Hormel Foods Corp's stock rose 4.15% and reached a 20-day high amid broader market declines, with the Nasdaq-100 down 1.26% and the S&P 500 down 0.66%.
The company announced the retirements of two long-tenured executives, Mark Morey and Paul Peil, who have significantly contributed to the company's growth and operational efficiency. Their departures are expected to have a profound impact on Hormel's strategy for fresh meat products, as the company aims to maintain its competitiveness in the global food industry.
The retirements signal a leadership transition that may influence Hormel's future direction and market positioning. Investors will be closely monitoring how the company adapts to these changes and continues to innovate in a competitive landscape.
Wall Street analysts forecast HRL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for HRL is 27.40 USD with a low forecast of 26.00 USD and a high forecast of 30.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast HRL stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for HRL is 27.40 USD with a low forecast of 26.00 USD and a high forecast of 30.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 24.600
Low
26.00
Averages
27.40
High
30.00
Current: 24.600
Low
26.00
Averages
27.40
High
30.00
Barclays
Overweight
to
NULL
downgrade
$31 -> $30
2025-12-09
Reason
Barclays
Price Target
$31 -> $30
AI Analysis
2025-12-09
downgrade
Overweight
to
NULL
Reason
Barclays lowered the firm's price target on Hormel Foods to $30 from $31 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares as part of a 2026 outlook for the Americas agribusiness group. The firm expects agriculture markets to see mixed results in 2026. It favors seed over crude protein and is neutral to positive on fertilizer. Within grain traders, Barclays says biofuel policy will determine the direction, while in protein, 2026 is likely a continuation of 2025.
Piper Sandler
Michael Lavery
Neutral
maintain
$25 -> $26
2025-12-05
Reason
Piper Sandler
Michael Lavery
Price Target
$25 -> $26
2025-12-05
maintain
Neutral
Reason
Piper Sandler analyst Michael Lavery raised the firm's price target on Hormel Foods to $26 from $25 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm notes the company had a pre-announcement indicating much of the Q4 cost and margin headwinds, removing surprises on its quarterly results. Its 2026 guidance was still news, and it appears to have hit a good balance between achievability and targeting growth in-line with its long-term algorithm, Piper adds.
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JPMorgan
Thomas Palmer
Overweight
maintain
$27 -> $28
2025-12-04
Reason
JPMorgan
Thomas Palmer
Price Target
$27 -> $28
2025-12-04
maintain
Overweight
Reason
JPMorgan analyst Thomas Palmer raised the firm's price target on Hormel Foods to $28 from $27 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The shares were up 3% during the session following Q4 earnings and a better-than-expected FY26 earnings outlook, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm added that there is admittedly heightened execution risk, though it seems like the company's earnings could be finally approaching an upward inflection point.
BofA
Neutral
maintain
$25 -> $26
2025-12-04
Reason
BofA
Price Target
$25 -> $26
2025-12-04
maintain
Neutral
Reason
BofA raised the firm's price target on Hormel Foods to $26 from $25 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares following the company's quarterly report. The firm views recent portfolio reshaping initiatives as constructive and supportive of future profitability. Given intentions for portfolio reshape to be a continued effort, the firm is watching for further streaming efforts from here.
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.
