Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT – Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.19, Zacks reports. Freshpet had a net margin of 17.28% and a return on equity of 5.97%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.86 EPS.
Here are the key takeaways from Freshpet’s conference call:
- Freshpet raised its 2026 outlook, now expecting 12%–13% sales growth and adjusted EBITDA of $215 million–$220 million. Third-quarter sales rose 10%, adjusted EBITDA increased 18%, and adjusted gross margin reached 50%.
- Growth was broad-based: MVP household penetration rose 8%, e-commerce sales increased 35%, and distribution points grew 14%. Management said its products are holding up against new competitors, while noting that customer order timing caused reported sales growth to trail measured consumption growth.
- Improved manufacturing performance unlocked more than $100 million of capacity within the existing footprint, allowing Freshpet to lower its 2026 capital-spending outlook to $125 million–$150 million. The company expects its new bag technology to contribute substantially to a 100-basis-point adjusted gross-margin improvement in 2027.
- Higher logistics costs, along with structural inflation in ingredients and packaging, are pressuring profitability; management expects logistics costs to remain elevated and plans selective price increases in 2027. Planned maintenance downtime, holiday-related production interruptions, and additional staffing are expected to reduce fourth-quarter adjusted gross margin sequentially, potentially to below the prior-year level.
Freshpet Price Performance
NASDAQ:FRPT traded down $0.58 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $69.02. 1,054,734 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,395,385. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 5.03 and a current ratio of 6.05. The company has a market cap of $3.39 billion, a PE ratio of 18.18 and a beta of 1.75. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $64.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $63.89. Freshpet has a 1 year low of $46.45 and a 1 year high of $86.00.
Insider Activity at Freshpet
In other Freshpet news, Director Walter George acquired 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $64.92 per share, with a total value of $64,920.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 51,746 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,359,350.32. This trade represents a 1.97% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO William Cyr sold 2,657 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.40, for a total value of $200,337.80. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 49,044 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,697,917.60. The trade was a 5.14% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 171,636 shares of company stock worth $12,754,864 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 4.30% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts recently weighed in on FRPT shares. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Weiss Ratings raised Freshpet from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Monday, September 28th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Freshpet from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, August 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Freshpet from $82.00 to $77.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Freshpet from $78.00 to $76.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 26th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $79.62.
View Our Latest Analysis on Freshpet
Freshpet Company Profile
Freshpet, Inc (NASDAQ: FRPT) is a pet food company that develops, manufactures and markets refrigerated, fresh food and treats for dogs and cats. Its products are made with animal proteins, vegetables and other ingredients and are designed to be stored in the refrigerator rather than on a conventional shelf.
The company sells its products under the Freshpet brand and related product lines, including Freshpet Select and Vital. Its offerings include refrigerated meals, rolls, recipes and treats formulated for different pet sizes, ages and dietary needs.
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