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HRL Stock Analysis - HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/ AI Rating

HRL NYSE Meat Packing Plants DE CIK: 0000048465
Analysis Date: Mar 19, 2026 | Data as of: 2026-01-25
AI Rating
HOLD
62% Confidence

Investment Thesis

Hormel demonstrates solid financial stability with strong liquidity (2.66x current ratio), healthy debt management (0.36x D/E), and consistent cash generation (280.2M FCF). However, profitability is stagnant with minimal net income growth (0.1% YoY) and declining EPS (-40.8% YoY), indicating margin compression and potential operational challenges despite flat revenue growth.

HRL Strengths

  • + Excellent liquidity position with 2.66x current ratio and 867.9M cash reserves
  • + Conservative leverage at 0.36x debt-to-equity with 6.1x interest coverage ratio
  • + Solid free cash flow generation of 280.2M representing 9.3% FCF margin
  • + Stable balance sheet with 7.9B equity and manageable 2.9B long-term debt

HRL Risks

  • ! Significant EPS decline of 40.8% YoY despite stable net income indicates share dilution or unfavorable income distribution
  • ! Stagnant profitability with minimal net income growth (0.1% YoY) and flat operating margins at 8.0%
  • ! Weak returns on capital with ROE of 2.3% and ROA of 1.4% suggesting inefficient asset utilization
  • ! Low net margin of 6.0% in competitive food processing industry limits pricing power
  • ! Muted revenue growth of 1.6% YoY signals limited top-line momentum in mature market

Key Metrics to Watch

HRL Financial Metrics

Revenue
$3.0B
Net Income
$181.8M
EPS (Diluted)
$0.33
Free Cash Flow
$280.2M
Total Assets
$13.3B
Cash Position
$867.9M

HRL Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin 15.5%
Operating Margin 8.0%
Net Margin 6.0%
ROE 2.3%
ROA 1.4%
FCF Margin 9.3%

HRL Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
2.66x
Quick Ratio
1.37x
Debt/Equity
0.36x
Debt/Assets
0.0%
Interest Coverage
6.09x
Long-term Debt
$2.9B

HRL 5-Year Financial Trend

HRL 5-year financial data: Year 2021: Revenue $11.4B, Net Income $978.8M, EPS $1.80. Year 2022: Revenue $12.5B, Net Income $908.1M, EPS $1.66. Year 2023: Revenue $12.5B, Net Income $908.8M, EPS $1.66. Year 2024: Revenue $12.5B, Net Income $1,000.0M, EPS $1.82. Year 2025: Revenue $12.1B, Net Income $793.6M, EPS $1.45.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/'s revenue has shown modest growth of 6% over the 5-year period. The most recent EPS of $1.45 reflects profitable operations.

HRL Growth Metrics (YoY)

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
9.3%
Free cash flow / Revenue

HRL Quarterly Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/ including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q1 2026 $3.0B $170.6M $0.31
Q3 2025 $2.9B $176.7M $0.32
Q2 2025 $2.9B $180.0M $0.33
Q1 2025 $3.0B $170.6M $0.31
Q3 2024 $2.9B $162.7M $0.30
Q2 2024 $2.9B $189.3M $0.34
Q1 2024 $3.0B $217.7M $0.40
Q3 2023 $3.0B $162.7M $0.30

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

HRL Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$349.2M
Cash generated from operations
Capital Expenditures
$69.0M
Investment in assets
Dividends Paid
$159.5M
Returned to shareholders

HRL SEC Filings

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/ (CIK: 0000048465)

Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 19, 2026 | Data as of: 2026-01-25 | Powered by Claude AI