UTZ

The Boston Beer Company, Inc. SAM reported mixed third-quarter 2026 results, with earnings surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues falling short. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.37 beat the consensus estimate of $4.30. The figure increased 2.8% from $4.25 in the year-ago quarter. Net revenues declined 3.2% year over year to $520.1 million, missing the consensus estimate of $523 million. Lower shipment volumes weighed on sales, while favorable pricing, product mix and improved brewery efficiencies supported profitability. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company's shares have gained 8.7% over the past three months compared with the industry's 4.1% growth. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Boston Beer's depletions declined 5% year over year. Shipment volumes decreased 4.9% to approximately 1.8 million barrels, reflecting continued weakness across several established brands. Declines in Twisted Tea, Truly and Samuel Adams were partially offset by growth in Sun Cruiser and Angry Orchard. Sun Cruiser delivered approximately 60% growth in tracked channels during the quarter, while Angry Orchard recorded its sixth consecutive quarter of growth. Distributor inventories averaged approximately four weeks on hand at quarter-end compared with four and a half weeks in the prior-year period. Management considered inventory levels appropriate. Gross margin expanded 90 basis points (bps) year over year to 51.7% compared with 50.8% in the third quarter of 2025. Favorable product mix, pricing actions, procurement savings and improved brewery efficiencies supported the increase. These benefits were partially offset by higher commodity and tariff costs. Shortfall fees and noncash expenses associated with third-party production prepayments totaled $1.6 million, reducing gross margin by approximately 31 bps. Management highlighted continued progress in its supply-chain transformation. The company produced 98% of domestic volumes internally during the quarter compared with 89% a year earlier. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Boston Beer Company, Inc. Quote Advertising, promotional and selling expenses remained nearly flat year over year at $165.2 million. Freight expenses increased $9.5 million as higher transportation rates outweighed benefits from lower shipment volumes. General and administrative expenses decreased $2.1 million to $42.9 million, primarily due to lower salary and benefit costs. Boston Beer ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $308.1 million and no debt. The company also had $150 million available under its revolving credit facility. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $194.2 million during the first 39 weeks of 2026 compared with $230.2 million in the year-ago period. Capital expenditures amounted to $31.2 million, down from $36.7 million. The company repurchased $79.5 million of Class A common shares from Dec. 28, 2025, through Oct. 16, 2026. Approximately $149 million remained under its board-authorized $1.6 billion share repurchase limit. Management remains focused on improving market share trends and expanding higher-margin product offerings. Sun Cruiser continues to benefit from distribution gains and strong consumer demand, while Angry Orchard maintains positive momentum. Boston Beer is also expanding its innovation portfolio. Rally Dog Vodka Ade and Lytt Electric Coolers are scheduled for national availability in 2027, creating additional opportunities in emerging ready-to-drink beverage categories. Meanwhile, management expects modest shipment growth in the fourth quarter, aided by prior-year inventory adjustments and shipment timing. The company anticipates its most pronounced year-over-year gross margin improvement in the final quarter, supported by lower shortfall fees. Boston Beer revised its 2026 guidance, reflecting continued volume softness alongside improving operational productivity. The company now expects depletions and shipments to decline by mid-single-digit percentages compared with its previous projection of low-to-mid-single-digit declines. Price increases are likely to be 1-2%. The gross margin outlook was raised to 49-50% from 48.5-50%, supported by productivity savings, improved product mix and lower anticipated tariff costs. Expected tariff expenses were reduced to $18-$22 million from $20-$30 million. Advertising, promotion and selling expenses are likely to remain nearly flat year over year. Adjusted EPS is now projected at $9-$10.50 compared with the prior range of $8.50-$10.50. The company also lowered its capital spending outlook to $55-$70 million from $60-$80 million. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF, which is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chefs' Warehouse's current financial-year sales indicates growth of 10.8% from the prior-year level. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average. Utz Brands, Inc. UTZ, which is a leading manufacturer of a diverse portfolio of salty snacks, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UTZ's current financial-year sales indicates a rise of 3.7% from the year-ago number. Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR, which produces sustainable natural ingredients derived from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. The consensus estimate for Darling Ingredients' current financial-year sales is expected to rise 12.2% from the year-ago reported figure. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 38.9%, on average. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

