Why J. M. Smucker (SJM) Shares Are Sliding Today

What Happened?

Shares of packaged foods company J.M Smucker (NYSE:SJM) fell 4.1% in the afternoon session after Argus downgraded the stock to Hold from Buy, citing concerns over volume growth. 

The research firm noted that while the company has attempted to offset commodity inflation and supply-chain challenges with price increases, these hikes are now pressuring sales volumes. Compounding the negative sentiment, a securities law firm reminded investors of its pending investigation into J. M. Smucker for potential violations of federal securities laws. The investigation relates to an $867 million impairment charge on its Sweet Baked Snacks segment and a $113 million charge on its Hostess brand trademark, which were driven by the segment's "continued underperformance.".

After the initial drop the shares shed some of the losses and rose to $103.05, down 4.4% from previous close.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

J. M. Smucker’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 3 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 17 days ago when the stock gained 2.8% on the news that Bernstein raised its price target on the stock to $110 from $94. The firm maintained its Market Perform rating on the shares. The positive sentiment was also supported by the company's decision to raise its free cash flow guidance for fiscal year 2026 by $100 million, citing expected tax benefits. This analyst action aligns with a generally favorable view on Wall Street, where the stock holds a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from a pool of fifteen analysts. The average target price among these analysts stands at $119.69, suggesting further potential upside.

J. M. Smucker is down 7.5% since the beginning of the year, and at $103.05 per share, it is trading 15.3% below its 52-week high of $121.73 from October 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of J. M. Smucker’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $916.77.

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