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Flowers Foods (FLO)
NYSE:FLO

Flowers Foods (FLO) AI Stock Analysis

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Flowers Foods

(NYSE:FLO)

58Neutral
Flowers Foods faces financial challenges with declining revenue and profitability, but its reasonable valuation and attractive dividend yield provide some strengths. The technical analysis shows a lack of momentum, while strategic initiatives highlighted in the earnings call and a recent acquisition support future growth potential. Overall, the stock is moderately positioned, with significant risks balanced by strategic opportunities.
Positive Factors
Brand Strategy
Management's approach in creating smaller loaves to help consumers stay within budget and expanding the DKB brand into new formats is appreciated.
Margins
Adjusted gross margins expanded driven by improved input costs and optimization of the non-retail business.
Market Position
The company is well positioned with its portfolio of healthier brands for the continued decline of the white bread segment.
Negative Factors
Competitive Pressure
The likelihood exists that competitors start to step up their own activities, leading to incremental brand support needs for FLO.
Sales Growth
It is tough to get excited about another year of tepid sales growth.
White Bread Segment
White bread remains a large part of the overall business, and at least low single-digit top line growth is necessary to gain investor attention.

Flowers Foods (FLO) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Flowers Foods Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionFlowers Foods, Inc. produces and markets packaged bakery products in the United States. It offers fresh breads, buns, rolls, snack cakes, and tortillas, as well as frozen breads and rolls under the Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, Mrs. Freshley's, and Tastykake brand names. The company distributes its products through a direct-store-delivery distribution and a warehouse delivery system, as well as operates 46 bakeries comprising 44 owned and two leased. Its customers include mass merchandisers, supermarkets and other retailers, convenience stores, national and regional restaurants, quick-serve chains, retail in-store bakeries, foodservice distributors, food wholesalers, institutions, dollar stores, and vending companies. The company was formerly known as Flowers Industries and changed its name to Flowers Foods, Inc. in 2001. Flowers Foods, Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia.
How the Company Makes MoneyFlowers Foods generates revenue primarily through the sale of its bakery products to retail and foodservice customers. Its revenue model relies on a diversified portfolio of bakery goods that cater to different consumer preferences and dietary needs. Key revenue streams include sales from branded products, which often command premium pricing, and private label products that cater to cost-conscious consumers. The company's direct store delivery system and partnerships with independent distributors help optimize distribution efficiency and reach a broad customer base. Additionally, Flowers Foods leverages significant economies of scale and invests in brand marketing to maintain its competitive edge and drive sales growth.

Flowers Foods Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Flowers Foods is facing financial challenges with a recent decline in revenue and profitability, as well as increased leverage. While the company has shown historical strengths such as stable gross profit margins and positive cash flows, the latest results highlight potential risks in profitability and liquidity that need to be addressed to ensure sustainable growth.
Income Statement
55
Neutral
Flowers Foods has experienced inconsistent revenue growth, with a decline in the most recent year. Gross profit margins have been strong historically, but the recent EBIT and EBITDA margins are concerning with negative EBIT reported in the latest year. Net profit margin was also impacted, showing no net income for the latest period.
Balance Sheet
65
Positive
The company's balance sheet shows moderate leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio that has been increasing, indicating rising debt levels. However, the equity ratio remains stable, suggesting a reasonable balance between debt and equity financing. ROE has shown strength in previous periods but is currently challenged by a lack of net income.
Cash Flow
45
Neutral
Cash flow from operations has been historically positive, but there is a sharp decline in free cash flow in the most recent period, indicating potential cash management issues. The lack of operating cash flow and free cash flow in the latest year further impacts the company's ability to support operations and growth without external financing.
Breakdown
Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Mar 2022Mar 2021
Income StatementTotal Revenue
5.10B5.09B4.81B4.33B4.39B
Gross Profit
2.53B2.46B2.30B2.16B2.19B
EBIT
348.29M172.87M303.21M294.92M321.49M
EBITDA
525.28M345.80M469.96M438.99M380.74M
Net Income Common Stockholders
248.12M123.42M228.39M206.19M152.32M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
5.00M22.53M165.13M185.87M307.48M
Total Assets
3.40B3.43B3.31B3.25B3.32B
Total Debt
1.60B1.35B1.17B1.19B1.31B
Net Debt
1.59B1.33B1.01B1.01B998.39M
Total Liabilities
1.99B2.08B1.87B1.84B1.95B
Stockholders Equity
1.41B1.35B1.44B1.41B1.37B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
280.58M220.28M191.82M198.45M356.54M
Operating Cash Flow
412.66M349.35M360.89M344.61M454.46M
Investing Cash Flow
-172.67M-403.81M-151.09M-191.44M-73.99M
Financing Cash Flow
-257.52M-88.15M-222.17M-274.78M-84.04M

Flowers Foods Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price17.31
Price Trends
50DMA
18.17
Negative
100DMA
18.71
Negative
200DMA
20.35
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.30
Positive
RSI
43.86
Neutral
STOCH
35.89
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For FLO, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 17.31 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 17.58, below the 50-day MA of 18.17, and below the 200-day MA of 20.35, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.30 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 43.86 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 35.89 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for FLO.