What a fantastic six months it's been for Utz. Shares of the company have skyrocketed 89.5%, hitting $14.31. This run-up might have investors contemplating their next move. Is there a buying opportunity in Utz, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? See what our analysts have to say in our full research report, it's free. Despite the momentum, we're cautious about Utz. Here are three reasons why there are better opportunities than UTZ, plus one stock we'd rather own. When analyzing revenue growth, we care most about organic revenue growth. This metric captures a business's performance excluding one-time events such as mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures as well as foreign currency fluctuations. The demand for Utz's products has been stable over the last eight quarters but fell behind the broader sector. On average, the company has posted feeble year-on-year organic revenue growth of 1.9%. With $1.45 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, Utz is a small consumer staples company, which sometimes brings disadvantages compared to larger competitors benefiting from economies of scale and negotiating leverage with retailers. Growth gives us insight into a company's long-term potential, but how capital-efficient was that growth? A company's ROIC explains this by showing how much operating profit it makes compared to the money it has raised (debt and equity). Utz's five-year average ROIC was negative 0%, meaning management lost money while trying to expand the business. Its returns were among the worst in the consumer staples sector. We cheer for all companies serving everyday consumers, but in the case of Utz, we'll be cheering from the sidelines. After the recent rally, the stock trades at 17.7× forward P/E (or $14.31 per share). This multiple tells us a lot of good news is priced in - we think there are better stocks to buy right now. Let us point you toward one of our all-time favorite software stocks. ONE MORE THING: Top 5 Growth Stocks. The biggest stock winners almost always had one thing in common before they ran. Revenue growing like crazy. Meta. CrowdStrike. Broadcom. Our AI flagged all three. They returned 315%, 314%, and 455%, respectively. Find out which 5 stocks it's flagging this month — FREE. Get Our Top 5 Growth Stocks for Free HERE. Stocks that have made our list include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,460% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+271% between June 2020 and June 2025). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

Constellation Brands, Inc. STZ reported second-quarter fiscal 2027 comparable earnings of $3.74 per share, up 3% year over year and above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.62. The bottom line delivered a 3.3% earnings surprise. Net sales increased 6% year over year to $2.63 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.57 billion by 2.5%. Growth across both operating businesses supported the top line. Beer shipment volumes rose 5.5%, while the wine and spirits' business' volume increased 15.4%. Despite robust quarterly results, Constellation Brands' shares have lost more than 4% in after-hours trading yesterday. In the past three months, the stock has fallen 10.6% compared with the industry's 1.9% drop. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Beer net sales increased 5% year over year to $2.5 billion, driven by a 5.5% increase in shipment volumes. Depletions, which measure distributor shipments to retail customers, dipped 0.6%. Beer sales have outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.4 billion. Modelo Especial depletions fell about 2%, while Corona Extra declined roughly 5%. These decreases were partially offset by growth of roughly 19% for Pacifico, 15% for Victoria and 5% for the Modelo Chelada brands. The Beer business was the top dollar and volume share gainer across Circana U.S. tracked channels. Wine and spirits net sales advanced 17% year over year to $159.4 million, reflecting a 15.4% increase in shipment volumes. The business also delivered depletion growth of 10.2%. Wine and spirits' net sales have surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $136 million. Kim Crawford and Mi CAMPO depletions increased roughly 11% and 51%, respectively. The portfolio outperformed the broader wine and spirits category in both dollars and volumes across Circana U.S. tracked channels, while the company's wine portfolio ranked as the #3 dollar share gainer in the overall wine category. Constellation Brands Inc price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Constellation Brands Inc Quote Comparable operating income rose 1% year over year to $896.6 million. Comparable operating margin contracted 160 basis points from the prior-year quarter to 34.1%. Beer operating income increased 1% to $964.2 million, but its operating margin fell 160 basis points year over year to 39%. Lower tariff expenses and fixed-cost absorption were more than offset by higher marketing investment and other selling, general and administrative spending. Wine and spirits generated operating income of $6.1 million against a loss of $19.8 million a year earlier, lifting its margin to 3.8%. For the first six months of fiscal 2027, operating cash flow totaled $1.5 billion. Free cash flow increased to $1.1 billion, while capital expenditures were $354.1 million. As of Aug. 31, 2026, cash and cash equivalents were $98.5 million. Long-term debt, excluding current maturities, totaled $9.1 billion. The company repurchased $530 million of shares year to date through September and returned more than $800 million to shareholders through repurchases and dividends during the first half. On Oct. 6, 2026, the company's board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.03 per share of Class A common stock payable Nov. 13, 2026, to stockholders of record as of Oct. 30, 2026. Subsequent to the quarter, the company acquired SpikedAde, a spirit-based