Marzetti’s (MZTI) “Neutral” Rating Reaffirmed at DA Davidson

DA Davidson reaffirmed their neutral rating on shares of Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI) in a report published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. DA Davidson currently has a $184.00 price target on the stock.

MZTI has been the topic of several other research reports. Stephens dropped their price target on shares of Marzetti from $190.00 to $180.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen cut Marzetti from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 31st. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Marzetti in a research note on Friday, January 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $188.00.

Marzetti Stock Down 3.1%

Shares of MZTI stock opened at $155.51 on Wednesday. Marzetti has a 52-week low of $152.95 and a 52-week high of $198.39. The stock has a market cap of $4.28 billion, a PE ratio of 23.81 and a beta of 0.39. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $166.36 and a 200-day simple moving average of $171.07.

Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.23 by ($0.08). Marzetti had a net margin of 9.25% and a return on equity of 18.55%. The company had revenue of $509.77 million for the quarter. Marzetti’s revenue was up 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Marzetti will post 6.8 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marzetti Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 5th were paid a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 5th. Marzetti’s payout ratio is 64.94%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marzetti

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new stake in Marzetti in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Marzetti in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Marzetti during the fourth quarter worth approximately $52,000. Blue Trust Inc. acquired a new position in Marzetti during the fourth quarter worth $57,000. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Marzetti in the 4th quarter valued at $62,000. 66.44% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Marzetti News

Here are the key news stories impacting Marzetti this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Marzetti announced a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan’s (premium sauces) in a ~$400M deal — management says this will expand the company’s premium sauces footprint and product portfolio, which investors may view as a growth and margin-enhancing move. Marzetti to Acquire Bachan’s in $400 Million Deal
• Positive Sentiment: Company reported record Q2 gross profit and highlighted strategic product expansion and higher-margin initiatives tied to the Bachan’s deal — a constructive sign for medium-term margin recovery. Q2 Highlights: Record Gross Profit and Strategic Plans
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call presentation and full Q2 earnings transcripts are available for detail on volume pressures, pricing, and cost trends — useful for investors wanting granular guidance and management commentary. Q2 Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating with a $184 price target (implies upside from current levels), signaling analysts see potential but expect modest near-term returns. DA Davidson Reaffirms Neutral
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 EPS of $2.15 missed consensus ($2.23) and revenue showed only modest year-over-year growth; that earnings miss is a near-term negative catalyst. Q2 Earnings Summary & Key Takeaways
• Negative Sentiment: Stephens lowered its price target from $190 to $180 while keeping an “equal weight” rating, reducing upside expectations and adding pressure to the stock. Stephens Lowers Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary highlights the sharp intraday decline and investor concern about volume and near-term demand softness — sentiment pieces detail the “bitter plunge” reaction. The Marzetti Company’s Bitter Plunge

Marzetti Company Profile

Lancaster Colony Corporation engages in the manufacturing and marketing of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice channels in the United States. It operates in two segments, Retail and Foodservice. The company offers frozen garlic bread under the New York BRAND Bakery; frozen Parkerhouse style yeast and dinner rolls under the Sister Schubert's brand; salad dressings under the Marzetti, Simply Dressed, Cardini's, and Girard's brands; vegetable and fruit dips under the Marzetti brand; croutons and salad toppings under the New York BRAND Bakery, Chatham Village, and Marzetti brands; and frozen pasta under the Marzetti Frozen Pasta brand.