectively even in the face of soaring fuel and logistics costs, thereby enhancing investor confidence in its long-term growth potential.
- Dividend Health Monitoring: Despite increasing dividends for 59 consecutive years, Hormel's net income over the past year was $489 million, while dividends paid exceeded $638 million, indicating potential pressure on future dividend payments, necessitating close monitoring of the company's free cash flow situation.
- Attractive Valuation for Investors: With a current price-to-earnings ratio of 11 times and a forward P/E of 16 times, Hormel remains a solid investment choice for conservative investors at its reasonable valuation, particularly considering its 5.6% dividend yield.
See More
US Stocks Close Higher, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 rose by 0.58% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.84%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting market optimism following the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, which may promote economic stability.
- Economic Data Impact: The US April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations, but the unexpected 1.1% decline in April capital goods orders indicates economic recovery fragility, potentially influencing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
- Rising Unemployment Claims: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000, exceeding expectations, reflecting weakness in the labor market, which may heighten investor concerns about the economic outlook.
- Earnings Season Insights: As of Thursday, 83% of the 482 S&P 500 companies reported earnings above estimates, with Q1 earnings projected to grow by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating corporate resilience despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
Hormel Foods Reports Six Consecutive Quarters of Growth
- Organic Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% increase in organic net sales, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of growth, which demonstrates strong market performance and is expected to further drive sales targets for fiscal 2026.
- Gross Margin Expansion: The company's gross margin expanded to 17.4%, up 70 basis points from last year, contributing to a 14% increase in adjusted earnings per share to $0.40, reflecting improvements in cost control and manufacturing efficiency.
- Strong Segment Performance: All three business segments—food service, international, and retail—reported growth, with international segment profit increasing by 20% and food service by 11%, showcasing the company's competitive strength in diversified markets.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Hormel Foods reaffirmed its full-year net sales guidance of $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion and adjusted EPS guidance of $1.43 to $1.51, maintaining confidence in future growth despite facing short-term pressures such as rising logistics costs.
See More
Hormel Foods Exceeds Expectations in Q2 Earnings Call
- Sustained Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% organic net sales growth in Q2, with Foodservice segment growing 7% and International up 5%, demonstrating strong performance across diversified markets despite consumer pressures.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted earnings per share reached $0.40, a 14% increase year-over-year, while gross margin expanded to 17.4%, driven by enhanced manufacturing efficiency and solid results from joint ventures, bolstering the company's profitability in a competitive food industry.
- Strategic Transaction Completed: The company finalized the divestiture of its whole-bird turkey business, which recorded a loss in SG&A, but is expected to impact fiscal 2026 net sales by approximately $50 million, reflecting Hormel's commitment to optimizing its product portfolio.
- Cautious Outlook: Hormel reaffirmed its full-year net sales expectations of $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion and adjusted earnings per share guidance of $1.43 to $1.51, while acknowledging near-term cost pressures in Q3, yet management remains confident in bottom-line growth for the second half.
See More
Hormel Foods Reports Strong Q2 Earnings, Shares Surge
- Earnings Beat Expectations: Hormel Foods reported a 3% organic sales growth and a 14% increase in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q2, which, while not significantly boosting stock prices, demonstrates the company's resilience in an uncertain consumer environment.
- Sustained Growth Momentum: This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of organic sales growth for Hormel, with its foodservice unit achieving its 11th straight quarter of growth, indicating the company's competitive strength and stability in the market.
- Margin Expansion: Despite soaring fuel and logistics costs, Hormel managed to expand its margins in Q2, reflecting successful cost control and operational efficiency amidst challenging conditions.
- Dividend Payment Pressure: Although Hormel has increased its dividends for 59 consecutive years, it reported a net income of $489 million and free cash flow of $578 million over the past year, while dividend payouts exceeded $638 million, suggesting potential pressure on future dividend payments.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.44% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.62%, indicating a recovery after early losses, reflecting cautious optimism among investors regarding the economic outlook.
- Economic Data Impact: The April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations and indicating persistent inflationary pressures, while April new home sales fell by 6.2% to 622,000, highlighting weakness in the housing market.
- Fed Policy Expectations: Concerns from Fed officials about inflation are intensifying, potentially leading to future rate hikes, with the market pricing in only a 3% chance of a rate cut at the June FOMC meeting, reflecting investor caution regarding monetary policy.
- Corporate Earnings Performance: So far, 83% of the 479 S&P 500 companies have exceeded earnings expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating resilience in corporate profitability despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
Hormel Foods Reports 3% Organic Sales Growth in Q2
- Sustained Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% organic sales growth in Q2, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of sales increases, which demonstrates the company's resilience despite an uncertain overall market environment.