ready-to-drink brand competing in the emerging sports drink-inspired "Ade" segment. Constellation Brands paid $75 million at closing for full ownership, with up to $278 million of additional contingent consideration payable over five years based on future performance. SpikedAde will be integrated into Constellation's Beer unit, with the company assuming production oversight, marketing and distribution. Constellation Brands reaffirmed its fiscal 2027 comparable earnings guidance of $11.20-$11.90 per share compared with $11.82 in fiscal 2026. It raised its reported earnings outlook to $11.85-$12.55 from the prior range of $11.50-$12.20. Management continues to expect enterprise organic net sales to range from a 1% decline to 1% growth. Beer net sales and organic wine and spirits net sales are also projected to range from a 1% decline to 1% growth. Comparable enterprise operating margin is expected to be between 32% and 33%, with beer margin of 37-38% and wine and spirits margin of 5-6%. Management expects operating cash flow of $2.4-$2.5 billion, capital expenditures of $800 million and free cash flow of $1.6-$1.7 billion for fiscal 2027. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF, which is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chefs' Warehouse's current financial-year sales indicates growth of 10.8% from the prior-year level. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average. Utz Brands, Inc. UTZ, which is a leading manufacturer of a diverse portfolio of salty snacks, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for UTZ's current financial-year sales indicates a jump of 3.7% from the year-ago number. Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR, which produces sustainable natural ingredients derived from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. The consensus estimate for Darling Ingredients' current financial-year sales is expected to rise 11.5% from the year-ago reported figure. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 38.9%, on average. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Constellation Brands Inc (STZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. LW reported solid first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year. LW's adjusted earnings were 75 cents per share, up 1.4% year over year. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 59 cents. Lamb Weston price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Lamb Weston Quote Net sales amounted to $1,670.3 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,654 million. The top line increased 0.7% year over year, driven by a 2% increase in sales volume and an immaterial favorable currency impact partially offset by a 2% decline in price/mix. Our model suggested a volume increase of 3.2% in the quarter. Adjusted gross profit fell 6.5% year over year to $316.8 million from $338.9 million. The adjusted gross margin decreased 140 basis points (bps) to 19%. Our model projected adjusted gross margin contraction of about 200 basis points to 18.4%. Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses rose 5.1% to $139.2 million. As a percentage of sales, the same increased 30 bps to 8.3%. Adjusted EBITDA fell 5.5% year over year to $285.6 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 110 bps to 17.1%. North America segment sales increased 5.2% year over year to $1,141.4 million. Volume grew 6.7%, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of volume growth, driven by stronger demand from existing customers and customer wins. Price/mix declined 1.7%, reflecting pricing and trade support as well as a mix shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products. Segment adjusted EBITDA increased 11% to $287.3 million, aided by higher volume, cost savings and $5 million of tariff refunds. International segment sales declined 8% to $528.9 million. Volume decreased 6.4%, while price/mix fell 2%, as weaker performance in Europe continued to weigh on the business. International segment adjusted EBITDA plunged 54% to $26.5 million. Lower sales, higher manufacturing costs per pound, prior-year potato cost carry-in, factory underutilization and inflation pressured results. The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $166.3 million, long-term debt and financing obligations (excluding the current portion) of $3,578.5 million and total shareholders' equity of $1,806.7 million. LW generated $234.8 million as net cash from operating activities for the 13 weeks ending Aug. 30, 2026, wherein capital expenditures amounted to $91 million. The company returned $52 million to shareholders through dividends during the quarter and had about $245 million remaining under its share-repurchase authorization. Management declared a quarterly dividend of 38 cents per share, payable on Dec. 4, to its shareholders of record as of Nov. 6, 2026. For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston now expects net sales to increase a low-single-digit percentage from the adjusted fiscal 2026 base of $6.5 billion, compared with prior forecast of flat to 1% growth. Adjusted EBITDA guidance increased to $1.125-$1.215 billion from $1.10-$1.20 billion. Adjusted earnings are now projected between $3.05 and $3.35 per share, up from the previous $2.95-$3.25 range. Capital spending guidance was maintained at $380-$410 million. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 2.6% in the past three months against the industry's 7.1% decline. