Stock·NYSE·Consumer Defensive
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL)
- Market cap
- $11.23B
- P/E
- 31.95
- Dividend yield
- 5.75%
- Street target
- $25.00median of 10 analysts
- 52-week range
- $18.96 $26.60
The short version
Where HRL stands today, in four lines, and what CleaRank Financial AI makes of it.
HRL at a glance
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL): Sell, 37/100 on CleaRank's AI score.
- Trend Down: the price is below both its 50- and 200-day moving averages ($21.53 and $22.95).
- Earnings HRL beat estimates in 4 of its last 7 quarters, yet fell the next day after 1 of those beats.
- Insiders Insiders sold $817K and bought $201K over the last 18 months.
- Valuation P/E of 32.0 against 24.2 for the Consumer Defensive sector: a premium to peers (+32%).
Figures as of October 17, 2026.
CleaRank Financial AI
CleaRank rates Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) Sell, with a model score of 37/100.
The analysts' outlook lifts the score most: the median target is 22.5% above the price. The trend holds it back most: the price is 11.10% below its 200-day average and 5.26% below its 50-day average, and the 50-day average is 6.16% below the 200-day. The 50-day average stands at $21.53 and the 200-day at $22.95. Over the past year the price fell 14.11%.
Only on CleaRank
Figures we compute ourselves from HRL's own price, earnings and insider-filing history. Tap one to see it in context.
Price and trading
The chart, today's range and how far the price has moved over each period.
Trend checks
0/4Price above its 50-day average ›
The price of $20.40 is 5.3% below the 50-day simple moving average of $21.53.Price above its 200-day average ›
The price is 11.1% below the 200-day simple moving average of $22.95.50-day average above the 200-day ›
The 50-day average ($21.53) is 6.2% below the 200-day average ($22.95), the arrangement of a falling longer-term trend.In the upper half of its 52-week range ›
The price sits at 19% of its 52-week range, between $18.96 and $26.60.
HRL share price
Pick a period: each tab shows how far HRL has moved over it, to the last close.
Today's trading
Where HRL sits inside today's range and its 52-week range.
Fundamentals
Valuation against the sector, and the revenue and earnings behind it.
Valuation and quality checks
4/5P/E below the sector median ›
The trailing P/E of 31.95 is 32.0% above the Consumer Defensive median of 24.2.P/S below the sector median ›
The price-to-sales ratio of 0.90 is 59.2% below the sector median of 2.2.Profitable over the last 12 months ›
Net income over the last 12 months was $342.7M on revenue of $12.1B, a net margin of 2.8%.Beat estimates in most recent reports ›
HRL beat the EPS estimate in 4 of its last 7 reports.Pays a dividend ›
The trailing dividend yield is 5.75%, or $1.17 a share a year.
Key statistics
The headline figures for HRL.
As of October 17, 2026, HRL trades at $20.40, with a market value of $11.23B, a P/E ratio of 31.95 and a dividend yield of 5.75%.
What the numbers say
CleaRank Financial AI's reading of HRL's valuation, growth and risks.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) has a trailing P/E of 31.95, which is 32.0% above the Consumer Defensive median of 24.2. The peer comparison on this page rates the P/E as a premium to peers. Measured against sales, the price-to-sales ratio of 0.90 is 59.1% below the sector median of 2.2. The company carries a market capitalisation of $11.2B, and its trailing earnings come to $0.62 a share.
HRL is growing more slowly than its sector. Revenue shrank 2.40% in the latest year, while the sector median is 5.3%. Profitability is thin, with a net margin of 2.82% and an operating margin of 8.62%. Return on equity stands at 4.29%, which is below the sector median of 19.7%. On the balance sheet, debt-to-equity is 0.36, and the trailing dividend yield is 5.75%, equal to $1.17 a share per year.
HRL reported its latest quarter on August 27, 2026, with EPS of $0.37 against an estimate of $0.35, a result that beat the estimate by 5.71%. In the first session after the report, the share price rose 1.36%.
Over its last 7 reports, HRL topped the estimate 4 times, though the stock still fell in the first session after 1 of those 4 beats. Looking ahead, analysts expect EPS of $1.48 this fiscal year (growth of 8.4%) and $1.57 the year after (growth of 5.6%).
The P/E of 31.95, 32.0% above the sector median, puts HRL at a premium to peers, so weaker results would meet a higher bar. HRL's average daily move is 1.22%. Until the price regains its moving averages, the trend works against holders. The price is 23.31% below its 52-week high of $26.60.
HRL against the Consumer Defensive sector
How HRL compares with the median Consumer Defensive stock CleaRank tracks.
