Key facts, as of
As of September 29, 2026, Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $19.85, down 19.4% over the past year. Its 52-week range runs from $19.42 to $26.60; the price is 25.4% below that high. It sits 14.5% below its 200-day average of $23.22, the usual sign of a long-term downtrend. Its 30-day volatility is 15.7% annualized, which we rate medium risk. It has a trailing P/E of 32.0 and a dividend yield of 5.86%.
Cite: Portfolio Terminal, "Hormel Foods (HRL) stock analysis", 2026-09-29. https://portfolio-terminal.com/analyse/hrl
Where it trades today
trading 6% of the way up its 52-week range
How the price has moved
What to weigh before acting
What Matters Now
- The key question is whether steady demand and pricing discipline can protect margins even if growth stays modest.
- HRL trades at 32.0x earnings, well above the consumer defensive average of 21.0x, so the market is already pricing in above-consensus execution.
- HRL carries a beta of 0.32, which means the stock should be judged on how it affects total portfolio swings, not just on standalone upside.
- HRL remains in a bearish short-term trend and sits 25.4% below its high, which raises the bar for any thesis that depends on fast multiple expansion.
Portfolio Use Case
- HRL is more relevant for investors who want some income support alongside price appreciation, not just pure growth exposure.
- The beta profile suggests it can fit a quality or lower-volatility sleeve more naturally than a high-octane tactical basket.
- This page is most useful for deciding whether the stock deserves a permanent slot in the portfolio or just a place on the watchlist.
What Would Change the View
- A reset in earnings expectations or a faster peer catch-up could compress the premium valuation currently embedded in HRL.
- A recovery in price alone would not be enough to improve the view; the thesis needs confirmation from improving business or valuation signals.
- The view would need revisiting if peers such as PG, KO, PEP start winning the marginal flow or posting cleaner operating momentum.
Methodology
- Price, market cap, beta, yield, and liquidity fields for HRL come from Yahoo Finance quote and summary data.
- 30-day volatility is calculated from recent daily returns and annualized using a 252-trading-day convention.
- Sector context uses stored benchmark averages for Consumer Defensive so each page compares the ticker against a stable peer baseline rather than against the whole market.
- Peer comparisons use the Portfolio Terminal coverage set and highlight nearby listed alternatives such as PG, KO, PEP.
Sources
- Yahoo Finance quote dataopen →
Live quote, valuation, beta, yield, and volume fields used for HRL. Last refresh: Sep 29, 2026, 10:33 PM.
- Portfolio Terminal methodologyopen →
Explains how analytics, refresh cadence, and portfolio interpretation work across the product.
- Peer set and coverage context
Comparative context for this page is anchored around nearby tracked names such as PG, KO, PEP.
What Hormel Foods does
Hormel Foods Corporation develops, processes, and distributes various meat, nut, and other food products to foodservice, convenience stores, and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail, Foodservice, and International. The company provides perishable products, including fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meal solutions, bacon, sausages, hams, guacamole, and other items that require refrigeration, as well as shelf-stable products, such as canned luncheon meats, nut butters, snack nuts, chili, shelf-stable microwaveable meals, hash, stews, tortillas, salsas, tortilla chips, and other items that do not require refrigeration.…
What analysts expect
HRL carries a hold consensus from 8 analysts, with an average price target of $26.13 versus $19.85 today (+31.6%). Targets are estimates and can move quickly after earnings.
Consensus aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Targets are estimates, not forecasts.
How the business is doing
HRL generated $12.15B in trailing revenue (-2.4% year over year), with a 2.8% net margin, and $621.55M of free cash flow, against $1.99B of net debt.
The numbers, year by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Gross profit | Operating income | Net income | EPS | Free cash flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12.11B | $1.89B | $895.19M | $478.20M | $0.87 | $534.35M |
| 2024 | $11.92B | $2.02B | $1.02B | $805.04M | $1.47 | $1.01B |
| 2023 | $12.11B | $2.00B | $1.06B | $793.57M | $1.45 | $777.64M |
| 2022 | $12.46B | $2.16B | $1.29B | $999.99M | $1.84 | $856.06M |
When it reports next
Estimates aggregated by Yahoo Finance. Dates move and estimates change until the report lands.
How it sits in consumer defensive
Stable sector with essential products like food, beverages, and household goods.
The companies it competes with
HRL beside the consumer defensive names it is usually measured against.
What the chart is saying
In a downtrend, below both moving averages.
downtrend- Price is 13.6% below its 50-day average and 14.5% below its 200-day.
- The 50-day crossed below the 200-day on 2026-09-25 (a “death cross”).
- RSI at 27 is oversold: selling has been one-sided.
- The nearest ceiling is $21.09 (+6.2%).
A description of the chart, not advice. Indicators describe what the price has done; none of them knows what it does next.
Questions people ask about it
Is HRL a good buy right now?
Hormel Foods trades at 32.0x earnings. This is above market average, reflecting growth expectations. Current risk level is Medium based on 15.7% volatility.
Does HRL pay dividends?
Yes, Hormel Foods offers a dividend yield of 5.86%. That is roughly $1.16 per share a year.
How volatile is HRL?
With 30-day annualized volatility of 15.7% and beta of 0.32, HRL is classified as Medium risk. The stock tends to be more stable than the market average.
What is the analyst price target for HRL?
The average analyst price target for Hormel Foods (HRL) is $26.13 based on 8 analyst estimates, about 31.6% above the current price of $19.85. The published range runs from $23.00 to $30.00.
How much revenue does HRL generate?
Hormel Foods reported $12.15B in trailing twelve-month revenue. Revenue growth is running at -2.4% year over year. Net margin sits at 2.8%. Figures are aggregated from company filings by Yahoo Finance and refresh on an hourly cadence.
Compare HRL with anything
Five years side by side: what $10,000 became, how far each fell, whether they move together.