HRL

Hormel Foods expanded adjusted operating margins by 60 basis points to 9% in Q3 2026 despite softer retail volumes. The company benefited from lower pork commodity prices, strong foodservice performance, and disciplined cost management.

However, retail volumes declined due to business exits and pricing elasticity, while the company faces headwinds from elevated beef, freight, and logistics costs. Hormel is using pricing strategies and efficiency gains to sustain profitability.

Hormel Foods (HRL) is managing elevated input costs through pricing actions, supply chain improvements, and efficiency gains. While lower pork commodity prices began benefiting in Q3, the company still faces headwinds from higher beef, freight, logistics, and fuel costs. Management expects greater benefits from lower pork costs in future quarters as it implements multiple levers to protect profitability.

With 10-year Treasury yields at 5.3%, the author argues that three dividend stocks offer better long-term value than bonds due to their growing dividend streams and earnings potential over a decade. Church & Dwight, Nike, and Hormel Foods are presented as alternatives that can compound income over time, despite near-term risks for some.

Hormel Foods stock has declined 50.5% over five years due to shifting consumer preferences toward healthier options, but now offers a near-record 5.7% dividend yield. As a Dividend King with 61 years of consecutive dividend increases, the company is viewed by some analysts as undervalued and a potential rebound candidate, particularly given its recent acquisition of Brakebush Brothers chicken company and strong protein consumption trends.

Hormel Foods has agreed to acquire Brakebush Brothers, a leading value-added chicken company, for approximately $1.055 billion. The deal, expected to close in Q1 fiscal 2027, will expand Hormel's presence in value-added chicken and strengthen its Foodservice segment.

Brakebush generated $1.2 billion in net sales over the past 12 months and brings established sales capabilities, customer relationships, and production scale. The acquisition is expected to support growth and unlock operational synergies, with accretion to adjusted earnings per share beginning in fiscal 2028.

Hormel Foods executed two pricing rounds that contributed to a 1% decline in total dollar consumption in Q3, while adjusted operating margin improved 60 basis points to 9% and adjusted EPS rose 6% to 37 cents. The company is adapting its portfolio, messaging, pack formats and pricing to address consumers' growing emphasis on value. HRL carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) with a forward P/E of 12.99.

Consumer staples companies PepsiCo, McCormick, Hormel, and Clorox are trading near 52-week lows due to headwinds including changing consumer preferences toward healthier products, budget constraints, and rising costs. However, these companies offer attractive dividend yields (4.1%-5.7%) and have proven track records as dividend growers, making them potentially opportunistic buys for long-term dividend investors.

The author recommends five dividend stocks currently out of favor: PepsiCo, Hormel, Hershey, McCormick, and Realty Income. Despite near-term headwinds from inflation and rising interest rates, the author believes these companies have strong fundamentals, long histories of dividend increases, and will navigate current challenges successfully. He advocates a long-term buy-and-hold approach with dividend reinvestment, ignoring short-term stock price fluctuations.