Price to earnings vs sector: HRL trades at a significant premium to sector peers (+32%), suggesting market expectations for superior growth or market position.
Return vs SPY: Since May 6, 2025, HRL has lost 30.0% against a gain of 36.6% for SPY.
Performance against SPY
HRL and the Consumer Defensive sector fund over the same days.
Revenue and earnings
How much HRL sells, and how much of it becomes profit.
Revenue growth: Revenue grew 1.6% in FY2025 to $12.1B, from $11.9B a year earlier.
Profit margin: The net margin was 3.9% in FY2025, down from 6.7% the year before.
Profitable: HRL earned $478M in FY2025.
Earnings reality check
Did HRL beat what analysts expected, and how did the stock react?
Earnings record: HRL beat the analyst estimate in 4 of the last 7 quarters.
Market reaction: The stock fell in the first session after 1 of those 4 beats, so a beat has not been enough on its own.
| Report | Estimate | Actual | Surprise | First session | 5 sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2026after close | $0.35 | $0.37 | +5.71% | +1.36% | +1.88% |
| May 28, 2026after close | $0.35 | $0.40 | +14.29% | -1.53% | -1.27% |
| Dec 4, 2025after close | $0.30 | $0.32 | +6.67% | +0.75% | -1.86% |
| Aug 28, 2025after close | $0.41 | $0.35 | -14.63% | +0.87% | +1.74% |
| May 29, 2025after close | $0.34 | $0.35 | +2.94% | +0.99% | +1.09% |
| Feb 27, 2025after close | $0.37 | $0.35 | -5.41% | +0.88% | +2.18% |
| Dec 4, 2024after close | $0.42 | $0.42 | +0.00% | +2.72% | +3.56% |
As of October 17, 2026, HRL has beaten the analyst EPS estimate in 4 of its last 7 reported quarters and fell in the first trading session after 1 of those beats; its latest report, on August 27, 2026, came in 5.71% above the estimate and the stock moved +1.36% in the first session.
The first session is the first full trading day on the news: the report day itself for a report before the open, the next day for one after the close. Surprise is actual EPS against the consensus estimate.
AI analysis and technicals
CleaRank's score and reasoning, the indicators behind it, and what the price moves with.
Momentum checks
2/3RSI not overbought or oversold ›
The 14-day RSI is 50.9, in neutral territory.RSI above 50 ›
An RSI of 50.9 is above the 50 midpoint, so buyers have had the upper hand over the last 14 days.MACD line above zero ›
The MACD line is negative, so the 12-day average is below the 26-day average.
CleaRank AI analysis of HRL
The score, the reasoning behind it, and what could move the price next.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) is trending down. The stock is priced at $20.40, which leaves it 5.26% below its 50-day average of $21.53 and 11.10% below its 200-day average of $22.95. Within its 52-week range, the price is 7.59% above the low of $18.96 and sits 23.31% below the high of $26.60, which places it near the bottom of that range. Both averages point the same way, with the 50-day 6.16% below the 200-day.
The price is down over each of these periods: 1.83% over the past month, 19.65% over the past three months and 14.11% over the past year. The 14-day RSI of 50.9 is in the neutral zone, and the MACD line is negative.
Earnings beat ›
The August 27, 2026 report beat the EPS estimate by 5.71%, and the share price rose 1.36% in the first session after it.
Source: Earnings report, August 27, 2026
Rating reaffirmed ›
BNP Paribas kept its Neutral rating on October 7, 2026.
Source: Analyst action, BNP Paribas, October 7, 2026
- Two levels matter most: the 50-day SMA at $21.53 sits above the price, and the 20-day EMA at $20.08 sits below it.
- A 14-day RSI of 50.9 is neutral, and the MACD line is negative. Readings above 70 or below 30 would signal stretched momentum.
- After the August 27, 2026 report the share price rose 1.36% in the first session; HRL beat estimates in 4 of the last 7 reports.
HRL sits below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages ($21.53 and $22.95), and that is why the trend reads down. A move back above the 50-day would be the first sign of repair. The closest level overhead is that same 50-day SMA at $21.53.
The 20-day EMA, at $20.08, is the next level below the price. The 14-day RSI reads 50.9, which is neutral, sitting between 40 and 60.
Technical indicators
Momentum and trend for HRL, from its daily closes.
As of October 17, 2026, with HRL at $20.40, its 14-day RSI is 50.9 (neutral territory), its 50-day simple moving average is $21.53 and its 200-day is $22.95.
Calculated by CleaRank on daily closes as of October 17, 2026: Wilder's 14-day RSI, 50- and 200-day simple moving averages, MACD line (12, 26).
What HRL moves with
Correlation of daily returns over one year: +1 moves in step, 0 has no link, -1 moves the opposite way.
