Valued at a market cap of $26.6 billion, The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) manufactures and markets food and beverage products. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based company boasts a portfolio of iconic brands, including Heinz, Kraft, Philadelphia, and Oscar Mayer.
This food and beverage company has notably underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. Shares of KHC have declined 22.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 28.3%. Moreover, on a YTD basis, the stock is down 7.2%, compared to SPX’s 4.2% rise.
Narrowing the focus, KHC has also lagged the First Trust Nasdaq Food & Beverage ETF (FTXG), which decreased 4.2% over the past 52 weeks and gained 6% on a YTD basis.
On Feb. 12, KHC shares fell 2.7% after the company reported mixed Q4 2025 results. Its net sales declined 3.4% year-over-year to $6.4 billion, falling short of analyst expectations. However, its adjusted EPS came in at $0.67, exceeding consensus estimates of $0.61.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect KHC’s EPS to decline 21.5% year over year to $2.04. The company’s earnings surprise history is promising. It topped the consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 21 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Hold,” which is based on one “Strong Buy,” 16 “Hold,” one "Moderate Sell,” and three "Strong Sell” ratings.
The configuration is less bearish than a month ago, with four analysts suggesting a "Strong Sell” rating.
On Apr. 23, Morgan Stanley (MS) maintained an “Underweight” rating on KHC and lowered its price target to $22.
The mean price target of $23.42 suggests a 3.9% premium to its current levels, while its Street-high price target of $30 suggests a 33.1% potential upside from the current price levels.
