Hormel Foods stock holds near yearly low as earnings weaken
Published on 09/22/2026 at 14:40 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Hormel Foods (US4404521001) opened at USD 20.51 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026, with the stock trading close to its 52-week low of USD 19.71 and well below its 52-week high of USD 26.60. The market valuation was USD 11.29 billion, while the average 12-month analyst price target stood at USD 26.14, according to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026.
Sales decline raises pressure
Hormel Foods reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of USD 2.96 billion, down 2.4 percent from the prior-year quarter. Adjusted earnings per share reached USD 0.37, exceeding the market estimate, but weaker retail and international demand weighed on the sales result, as reported by Yahoo Finance on September 21, 2026.
The same report said retail sales declined 4 percent and retail volumes fell 9 percent in the quarter. Hormel narrowed its fiscal 2026 organic sales growth outlook to 1 percent to 2 percent, while its sales forecast was reduced to USD 12.1 billion to USD 12.2 billion.
Cash flow offsets the setback
The earnings picture is not uniformly negative. Third-quarter operating cash flow reached USD 240.6 million, up 53.5 percent year over year, while adjusted operating margin expanded to 9.0 percent from 8.4 percent, according to Yahoo Finance on September 21, 2026.
Management raised fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings-per-share guidance to USD 1.45 to USD 1.51. That range is above the annualized dividend of USD 1.17, and Hormel ended the quarter with USD 827 million in cash, according to the same dated report from 247WallSt.
Stock remains below target
The contrast is clear: the USD 20.51 opening price was USD 5.63 below the USD 26.14 average analyst target, a gap of about 27.4 percent based on those quoted levels. MarketBeat reported a consensus recommendation of Hold from covering brokerages on September 22, 2026, making the target gap a valuation signal rather than a stated change in rating.
Hormel Foods stock opened at USD 20.51 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026. The shares were positioned 4.1 percent above the 52-week low of USD 19.71 and 22.9 percent below the 52-week high of USD 26.60.
Hormel Foods stock data
- Company: Hormel Foods, Inc.
- ISIN: US4404521001
- Ticker: HRL
- Trading venue: NYSE
- Price as of September 22, 2026: USD 20.51
- Market capitalization: USD 11.29 billion as of September 22, 2026
- Sector / Industry: Consumer Staples / Packaged Foods and Meats
