Smithfield Foods' (NASDAQ: SFD) stock price is rocketing higher and on track to keep moving, as the high-quality, deep-value company is firing on all cylinders amid tailwinds.
The tailwinds include increased demand and pricing for pork products, underpinned by export growth and high beef prices. Estimates vary, but pork demand is expected to remain strong this year, leading to a 2% average price increase per unit as consumers shift away from higher-priced beef.
What this means for Smithfield is an improved earnings outlook and dividend safety.
The outlook and safety are evident in the board's decision to increase the dividend payment to $1.25 per share this year. At $1.25, the payment is more than attractive, yielding about 4.80% with shares near their post-IPO highs, and it is cheap to own. More importantly, the payout ratio and growth outlook suggest that the dividend payment is reliable for future years and that distribution growth is likely to continue.
Valuation metrics align with a robust increase in stock price. SFD trades at approximately 9x earnings, about 6 handles shy of its major competitor, Hormel. Hormel, trading at approximately 15x earnings, is also at value levels, as it tends to trade above 25x when fully valued. That premium is tied to its dividend and growth outlook, which are robust in the first case and improving in the second.
In this scenario, both Hormel and Smithfield Foods are positioned to advance over the coming quarters and years, but Smithfield is poised to outperform.
Smithfield Foods Grows and Widens Margin in FQ4
Smithfield Foods had a solid fourth quarter, with revenue growing by 7.1% to $4.23 billion.
Strength was seen across segments, with Packaged Meats up 4.3%, Fresh Pork up 2.1%, and Hogs up 3.3%. The strongest growth was seen in the Other category, which grew by neary 43% for the quarter. It includes high-demand quick-serve, value-added, and convenience products such as cooked ribs and snacks.
Margin news is also good. The company experienced margin pressure in the Other and Packaged Meats segment but mitigated the decline with quality improvements and strength in the other segments. Operating profit in the Fresh Pork and Hogs segments increased by 25% and reversed a loss, respectively, leading to a 20% year-over-year systemwide improvement.
Guidance assumes pricing strength will continue, and includes plans for operational improvements. Among them is a new state-of-the-art Sioux Falls facility that incorporates modern automation and superior product flow.
Signs Point to $30 SFD Share Price
The company’s momentum is seen clearly in the guidance. Smithfield expects revenue growth to slow, but to only to 3%, 200 basis points better than expected.
Within that, earnings quality is also forecasted to improve, leading analysts to lift price targets.
The coverage isn’t robust, with about a half dozen reports tracked, but the revisions are leading the market higher, forecasting a 25% upside at the high-end, and putting this market at fresh all-time highs.
This is a critical detail, as the move entails breaking out of a post-IPO trading range. The stock price could rise by 20% to 25% in that instance, aligning with analysts’ high target price.
The post release price action is robust, lifting the stock by $4 to just over $26. The move creates a large green candle, reflecting solid support and confirming the uptrend. The market also shows a high probability of extending the move, with trading volume, the MACD, and stochastic indicators aligning with trend-following entries.
Critical resistance is near the existing all-time high, just above $26, and is likely to be crossed soon. In that event, the market may reach the $30 level within days to a few weeks and may continue higher if the news flow strengthens the outlook for profits.
Among this year's catalysts is the acquisition of Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, which is part of a broader strategy focused on high-margin packaged meat products. The purchase turns the company into the brand owner, transitioning from manufacturer, and will increase profitability immediately. The move removes licensing fees, enabling Smithfield to capture 100% of available margin. Institutions are also in the mix, accumulating the stock at a 4-to-1 pace since the IPO and underpinning the uptrend.
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The article "Smithfield Foods Roasts Q4 Estimates: Is a $30 Price Handle Near?" first appeared on MarketBeat.
