Key facts, as of
As of October 6, 2026, Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $19.88, down 18.2% over the past year. Its 52-week range runs from $19.42 to $26.60; the price is 25.3% below that high. It is 63.9% below its all-time high of $55.11, reached in April 2022. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned −31.1%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It sits 14.0% below its 200-day average of $23.13, the usual sign of a long-term downtrend. Its 30-day volatility is 15.9% annualized, which we rate medium risk. It has a trailing P/E of 32.1 and a dividend yield of 5.83%.
Cite: Portfolio Terminal, "Hormel Foods (HRL) stock analysis", 2026-10-06. 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
How far it is from its record
Hormel Foods (HRL) is 63.9% below its all-time high of $55.11, reached in April 2022. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned −31.1%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
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 32.1x 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 0.29, 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 25.3% 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: Oct 6, 2026, 11:07 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 $25.94 versus $19.88 today (+30.5%). 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.
Which ETFs hold it
HRL is in 6 of the 30 ETFs we track. It weighs most in XLP: 0.37% of the fund, holding #32 of 33.
Famous investors who hold it
HRL is in the latest 13F of 1 of the 15 famous investors we follow. Bill Gates (Gates Foundation Trust) holds the most of it: 0.15% of the portfolio, position #22 of 24, as of Q2 2026.
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, with $19.56 the next floor.
downtrend- Price is 11.4% below its 50-day average and 14.0% below its 200-day.
- The 50-day crossed below the 200-day on 2026-09-25 (a “death cross”).
- RSI at 32 is neither stretched nor washed out.
- The nearest ceiling is $21.09 (+6.1%), the nearest floor $19.56 (-1.6%).
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 investment in 2026?
Hormel Foods trades at a P/E ratio of 32.1, with medium volatility (15.9% annualized). Recent trend shows weakness.
What is the risk level of HRL?
Based on 30-day volatility of 15.9%, HRL has MEDIUM risk. Beta of 0.29 indicates lower sensitivity to market movements than average.
Does HRL pay dividends?
Yes, Hormel Foods has a dividend yield of 5.83%.
How far is HRL from its all-time high?
Hormel Foods is 63.9% below its all-time high of $55.11, reached in April 2022. Over the 10 years to the end of September 2026, with dividends reinvested, it returned −31.1%, against +312.9% for the S&P 500 (SPY).
Which ETFs hold HRL?
6 of the 30 popular ETFs we track hold Hormel Foods. The largest weights: XLP (0.37%), VYM (0.03%), VOO (<0.01%), VTI (<0.01%) and SPY (<0.01%). Measured on each issuer's full holdings file, dated August 31 to September 24, 2026.
How much of VOO is HRL?
<0.01%, as of August 31, 2026: HRL is holding #498 of 505 in Vanguard's file for VOO. $1,000 in VOO puts about $0.10 in Hormel Foods.
Which famous investors own HRL?
Bill Gates (0.15% of Gates Foundation Trust's 13F), according to their latest Form 13F filings with the SEC (Q2 2026). A 13F lists US long positions 45 days after the quarter ends, so it can be out of date.
What is the analyst price target for HRL?
The average analyst price target for Hormel Foods (HRL) is $25.94 based on 8 analyst estimates, about 30.5% above the current price of $19.88. 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.