In the latest trading session, Freshpet (FRPT) closed at $68.52, marking a -1.24% move from the previous day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 0.01% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.13%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 0.16%.
Shares of the seller of refrigerated fresh pet food have appreciated by 8.83% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Consumer Staples sector's gain of 10.92%, and outperforming the S&P 500's loss of 0.28%.
The upcoming earnings release of Freshpet will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on February 23, 2026. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.43, marking a 19.44% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $285.8 million, indicating a 8.79% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $2.49 per share and revenue of $1.1 billion, indicating changes of +223.38% and +13.07%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Freshpet. These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Currently, Freshpet is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
In the context of valuation, Freshpet is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 47.67. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 14.83, so one might conclude that Freshpet is trading at a premium comparatively.
It's also important to note that FRPT currently trades at a PEG ratio of 1.7. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As the market closed yesterday, the Food - Miscellaneous industry was having an average PEG ratio of 2.11.
The Food - Miscellaneous industry is part of the Consumer Staples sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 190, finds itself in the bottom 23% echelons of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
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Freshpet, Inc. (FRPT): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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