Post (NYSE:POST) Stock Price Up 10.9% on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Post Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:POST) shares shot up 10.9% during trading on Friday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $117.13 and last traded at $115.7840. 141,820 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 82% from the average session volume of 786,974 shares. The stock had previously closed at $104.41.

The company reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.47. The company had revenue of $2.17 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.18 billion. Post had a net margin of 3.82% and a return on equity of 12.05%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.73 EPS.

Trending Headlines about Post

Here are the key news stories impacting Post this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat and raised guidance — Post reported adjusted EPS above consensus ($2.13 vs. $1.66 consensus), revenue grew ~10% year-over-year, and management raised FY2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $1.55–$1.58 billion, which supports upside to valuation and drove buying interest. Post Holdings Reports Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026; Raises Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Leadership change at Post Consumer Brands — The company named Greg Pearson as President & CEO of Post Consumer Brands (effective April 1). Market reaction suggests investors view this as a stabilizing commercial/brand leadership move for a core segment. Greg Pearson to Join Post Consumer Brands as President and Chief Executive Officer
• Neutral Sentiment: Top-line vs. some street estimates mixed — while revenue rose ~10%, it was marginally below certain estimates ($2.17B vs. ~$2.18B). That moderates the beat narrative and keeps focus on margin and segment trends in upcoming calls. Post Holdings Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Grow About 10% Y/Y
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst backdrop supportive but varied — recent analyst coverage is mostly positive (several Outperform/Overweight ratings) and median price targets sit near current levels, leaving room for incremental upgrades if execution continues. Post Holdings (POST) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth but EPS Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Cash flow and liquidity signals to watch — some third‑party data flagged a sharp decline in cash and operating cash flow year-over-year; investors will watch free cash flow and working capital as acquisitions and integration drive results. Post Holdings (POST) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings: Revenue Growth but EPS Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Leverage and margins remain elevated/thin — Post carries meaningful leverage (debt-to-equity around ~2.0) and reported modest net margins; any slip in volumes or integration costs could pressure results and sentiment. Listen to Conference Call

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Evercore cut their price objective on shares of Post from $131.00 to $129.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Post from $131.00 to $132.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Mizuho decreased their price objective on Post from $122.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 1st. Wall Street Zen cut Post from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, November 23rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Post from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $125.33.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director David W. Kemper bought 1,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The stock was bought at an average price of $97.93 per share, for a total transaction of $176,274.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 31,522 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,086,949.46. This trade represents a 6.06% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Bradly A. Harper sold 1,658 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.69, for a total transaction of $160,312.02. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 11,441 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,106,230.29. This trade represents a 12.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 14.05% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Post

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Post during the second quarter valued at approximately $136,310,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its position in shares of Post by 35.0% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,313,852 shares of the company’s stock valued at $143,249,000 after purchasing an additional 340,599 shares during the last quarter. Duquesne Family Office LLC bought a new stake in shares of Post during the 3rd quarter worth $18,959,000. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC raised its stake in shares of Post by 773.1% during the 2nd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 176,386 shares of the company’s stock worth $19,231,000 after purchasing an additional 156,184 shares during the period. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Post by 208.2% in the 3rd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 219,673 shares of the company’s stock worth $23,610,000 after buying an additional 148,390 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.85% of the company’s stock.

Post Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average is $99.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $104.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The company has a market cap of $5.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.19 and a beta of 0.44.

About Post

Post Holdings, Inc is a consumer packaged goods company that operates as a holding company for a diverse portfolio of food and beverage brands. The company’s principal activities include the production, marketing and distribution of ready-to-eat cereal, refrigerated and frozen foods, and nutritional beverages. Through its operating segments—Post Consumer Brands, Foodservice, Refrigerated Side Dishes & Bakery, and Active Nutrition—Post Holdings delivers a broad array of products to retail grocers, convenience stores, foodservice operators and e-commerce channels.

The Post Consumer Brands segment features a variety of hot and cold cereals under names such as Honey Bunches of Oats, Shredded Wheat and Pebbles.