Investing IdeasBrowse All StocksMarkets
Have your own idea? Try our Stock Screener
Header cover image

U.S. Food Industry Analysis

UpdatedApr 05, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies140
  • 7D0.7%
  • 3M7.4%
  • 1Y-6.0%
  • YTD5.6%

Over the last 7 days, the Food industry has remained flat, although notably Kraft Heinz gained 3.4%. Unfortunately though, the industry is down 6.0% over the past 12 months. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 19% per annum.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.S. Food Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Sun, 05 Apr 2026US$413.0bUS$557.7bUS$10.1b20.8x40.8x0.7x
Tue, 03 Mar 2026US$440.8bUS$556.7bUS$9.9b24.6x44.7x0.8x
Thu, 29 Jan 2026US$419.9bUS$550.1bUS$13.8b21.1x30.4x0.8x
Sat, 27 Dec 2025US$391.0bUS$556.0bUS$14.5b20.3x27x0.7x
Mon, 24 Nov 2025US$425.2bUS$569.0bUS$17.0b19.4x25x0.7x
Wed, 22 Oct 2025US$439.8bUS$552.1bUS$16.3b18.2x27x0.8x
Fri, 19 Sep 2025US$440.2bUS$556.3bUS$16.5b18.6x26.6x0.8x
Sun, 17 Aug 2025US$449.9bUS$555.2bUS$16.3b20.9x27.7x0.8x
Tue, 15 Jul 2025US$455.0bUS$547.2bUS$24.0b19.4x19x0.8x
Thu, 12 Jun 2025US$518.2bUS$548.1bUS$24.4b19x21.2x0.9x
Sat, 10 May 2025US$436.2bUS$468.1bUS$22.7b18.9x19.2x0.9x
Mon, 07 Apr 2025US$440.6bUS$471.4bUS$24.5b16.9x18x0.9x
Wed, 05 Mar 2025US$453.6bUS$471.2bUS$24.4b18.3x18.6x1x
Fri, 31 Jan 2025US$438.6bUS$478.4bUS$22.2b20.5x19.7x0.9x
Sun, 29 Dec 2024US$446.8bUS$464.4bUS$21.6b20x20.7x1x
Tue, 26 Nov 2024US$465.9bUS$459.1bUS$21.4b19.9x21.7x1x
Thu, 24 Oct 2024US$482.2bUS$462.1bUS$22.6b17.9x21.3x1x
Sat, 21 Sep 2024US$500.8bUS$461.6bUS$22.2b19.7x22.6x1.1x
Mon, 19 Aug 2024US$482.7bUS$461.0bUS$22.2b19.8x21.8x1x
Wed, 17 Jul 2024US$458.1bUS$472.8bUS$24.4b17.9x18.7x1x
Fri, 14 Jun 2024US$457.5bUS$473.6bUS$25.1b14.5x18.2x1x
Sun, 12 May 2024US$491.4bUS$474.0bUS$24.3b15.7x20.2x1x
Tue, 09 Apr 2024US$480.0bUS$472.1bUS$24.7b16.6x19.4x1x
Thu, 07 Mar 2024US$469.0bUS$477.1bUS$24.9b15.3x18.8x1x
Sat, 03 Feb 2024US$495.6bUS$491.0bUS$25.9b16.1x19.2x1x
Mon, 01 Jan 2024US$495.8bUS$490.0bUS$25.5b16.6x19.4x1x
Wed, 29 Nov 2023US$479.4bUS$490.5bUS$25.6b15.8x18.7x1x
Fri, 27 Oct 2023US$462.8bUS$489.2bUS$26.1b17.2x17.7x0.9x
Sun, 24 Sep 2023US$499.6bUS$491.3bUS$26.2b18.4x19.1x1x
Tue, 22 Aug 2023US$522.2bUS$491.1bUS$26.4b16.1x19.8x1.1x
Thu, 20 Jul 2023US$543.7bUS$494.2bUS$26.1b17.3x20.8x1.1x
Sat, 17 Jun 2023US$554.4bUS$499.3bUS$26.7b16.9x20.7x1.1x
Mon, 15 May 2023US$578.3bUS$499.1bUS$27.7b18.9x20.9x1.2x
Wed, 12 Apr 2023US$567.8bUS$495.5bUS$28.2b18.2x20.1x1.1x
Price to Earnings Ratio

20.1x


Total Market Cap: US$567.8bTotal Earnings: US$28.2bTotal Revenue: US$495.5bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Food Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 22x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are optimistic on the American Food industry, and appear confident in long term growth rates.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 40.8x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 22.0x.
  • The industry is trading close to its 3-year average PS ratio of 0.95x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Food industry have declined 29% per year over the last three years.
  • Meanwhile revenues for these companies have grown 4.0% per year.
  • This means that although more sales are being generated, either the cost of doing business or the level of investment back into businesses has increased, which has decreased profits.

Industry Trends

Which industries have driven the changes within the U.S. Consumer Staples industry?

