Hormel Foods faces a challenging outlook as structural margin compression, with gross margins falling to 15.9% in the latest quarter, appears to be eroding profitability faster than pricing actions can offset input costs.
Price trend, volume and key moving averages
Start with the evidence for owning the stock and the risks that can break the thesis.
Revenue growth has stalled, declining 2.4% year-over-year in the latest quarter, while gross margin compression to 15.9% has driven a 66.7% year-over-year decline in diluted EPS.
Hormel Foods Corporation is viewed positively due to its resilient brand portfolio and market leadership in the food industry.
HRL's trailing and forward P/E ratios of 18.00 and 15.90 respectively indicate an attractive valuation for investors.
The Hormel Foundation holds a significant 46.62% stake, indicating strong institutional confidence in the company.
Trailing total returns as of 11/8/2026, which may include dividends or other distributions. Benchmark is S&P 500 (^GSPC).
Check whether operating performance supports the current valuation.
Recent results and news deserve attention only when they alter the forward view.
| Quarter | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|
Q3 2026Latest Aug 27, 2026 | $0.37+4.5% vs $0.35 | $3.0B-2.4% vs $3.0B |
Q2 2026 May 28, 2026 | $0.40+12.9% vs $0.35 | $3.0B+0.3% vs $3.0B |
Q1 2026 Feb 26, 2026 | $0.34+6.3% vs $0.32 | $3.0B-1.3% vs $3.1B |
Q4 2025 Dec 4, 2025 | $0.32+6.1% vs $0.30 | $3.2B-1.2% vs $3.2B |
Campbell's and Dow both flashed the same red flags before slashing their payouts, and six consumer stocks sitting in income portfolios right now are showing those exact same warning signs.
Dividend Kings have outperformed SPY YTD, rising 13.5% versus SPY's 12.32%, with a strong October rebound. Twenty-six Dividend Kings appear both potentially undervalued and offer long-term annualized expected returns of at least 10%. Dividend growth for the Kings in 2026 averages 4.65%, with recent increases from GRC, NWN, and RPM.
All of these ultra-high-yield dividend stocks have increased their dividends for decades, with no sign of stopping now.
AUSTIN, Minn., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today announced that Joe O'Connor has been named group vice president, enterprise performance.
Benchmark HRL against direct peers instead of judging its metrics in isolation.
Key metrics vs top competitors for Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $21.95 | $12.08B | 35.30 | 1.55% | 2.82% | 4.32% | 5.24% | |
| $59.68 | $21.16B | 29.63 | 2.12% | 1.03% | 3.15% | 4.1% | |
| $19.30 | $7.59B | 8.48 | -100% | 5.95% | 12.47% | 5.22% | |
| $28.53 | $6.79B | 21.28 | 3.46% | 1.75% | 8.5% | 29.32% | |
| $55.24 | $7.59B | 29.94 | 2.5% | 3.85% | 14.13% | 2.7% | |
| $23.13 | $6.9B | 17.45 | -4.96% | 4.14% | 9.98% | 6.77% |
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
Verify the primary filings, follow material updates, and answer the remaining questions.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) SEC filings — annual & quarterly reports (10-K, 10-Q)
Aug 27, 2026·SEC
Aug 24, 2026·SEC
May 28, 2026·SEC
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Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) reported $12.11B in revenue in fiscal year 2025, which is also its trailing twelve months. That is 291% more than the $3.10B of fiscal year 1996.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) grew revenue by 0.7% over the trailing twelve months, compared with the twelve months before.
Yes. Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) earned $342.6M in net income over the trailing twelve months (a 2.8% net margin).
Yes. Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) pays a dividend that yields 5.24% at the current price, a high yield.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) had a return on equity (ROE) of 4.3% over the trailing twelve months. That is below the market's typical 10-15%.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) generated $780.9M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months.