Flowers Foods Risk Analysis

Flowers Foods disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Flowers Foods reported the most risks in the “Production” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Flowers Foods Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (64)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
$3.70B25.518.40%11.47%2.59%
72
Outperform
$4.67B27.5417.73%2.18%0.69%27.48%
66
Neutral
$2.78B11.978.59%3.42%-0.24%26.74%
64
Neutral
$8.77B14.684.78%173.90%3.25%2.18%
FLFLO
58
Neutral
$3.65B16.1016.34%5.54%-1.02%81.53%
58
Neutral
$2.27B29.938.20%2.64%0.49%-12.32%
THTHS
54
Neutral
$1.18B180.140.43%-3.37%-65.26%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
FLO
Flowers Foods
17.31
-5.99
-25.71%
JJSF
J & J Snack Foods
116.50
-43.59
-27.23%
SMPL
Simply Good Foods
36.58
-1.16
-3.07%
LANC
Lancaster Colony
169.49
-18.78
-9.98%
THS
TreeHouse Foods
23.31
-12.24
-34.43%
NOMD
Nomad Foods
18.14
0.29
1.62%

Flowers Foods Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 16, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 1.41%|
Next Earnings Date:Aug 07, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflects a balanced sentiment, acknowledging significant challenges in core categories and economic uncertainties while highlighting strategic initiatives and emerging segment performances that aim to counteract these issues.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Unit Share Maintained
Despite facing greater than expected declines in the category, Flowers Foods held unit share, highlighting the importance of their portfolio strategy and brand strength.
Innovation and Expansion Initiatives
Investments in on-trend innovation and targeting growth in faster-growing categories and adjacencies are ongoing, aiming to align the portfolio with consumer tastes and drive sustainable growth.
Promotional Strategy Yields Results
Increased promotional activity around differentiated offerings like Dave's Killer Bread has led to higher lifts, particularly towards the end of the quarter.
New Business Wins
Significant space gains from new business wins are expected to mitigate some headwinds experienced in the core category.
Foodservice Business Margin Improvement
Despite a decline in overall foodservice sales, profitability and margins in the foodservice business continue to improve.
Negative Updates
Weak Core Packaged Bread Category
The core packaged bread category faced greater than expected declines, with particular weakness in the traditional open white bread segments.
EBITDA Margin Guidance Reduced
EBITDA margin guidance was reduced by about 30 to 40 basis points due to category trends and tariff impacts.
Tariff Impacts
Unexpected tariff impacts from countries other than Canada and Mexico, affecting input costs for ingredients like sugar, wheat gluten, and palm oil.
Private Label and Away From Home Challenges
Weakness in private label and away from home segments due to lost bid business and overall foodservice sales decline.
Uncertain Economic Environment
Challenges in forecasting improvements due to dynamic and fluid economic conditions, with no significant improvements expected until 2026.
Company Guidance
During the Flowers Foods' First Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call, the company provided guidance emphasizing their strategic focus amidst challenging market conditions. Ryals McMullian, the CEO, acknowledged that although the company managed to maintain its unit share in a declining category, they anticipate improvements no sooner than 2026, given the current economic uncertainty and consumer health trends. The company is focusing on innovation and targeting growth opportunities in faster-growing categories, such as healthier bread options, and leveraging their brand strengths. They are also addressing consumer preferences with smaller loaf offerings and have noted the successful early performance of their Wonder mini half loaf. Despite a decrease in EBITDA margin guidance by 30-40 basis points, attributed primarily to gross margins and tariff impacts, Flowers Foods remains committed to achieving their long-term targets of 12-14% EBITDA margin, leveraging branded growth and fixed cost efficiencies. Additionally, the company is facing challenges in food service sales but is restructuring to improve profitability, while new private label business is expected to mitigate some volume losses.

Flowers Foods Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesM&A TransactionsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Flowers Foods Acquires Purposeful Foods for $795 Million
Positive
Feb 21, 2025

On February 14, 2025, C. Martin Wood III announced his decision to retire from the board of directors of Flowers Foods at the end of his current term, coinciding with the company’s 2025 annual meeting of shareholders. This decision will result in a reduction of the board’s size from 12 to 11 members. Additionally, on February 21, 2025, Flowers Foods completed the acquisition of Purposeful Foods Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Simple Mills, for $795 million. This acquisition aims to enhance Flowers Foods’ presence in the better-for-you and snacking segments, diversifying its category exposure and improving growth and margin prospects.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.