- Profitability Improvement: Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose by 14%, reflecting the company's ability to expand margins effectively even in the face of soaring fuel and logistics costs, thereby enhancing investor confidence in its long-term growth potential.
- Dividend Health Monitoring: Despite increasing dividends for 59 consecutive years, Hormel's net income over the past year was $489 million, while dividends paid exceeded $638 million, indicating potential pressure on future dividend payments, necessitating close monitoring of the company's free cash flow situation.
- Attractive Valuation for Investors: With a current price-to-earnings ratio of 11 times and a forward P/E of 16 times, Hormel remains a solid investment choice for conservative investors at its reasonable valuation, particularly considering its 5.6% dividend yield.
See More
US Stocks Close Higher, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 rose by 0.58% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.84%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting market optimism following the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, which may promote economic stability.
- Economic Data Impact: The US April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations, but the unexpected 1.1% decline in April capital goods orders indicates economic recovery fragility, potentially influencing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
- Rising Unemployment Claims: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000, exceeding expectations, reflecting weakness in the labor market, which may heighten investor concerns about the economic outlook.
- Earnings Season Insights: As of Thursday, 83% of the 482 S&P 500 companies reported earnings above estimates, with Q1 earnings projected to grow by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating corporate resilience despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
Hormel Foods Reports Six Consecutive Quarters of Growth
- Organic Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% increase in organic net sales, marking its sixth consecutive quarter of growth, which demonstrates strong market performance and is expected to further drive sales targets for fiscal 2026.
- Gross Margin Expansion: The company's gross margin expanded to 17.4%, up 70 basis points from last year, contributing to a 14% increase in adjusted earnings per share to $0.40, reflecting improvements in cost control and manufacturing efficiency.
- Strong Segment Performance: All three business segments—food service, international, and retail—reported growth, with international segment profit increasing by 20% and food service by 11%, showcasing the company's competitive strength in diversified markets.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Hormel Foods reaffirmed its full-year net sales guidance of $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion and adjusted EPS guidance of $1.43 to $1.51, maintaining confidence in future growth despite facing short-term pressures such as rising logistics costs.
See More
Hormel Foods Exceeds Expectations in Q2 Earnings Call
- Sustained Sales Growth: Hormel Foods achieved a 3% organic net sales growth in Q2, with Foodservice segment growing 7% and International up 5%, demonstrating strong performance across diversified markets despite consumer pressures.
- Improved Profitability: Adjusted earnings per share reached $0.40, a 14% increase year-over-year, while gross margin expanded to 17.4%, driven by enhanced manufacturing efficiency and solid results from joint ventures, bolstering the company's profitability in a competitive food industry.
- Strategic Transaction Completed: The company finalized the divestiture of its whole-bird turkey business, which recorded a loss in SG&A, but is expected to impact fiscal 2026 net sales by approximately $50 million, reflecting Hormel's commitment to optimizing its product portfolio.
- Cautious Outlook: Hormel reaffirmed its full-year net sales expectations of $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion and adjusted earnings per share guidance of $1.43 to $1.51, while acknowledging near-term cost pressures in Q3, yet management remains confident in bottom-line growth for the second half.
See More
Hormel Foods Reports Strong Q2 Earnings, Shares Surge
- Earnings Beat Expectations: Hormel Foods reported a 3% organic sales growth and a 14% increase in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q2, which, while not significantly boosting stock prices, demonstrates the company's resilience in an uncertain consumer environment.
- Sustained Growth Momentum: This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of organic sales growth for Hormel, with its foodservice unit achieving its 11th straight quarter of growth, indicating the company's competitive strength and stability in the market.
- Margin Expansion: Despite soaring fuel and logistics costs, Hormel managed to expand its margins in Q2, reflecting successful cost control and operational efficiency amidst challenging conditions.
- Dividend Payment Pressure: Although Hormel has increased its dividends for 59 consecutive years, it reported a net income of $489 million and free cash flow of $578 million over the past year, while dividend payouts exceeded $638 million, suggesting potential pressure on future dividend payments.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.44% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.62%, indicating a recovery after early losses, reflecting cautious optimism among investors regarding the economic outlook.
- Economic Data Impact: The April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations and indicating persistent inflationary pressures, while April new home sales fell by 6.2% to 622,000, highlighting weakness in the housing market.
- Fed Policy Expectations: Concerns from Fed officials about inflation are intensifying, potentially leading to future rate hikes, with the market pricing in only a 3% chance of a rate cut at the June FOMC meeting, reflecting investor caution regarding monetary policy.
- Corporate Earnings Performance: So far, 83% of the 479 S&P 500 companies have exceeded earnings expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating resilience in corporate profitability despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