US Market3.46%
Consumer Staples1.41%
Food0.67%
Agricultural Products1.53%
Packaged Foods and Meats0.44%
Industry PE
  • Investors are most optimistic about the Packaged Foods and Meats industry which is trading above its 3-year average PE ratio of 24.2x.
    • Analysts are expecting annual earnings growth of 17.6%, which is higher than its past year's earnings decline of 12.7% per year.
  • Investors are most pessimistic about the Agricultural Products industry, although it looks like investor sentiment has improved given that it's trading above its 3-year average of 14.8x.
Forecasted Growth
  • Analysts are most optimistic on the Agricultural Products industry, expecting annual earnings growth of 24% over the next 5 years.
  • This is better than its past earnings decline of 32% per year.
  • In contrast, the Packaged Foods and Meats industry is expected to see its earnings grow by 18% per year over the next few years.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
KHC Kraft HeinzUS$22.793.4%
+US$887.8m		-23.2%PS1.1x
DAR Darling IngredientsUS$64.659.1%
+US$852.4m		121.3%PE163.4x
ADM Archer-Daniels-MidlandUS$73.832.2%
+US$771.0m		70.4%PE33x
JBS JBSUS$17.754.2%
+US$771.0m		n/aPE9.4x
SFD Smithfield FoodsUS$28.376.3%
+US$661.0m		43.5%PE11.3x

Latest News

MKC
US$48.85
McCormick
7D
-8.0%
1Y
-36.1%

MKC: Unilever Foods Merger Will Support Future Margin And Earnings Power

Analysts have trimmed McCormick's implied fair value to about $63 from roughly $73, reflecting lower assumptions for revenue growth and profit margins, partly offset by a higher future P/E multiple and a wave of reduced price targets across recent research updates. Analyst Commentary Recent research on McCormick has centered on lower price targets, revised long term goals, and differing views on the risk and reward trade off as the company recalibrates expectations.
KHC
US$22.79
Kraft Heinz
7D
3.4%
1Y
-23.2%

KHC: Brand Investment And Portfolio Actions Will Support Post 2025 Turnaround Prospects

Analysts have trimmed the average price target for Kraft Heinz to reflect slightly lower fair value estimates of about $24.29. Recent research cites softer topline expectations, a modestly higher discount rate, and an updated view on future P/E, partially balanced by firmer profit margin assumptions.
HSY
US$206.19
Hershey
7D
-3.5%
1Y
27.1%

HSY: Easing Cocoa Costs And Tariff Removal Will Support Earnings Recovery

Hershey's updated analyst price target holds steady at $267, as analysts balance recent target cuts from several firms with upward revisions and upgrades that highlight easing cocoa costs, potential earnings recovery and slightly higher long term assumptions for revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E. Analyst Commentary Bullish analysts are leaning into a more constructive view on Hershey, even as some firms trim targets or remove the stock from preferred lists.
GIS
US$37.42
General Mills
7D
2.7%
1Y
-37.2%
TSN
US$64.63
Tyson Foods
7D
1.1%
1Y
8.1%

TSN: Beef Margin Recovery And Cost Discipline Will Support Future Earnings Power

Tyson Foods' analyst price target has shifted modestly higher to $78.00. This reflects updated views on fair value and P/E assumptions as analysts balance recent bullish initiations with some lower targets and mixed expectations for revenue growth and profit margins.
DAR
US$64.65
Darling Ingredients
7D
9.1%
1Y
121.3%

DAR: EPA RFS Mandates And Q4 Execution Will Shape Balanced Risk Reward

Analysts have lifted the fair value estimate for Darling Ingredients by about $2 to roughly $64, citing a series of higher price targets tied to updated views on profit potential, revenue growth, and sector support following recent EPA volume mandates. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Darling Ingredients has been largely constructive, with several firms adjusting price targets higher and highlighting updated views on earnings power, regulatory support and execution in key segments such as Feed and Diamond Green Diesel (DGD).
JBS
US$17.75
JBS
7D
4.2%
1Y
n/a
LW
US$39.35
Lamb Weston Holdings
7D
-5.4%
1Y
-33.3%
FLO
US$8.24
Flowers Foods
7D
-1.9%
1Y
-56.2%

FLO: Updated Guidance And Impairment Reset Will Support Long Term Earnings Stability

Analysts have reduced their price target on Flowers Foods from $13.17 to $10.67, citing updated assumptions for slower revenue growth, slightly lower profit margins, a higher discount rate, and a reduced future P/E multiple. What's in the News Flowers Foods reported impairment of intangible assets of $135,981,000 for the 13-week period ended January 3, 2026, which directly affects reported earnings quality and book value (Key Developments).
VITL
US$12.59
Vital Farms
7D
-4.2%
1Y
-60.9%
ADM
US$73.83
Archer-Daniels-Midland
7D
2.2%
1Y
70.4%
SFD
US$28.37
Smithfield Foods
7D
6.3%
1Y
43.5%
FDP
US$41.25
Fresh Del Monte Produce
7D
-1.6%
1Y
35.0%

FDP: Share Buybacks And Sponsorship Exposure Will Support Future Upside Potential

Analysts have left their $52.00 price target on Fresh Del Monte Produce unchanged, reflecting consistent assumptions for discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E multiple. What's in the News Fresh Del Monte Produce returned as the official sponsor of the Miami Open, offering three branded smoothie combinations at the Courtside Smoothie experience at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, from March 15 to March 29 (Key Developments).
HRL
US$22.09
Hormel Foods
7D
-4.2%
1Y
-28.1%

HRL: 2026 Guidance And Regulatory Shake Up Will Drive Upside Potential

Analysts have trimmed their price target on Hormel Foods by $2 to reflect updated views on the company, with the adjustment supported by refreshed estimates for fair value, discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E assumptions. Analyst Commentary Bullish Takeaways Some bullish analysts view the modest $2 trim to the price target as a fine tuning of valuation inputs rather than a fundamental reset, with fair value and discount rate assumptions updated to reflect current information.
MDLZ
US$57.54
Mondelez International
7D
-1.3%
1Y
-13.2%
SEB
US$5,906.78
Seaboard
7D
6.3%
1Y
127.5%