J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.11 EPS

J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.27 by $0.11, Briefing.com reports. The business had revenue of $2.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.32 billion. J. M. Smucker had a negative net margin of 13.61% and a positive return on equity of 15.26%. The company’s revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.61 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from J. M. Smucker’s conference call:

• Management described the recent engagement with activist Elliott as “constructive,” highlighting alignment on operating improvements, disciplined capital allocation and governance changes, including two new board additions to support strategic execution.
• Sweet baked snacks (Hostess) remains a drag with low double‑digit exit declines, an Emporia plant fire and the Indianapolis closure weighing on results, and the company will begin amortizing the Hostess trademark (contributing to a full‑year amortization outlook of approximately $210 million).
• Coffee outlook is constructive — management expects green‑coffee deflation and the lapping of roughly $75 million of tariffs to drive profit and margin improvement, with a mid‑20s segment profit margin expected in Q4.
• Company kept fiscal EPS guidance centered on a $9 midpoint (range remains wide), saying coffee upside could offset sweet baked softness while SG&A savings from timing and efficiencies are largely already reflected in guidance.
• Key growth engines performed well: Uncrustables grew ~10% overall with expanded C‑store and away‑from‑home distribution and ~3.5 million new households, and pet brands (Meow Mix, Milk‑Bone) showed continued innovation‑driven growth despite softness in some dog‑snack SKUs.

J. M. Smucker Stock Performance

SJM stock traded up $9.72 during trading on Thursday, reaching $116.32. The company had a trading volume of 4,529,670 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,794,452. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $103.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $105.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a current ratio of 0.89. The company has a market cap of $12.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.68 and a beta of 0.23. J. M. Smucker has a twelve month low of $93.30 and a twelve month high of $121.48.

J. M. Smucker Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $1.10 dividend. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. J. M. Smucker’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -39.22%.

Key Headlines Impacting J. M. Smucker

Here are the key news stories impacting J. M. Smucker this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results beat Street estimates — Smucker reported $2.38 EPS vs. $2.27 expected and revenue of $2.34B (up 7% y/y), driven largely by pricing in coffee. This upside is a primary near-term catalyst supporting the stock. Smucker Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Up 7% on Pricing Gains
• Positive Sentiment: Agreement with activist Elliott — Smucker agreed to add two independent directors (Bruce Chung and David Singer). The deal reduces activist uncertainty and should be viewed as governance-positive by many investors. The J.M. Smucker Co. Appoints Two New Independent Directors
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Recent upgrades/positive actions (Bank of America upgrade to Buy; JPMorgan raised its price target) add buy-side momentum and institutional validation ahead of/after results. Bank of America Upgrades J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Coffee pricing helped sales growth — Higher coffee prices boosted top-line performance this quarter, but that benefit is volatile and tied to commodity cycles; it’s a mixed, watch-list factor. J.M. Smucker’s FQ3 sales perk up on higher coffee prices
• Negative Sentiment: Costs and operational headwinds persist — EPS declined y/y and margins were pressured by higher green-coffee costs, tariffs and a recent plant fire that prompted a lower sales-growth outlook; these are key downside risks to monitor. J.M. Smucker Sales Rise on Higher Coffee Prices / Adds Directors in Deal With Activist Firm Elliott

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on SJM. Citigroup reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of J. M. Smucker in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $105.00 target price (down from $115.00) on shares of J. M. Smucker in a report on Friday, January 16th. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of J. M. Smucker from $120.00 to $117.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Bank of America raised J. M. Smucker from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group upgraded J. M. Smucker to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $116.36.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On J. M. Smucker

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of J. M. Smucker in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new stake in shares of J. M. Smucker in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in J. M. Smucker in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in J. M. Smucker during the fourth quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Zions Bancorporation National Association UT grew its position in shares of J. M. Smucker by 48.2% in the fourth quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 529 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. 81.66% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

J. M. Smucker Company Profile

The J. M. Smucker Company is a diversified food and beverage manufacturer and marketer known for a portfolio of well-established consumer brands. The company’s main business activities include the production and distribution of fruit spreads, peanut butter, coffee and coffee filters, as well as pet food and pet snacks. Smucker’s core product lines serve both retail and foodservice customers through grocery chains, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience outlets and e-commerce channels.

Among its leading brands are Smucker’s® fruit spreads, Jif® peanut butter, Folgers® and Dunkin’® coffees, and Café Bustelo® coffee.