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse's current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.8% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average. Mama's Creations, Inc. MAMA manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 121.7%, on average. The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations' current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30.3% and 66.7%, respectively, from the year-ago figures. Utz Brands UTZ engages in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of snack foods in the United States. It presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands' current financial-year sales indicates growth of 3.7% from the year-ago numbers. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lamb Weston (LW) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Lamb Weston (LW) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.59 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.74 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +27.12%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this frozen foods supplier would post earnings of $0.62 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.87, delivering a surprise of +40.32%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. Lamb Weston, which belongs to the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, posted revenues of $1.67 billion for the quarter ended August 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.98%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.66 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Lamb Weston shares have added about 6.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13.6%. While Lamb Weston has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Lamb Weston was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.77 on $1.62 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.06 on $6.49 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 15% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Another stock from the same industry, Utz Brands (UTZ), has yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. This company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +4.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Utz Brands' revenues are expected to be $385.4 million, up 2% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lamb Weston (LW) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Conagra Brands (CAG) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.41 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.31 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.39 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +32.26%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $0.46 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.47, delivering a surprise of +2.17%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Conagra Brands, which belongs to the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, posted revenues of $2.6 billion for the quarter ended August 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.04%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $2.63 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Conagra Brands shares have lost about 18.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.1%. While Conagra Brands has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Conagra Brands was unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.39 on $2.95 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.50 on $10.84 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 18% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, Utz Brands (UTZ), is yet to report results for the quarter ended September 2026. This company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +4.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Utz Brands' revenues are expected to be $385.4 million, up 2% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Conagra Brands (CAG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

General Mills, Inc. GIS reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, both metrics declined year over year. The company posted adjusted earnings of 75 cents per share, down 13% year over year in constant currency but above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 72 cents. Quarterly profitability was pressured by higher input costs and lower volume, partly offset by favorable net price realization and mix. General Mills, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | General Mills, Inc. Quote Net sales declined 3% year over year to $4,389.5 million, but topped the consensus estimate of $4,344 million. Organic net sales were essentially flat from the prior-year period. Adjusted gross margin contracted 90 basis points to 33.3% of net sales. Higher input costs drove the decline, while favorable net price realization and mix provided a partial offset. We expected an adjusted gross margin of 33.8%.Adjusted operating profit fell 11% in constant currency to $634 million, and adjusted operating margin declined 130 basis points to 14.4%. We expected an adjusted operating margin of 14.3% for the quarter. North America Retail sales declined 7% year over year to $2,451.8 million, including a 4-point headwind from the U.S. yogurt divestiture. Sales fell at a double-digit rate in Big G Cereal & Canada, including the divestiture impact, declined at a mid-single-digit rate in U.S. Snacks and were flat in U.S. Meals & Baking Solutions. Organic net sales decreased 3% and trailed Nielsen-measured retail sales by about 1 point due to changes in retailer inventory. Retail sales growth improved sequentially by 2 points, while dollar-share trends strengthened across most priority categories.Segment operating profit fell 15% to $478.6 million, both as reported and in constant currency. Lower volume and higher input costs weighed on profitability, partly offset by favorable net price realization and mix, as well as lower SG&A expenses.North America Pet sales were essentially flat at $612.8 million. Cat food sales increased at a double-digit rate and