As of October 17, 2026, HRL's 1-year correlation of daily returns is +0.01 with S&P 500 (SPY), -0.09 with Nasdaq 100 (QQQ), -0.11 with Bitcoin (BTC) and +0.02 with gold (XAU).
What Wall Street expects
The analysts' target range and how their ratings split.
Analysts checks
2/3Most analysts rate it a buy ›
3 of 10 analysts rate it a buy or strong buy, 7 a hold and 0 a sell.Median target above the price ›
The median 12-month target of $25.00 is 22.5% above the price.More buy ratings than three months ago ›
3 of 10 rate it a buy now, against 2 of 10 three months ago.
HRL Wall Street View
12-month price targets
The price, $20.40, sits below every analyst's target.
Ratings
Recent rating actions
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2026 | BNP Paribas | Maintains | Neutral |
| Aug 28, 2026 | BNP Paribas | Maintains | Neutral |
| Aug 14, 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Neutral |
| Jul 14, 2026 | BNP Paribas | Maintains | Neutral |
| Jul 9, 2026 | Stephens & Co. | Reiterates | Equal-Weight |
| Jun 30, 2026 | B of A Securities | Maintains | Neutral |
As of October 17, 2026, 10 Wall Street analysts cover HRL: 3 rate it a buy or strong buy, 7 a hold and 0 a sell or strong sell. Their 12-month price targets range from $23.00 to $30.00, with a median of $25.00, 22.5% above the price of $20.40.
Source: TwelveData analyst consensus. Targets and ratings belong to the analysts, not to CleaRank.
A trade plan, if you want one
Entry, stop and target levels from the moving averages and recent volatility. Educational, not advice.
HRL trade plan
Entry, stop and target levels, sized to your account. Change the bias or the risk and every level updates.
Short entry pick an entry style
Risk management
Profit targets (Based on Conservative Entry)
These levels come from HRL's moving averages and recent volatility, not from a forecast. Educational levels, not financial advice; the full disclaimer is at the foot of the page.
Risk profile
How much HRL tends to move, against the market and on its own.
The long record
HRL's worst falls and recoveries, what $10,000 became, and which months have been kind to it.
Track record checks
1/4Average daily move under 2% ›
The price has moved 1.22% on an average day (30-day standard deviation of daily returns).Recovered from its worst fall ›
The worst fall was 57.7%, from April 2022 to October 2026; the price is still 55.1% below that peak.Most 1-year holds ended higher ›
49% of 1-year holding periods in the last 10 years ended with a gain.Beat the S&P 500 since the chart begins ›
$10,000 invested in October 2016 is now worth $7,157.82, against $42,055 in the S&P 500 (SPY).
HRL Drawdowns & Recovery
As of October 17, 2026, HRL's worst peak-to-trough fall over the last 10 years with dividends reinvested was -57.7% (April 2022 to October 2026); it is still 55.1% below that peak, and 49% of 1-year holding periods ended with a gain.
From weekly closing values with dividends reinvested. A drawdown is the fall from the highest value reached so far to a later low.
Growth of $10,000
What $10,000 put into HRL in October 2016 is worth now, against the same amount in the S&P 500.
Against the market: HRL trailed the S&P 500 over this period: $7,157.82 against $42,055.
A $10,000 investment in HRL in October 2016 would be worth about $7,158 today with dividends reinvested, compared with about $42,055 for the same investment in the S&P 500 benchmark (also with dividends reinvested).
Seasonal patterns
Which calendar months have been kind to HRL, and which have not.
Strongest month, November: an average of +2.27%, up in 6 of 10 years.
Weakest month, September: an average of -4.11%, up in 3 of 10 years.
This month, October: has averaged -2.42%, up in 2 of 9 years. Past seasonality does not repeat on schedule.
Over the last 10 years, HRL's strongest calendar month has been November (average +2.27%, up in 6 of 10 years) and its weakest September (average -4.11%, up in 3 of 10 years).
Average return for each calendar month over the last 10 years, from weekly closing prices with dividends included.
Long-term scenarios
Thousands of simulated paths from the price history. A range of outcomes, not a forecast.
Monte Carlo projection
Thousands of simulated paths for $10,000 in HRL, from its own past volatility. The shaded area holds 80% of them.
CleaRank's 10-year Monte Carlo simulation projects that a $10,000 investment in HRL today could grow to about $9,573 by 2036 in the base case, with a 90th-percentile outcome near $24,989 and a 10th-percentile outcome around $3,667. The simulation models price only; at today's 5.75% yield, dividends would add to these figures. Projections are statistical simulations, not guarantees.
HRL Stock Price Prediction: 2030
The same simulation in share prices, year by year.