pet treats grew at a low-single-digit rate, while dog food sales declined at a high-single-digit rate. Organic net sales were flat and exceeded all-channel retail sales growth by about 1 point, aided by an extra month of Whitebridge Pet Brands results following the alignment of its calendar with General Mills' August fiscal quarter end.Retailer inventory changes remained a modest headwind. General Mills continues to expect retailer inventory, including changes in customer mix, to create a low-single-digit drag on full-year organic net sales for the Pet segment. Operating profit declined 12% to $99.5 million, reflecting higher input costs, lower volume and increased SG&A expenses, partly offset by favorable pricing and mix.North America Foodservice sales increased 1% to $523.1 million despite a 2-point headwind from the U.S. yogurt divestiture. Organic net sales advanced 4%, led by growth in cereal and frozen meals. The segment held or gained market share across all of its priority businesses.Foodservice operating profit rose 12% to $79.4 million, supported by favorable net price realization and mix, partially offset by higher input costs.International sales grew 4% to $794.3 million, including a 1-point benefit from foreign currency exchange. Organic net sales also increased 4%, driven by growth in distributor markets, India and China.International operating profit increased 14% to $75.2 million, or 15% in constant currency. Higher volume and lower input costs supported the improvement, partly offset by unfavorable pricing and mix and a double-digit increase in media investment. The company ended the quarter with $433.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, $12,367.2 million in long-term debt and $7,450.4 million in stockholders' equity.Cash provided by operating activities totaled $297.8 million, down from $397 million a year earlier. Capital investments were $90.5 million, compared with $109.5 million in the prior-year quarter.General Mills paid $330.5 million in dividends and did not repurchase shares. General Mills reaffirmed fiscal 2027 organic net sales growth of down 1.5% to up 0.5%. Adjusted operating profit is expected to be down 8-13% in constant currency, while adjusted earnings are projected at $3-$3.20 per share. Free cash flow conversion is expected to be approximately 95% of adjusted after-tax earnings.The company continues to target at least $750 million of savings from Holistic Margin Management, its global transformation initiative and other cost actions. It also expects roughly 9 points of operating-profit headwind and 11 points of earnings-per-share headwind from lapping the 53rd week, normalizing incentive expense and fiscal 2026 divestitures. The net impact of divestitures, foreign exchange and the 53rd week is expected to reduce reported sales growth by about 4%.This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s shares have gained 1.8% in the past three months compared with the industry’s growth of 0.9%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.6% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.Luckin Coffee Inc. LKNCY offers retail services of freshly brewed drinks and pre-made food and beverage items in the People's Republic of China. The company currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. LKNCY delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.6%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Luckin Coffee’s current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 33.3% and 40.8%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. Utz Brands UTZ engages in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of snack foods in the United States and presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 3.7% from the year-ago numbers. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report General Mills, Inc. (GIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Luckin Coffee Inc. Sponsored ADR (LKNCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Utz Brands (UTZ) set its latest income signal in motion on 10 September 2026, when the board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of about $0.063 per Class A share. The payment is scheduled for 1 October 2026 to investors recorded as shareholders at the close of business on 21 September 2026. This is also the regular ex dividend date for this $0.063 cash payout. Recent trading has been strong for Utz Brands, with a 90 day share price return of 101.99% and a year to date share price return of 38.39%, while the 1 year total shareholder return of 14.53% and 3 year total shareholder return of 11.21% suggest more moderate progress over time. Spot opportunities beyond Utz Brands by scanning a curated 35 high quality undervalued stocks that pairs resilient balance sheets with income potential similar to this latest dividend move. Utz Brands has offered a regular dividend and a sharp recent share price run at the same time. Is that surge pointing to a stronger snack maker, or just a swing in sentiment before the valuation work starts? On the Simply Wall St narrative, Utz Brands screens as slightly below its assessed fair value of $14.31 per share, compared with the last close at $14.24. This keeps attention firmly on what could drive that small gap rather than on big upside hopes. See why 5 investors see Utz Brands as 1% undervalued. Result: Fair Value of $14.31 (ABOUT RIGHT) Still, the Utz Brands story could shift quickly if heavy spending on westward expansion underdelivers or if traditional salty snacks lose more shelf space to healthier options. Find out about the key risks to this Utz Brands narrative. While the Simply Wall St narrative and analyst target suggest Utz Brands is roughly fairly priced around $14.31 per share, the SWS DCF model presents a very different picture. Based on that framework, UTZ at $14.24 is trading about 60.4% below an estimated future cash flow value of $35.98. This raises a straightforward question for investors: Is the market appropriately sceptical about those long range cash flows, or is sentiment leaving too much on the table? Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value. Mixed signals on Utz Brands so far. If you want to move before sentiment swings again, consider weighing both sides of the story through the 2 key rewards and 2 important warning signs. Do not stop with Utz Brands alone. You can use the same disciplined process across other opportunities and give yourself more ways to put your capital to work. Target resilient compounders by scanning a 30 resilient stocks with low risk scores that focuses on businesses with steadier risk profiles and fewer red flags on key financial checks. Hunt for value by reviewing the 16 high quality undiscovered gems that highlight companies with strong fundamentals that are not yet widely followed by the market. Build a sturdier core by filtering through a list of solid balance sheet and fundamentals (23 results) that prioritises cleaner leverage, ample liquidity, and healthier financial cushions. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include UTZ. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR is building more of its Food segment around collagen, where the economics are materially different from traditional gelatin. The company’s second-quarter 2026 materials point to growing collagen demand across the United States, Europe and Asia, along with broader applications in food, nutrition and health products. Collagen sales improved year over year, while higher whey prices are creating an additional use case, with collagen being used as a protein complement or replacement in certain whey applications. The margin profile highlights why this shift is important. In the current market environment, collagen generates roughly 2.5 to 3 times the margin of gelatin, while targeted ingredients can generate 7 to 11 times the margin of gelatin. Rousselot, which represents the majority of the Food segment, can produce these higher-margin products using its existing factories and infrastructure. This provides scope to improve EBITDA and implied net cash through product-mix optimization using the existing asset base. The shift toward higher-value products is already visible in the mix. Collagen represented about 20% of Food-segment volume in 2020 and 30% in 2025, with its share estimated at 33% by 2030. Its contribution to adjusted EBITDA increased from 35% in 2020 to 48% in 2025 and is estimated at 50% by 2030. Targeted ingredients are estimated to account for 15% of Food-segment adjusted EBITDA by 2030. With collagen demand expanding in Asia and Darling Ingredients producing about 30% of the world’s collagen, including gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen, it has a sizable global operating base as the product mix shifts toward higher-value offerings. Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company have gained 20.5% in the past three months compared with the broader Consumer Staples sector and the industry’s growth of 0.8% and 3.6%, respectively. EL has also outperformed the S&P 500 index’s growth of 0.8% during the same period. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Darling Ingredients currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 10.07, which is down from the industry average of 14.56 and notably below the sector average of 17.06. This valuation positions the stock at a modest discount relative to both its direct peers and the broader consumer staples sector. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. CHEF distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 10.6% and 33.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Chefs' Warehouse delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 30.4%, on average.The Vita Coco Company, Inc. COCO develops, manufactures, markets and distributes coconut water products under the Vita Coco brand name in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific. COCO currently sports a Zacks Rank #2. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.9%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Vita Coco’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 31.6% and 63.9%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. Utz Brands UTZ engages in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of snack foods in the United States and presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. UTZ delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.8%, on average.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Utz Brands’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 3.7% from the year-ago numbers. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Vita Coco Company, Inc. (COCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

HANOVER, Pa., September 10, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Utz Brands, Inc. (NYSE: UTZ) ("Utz" or the "Company"), a leading U.S. manufacturer of branded salty snacks, and a small-cap growth and value Staples equity, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of approximately $0.063 per share on the Company’s Class A Common Stock. Payment is expected to be made by the Company on October 1, 2026 to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 21, 2026. The cash dividend will be funded by cash distributions made by Utz Brands Holdings, LLC ("Utz Brands Holdings") to Utz and the other holders of Utz Brands Holdings’ common units on a pro-rata basis. Future declarations of quarterly or other dividends are subject to the determination and discretion of Utz’s Board of Directors based on its consideration of various factors, including the Company’s results of operations, the Company’s financial condition, the terms of the merger agreement for the pending transaction involving the Company and other factors that Utz’s Board of Directors may deem relevant. About Utz Brands, Inc. Utz Brands, Inc. (NYSE: UTZ) manufactures a diverse portfolio of savory snacks through popular brands, including Utz®, On The Border® Chips & Dips, Zapp’s®, and Boulder Canyon®, among others. After over a century with a strong family heritage, Utz continues to have a passion for exciting and delighting consumers with delicious snack foods made from top-quality ingredients. Utz's products are distributed nationally through grocery, mass merchandisers, club, convenience, drug, and other channels. Based in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Utz has multiple manufacturing facilities located across the U.S. to serve our growing customer base. For more information, please visit www.utzsnacks.com or call 1‐800‐FOR‐SNAX. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made herein are not historical facts but are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. The forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by or include, without limitation, statements such as "will", "expect", "intends", "goal" or other similar words, phrases or expressions. These statements are based on the current expectations of the Company’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and the Company’s business and actual results may differ materially. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260910425737/en/ Contacts Investor Contact Trevor [email protected] Media Contact Colleen [email protected]

Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Utz (NYSE:UTZ) and the best and worst performers in the shelf-stable food industry. As America industrialized and moved away from an agricultural economy, people faced more demands on their time. Packaged foods emerged as a solution offering convenience to the evolving American family, whether it be canned goods or snacks. Today, Americans seek brands that are high in quality, reliable, and reasonably priced. Furthermore, there's a growing emphasis on health-conscious and sustainable food options. Packaged food stocks are considered resilient investments. People always need to eat, so these companies can enjoy consistent demand as long as they stay on top of changing consumer preferences. The industry spans from multinational corporations to smaller specialized firms and is subject to food safety and labeling regulations. The 16 shelf-stable food stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 3.6% below. While some shelf-stable food stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 2.9% since the latest earnings results. Tracing its roots back to 1921 when Bill and Salie Utz began making potato chips in their kitchen, Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) offers salty snacks such as potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, and ready-to-eat popcorn, among others. Utz reported revenues of $371.8 million, up 1.4% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates. The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $14.21. Is now the time to buy Utz? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Best known for its fruit jams and spreads, J.M Smucker (NYSE:SJM) is a packaged foods company whose products span from peanut butter and coffee to pet food. J. M. Smucker reported revenues of $2.22 billion, up 5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.3%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates. However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $126.40. Is now the time to buy J. M. Smucker? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Spun out of Post Holdings in 2019, Bellring Brands (NYSE:BRBR) offers protein shakes, nutrition bars, and other products under the PowerBar, Premier Protein, and Dymatize brands. BellRing Brands reported revenues of $570.4 million, up 4.2% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 3.7%. Still, it was a softer quarter as it posted full-year EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly and a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates. As expected, the stock is down 19.8% since the results and currently trades at $10.39. Read our full analysis of BellRing Brands’s results here. The result of a 2015 mega-merger between Kraft and Heinz, Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) is a packaged foods giant whose products span coffee to cheese to packaged meat. Kraft Heinz reported revenues of $6.26 billion, down 1.4% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 2.3%. However, it was a slower quarter as it produced a significant miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and a miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates. The stock is down 6.7% since reporting and currently trades at $24.85. Read our full, actionable report on Kraft Heinz here, it’s free. Founded as Nabisco in 1903, Mondelez (NASDAQ:MDLZ) is a packaged snacks powerhouse best known for its Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, Ritz, and Trident brands. Mondelez reported revenues of $9.36 billion, up 4.1% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. It was a strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ gross margin estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates. The stock is down 2.3% since reporting and currently trades at $61.06. Read our full, actionable report on Mondelez here, it’s free. Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership. Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products. By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.