CleaRank's simulation projects a price near $20.05 for HRL by 2030 in the base case, from $20.40 today (1.0x over 4 years). The 10th-percentile path ends near $10.93. These are outcomes of a Monte Carlo simulation run on HRL's historical return distribution, not price targets, and they assume no dividends are reinvested.
| Year | 10th percentile | Base case | 90th percentile | range base today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $15.00 | $20.31 | $27.51 | |
| 2028 | $13.17 | $20.22 | $31.06 | |
| 2029 | $11.90 | $20.13 | $34.06 | |
| 2030 | $10.93 | $20.05 | $36.78 | |
| 2031 | $10.13 | $19.96 | $39.34 |
Method: a lognormal simulation of HRL's own volatility and capped historical trend, re-run daily; base case is the median path, the outer columns the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Insider trading
What the people running the company have bought and sold.
HRL insider trading
Shares the company's directors and officers bought and sold, from their own filings.
Month by month
Open-market purchases above the line, sales below.
Insider buying: Insiders bought $201K on the open market and sold $817K.
As of October 17, 2026, HRL insiders reported 2 open-market sales worth $817K and 1 open-market purchase worth $201K over the last 18 months; grants and option exercises are not counted.
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 2026 | William A Newlands
Chairman of the Board
|
Buy | 10.0K | $201.0K |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Gary C. Bhojwani
Director
|
Sell | 20.2K | $495.2K |
| Jun 9, 2026 | William W. Bonifant
Officer
|
Grant | 5.7K | - |
| Jun 9, 2026 | Domenic Borrelli
Officer
|
Grant | 8.3K | - |
| Apr 14, 2026 | William W. Bonifant
Officer
|
Grant | 12.0K | - |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Gary C. Bhojwani
Director
|
Grant | 2.7K | $60.4K |
| Mar 31, 2026 | William A Newlands
Chairman of the Board
|
Grant | 6.7K | $152.3K |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Christopher J Policinski
Director
|
Grant | 2.5K | $56.4K |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Debbra L.ee Schoneman
Director
|
Grant | 1.3K | $30.2K |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Steven Andrew White
Director
|
Grant | 2.7K | $60.4K |
| Mar 18, 2026 | Steven Andrew White
Director
|
Grant | 5.4K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Scott D Aakre
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Gary C. Bhojwani
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | John F Ghingo
President
|
Grant | 32.7K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Stephen Mark Lacy
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Elsa A Murano
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | William A Newlands
Chairman of the Board
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Christopher J Policinski
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Debbra L.ee Schoneman
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Sally J Smith
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Steven Andrew White
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Michael Paul Zechmeister
Director
|
Grant | 6.5K | - |
| Jan 2, 2026 | Scott D Aakre
Director
|
Grant | 5.6K | - |
| Dec 11, 2025 | Elsa A Murano
Director
|
Sell | 13.4K | $321.6K |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Colleen R Batcheler
Officer
|
Grant | 21.2K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Mary Katherine Clark
Officer
|
Grant | 3.6K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Paul R Kuehneman
Chief Financial Officer
|
Grant | 12.7K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Pierre M Lilly
Officer
|
Grant | 8.5K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Katherine M Losness-Larson
Officer
|
Grant | 8.5K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Kevin L. Myers
Officer
|
Grant | 10.8K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Swen Neufeldt
Officer
|
Grant | 7.6K | - |
| Dec 9, 2025 | David F. Weber
Officer
|
Grant | 5.9K | - |
| Sep 30, 2025 | Gary C. Bhojwani
Director
|
Grant | 2.7K | $65.6K |
| Sep 30, 2025 | William A Newlands
Chairman of the Board
|
Grant | 3.1K | $77.4K |
| Sep 30, 2025 | Christopher J Policinski
Director
|
Grant | 2.3K | $56.4K |
| Sep 30, 2025 | Steven Andrew White
Director
|
Grant | 2.5K | $63.0K |
| Aug 5, 2025 | Scott D Aakre
Director
|
Grant | 7.1K | - |
| Aug 5, 2025 | Jeffrey M Ettinger
Chief Executive Officer
|
Grant | 63.6K | - |
| Aug 5, 2025 | John F Ghingo
President
|
Grant | 4.1K | - |
| Jun 10, 2025 | Kevin L. Myers
Officer
|
Grant | 482 | - |
| Jun 10, 2025 | Swen Neufeldt
Officer
|
Grant | 4.8K | - |
| Jun 10, 2025 | David F. Weber
Officer
|
Grant | 643 | - |
Source: TwelveData, from SEC Form 4 filings
Questions people ask
Answered from the figures on this page, as of October 17, 2026.