Dole (NYSE:DOLE) Posts Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.16 EPS

Dole (NYSE:DOLE) released its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.32 by ($0.16), FiscalAI reports. Dole had a return on equity of 7.08% and a net margin of 0.97%. The firm had revenue of $2.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.37 billion.

Here are the key takeaways from Dole’s conference call:

• Third-quarter adjusted EBITDA rose 4.1% to $84.1 million. Strong Diversified Americas results and improved Fresh Fruit performance more than offset a modest decline in Diversified EMEA.
• Dole lowered its 2026 adjusted EBITDA target to $380 million–$390 million, from approximately $400 million, citing higher fuel and shipping costs and weather-related supply challenges. European shipping fuel costs are expected to be about $16 million above the company’s original full-year expectations.
• Strong free cash flow of $110.4 million in the quarter, alongside proceeds from the Ecuador port sale, reduced net debt to $491.3 million and leverage to 1.3x. The company expects year-end debt and leverage to remain near those levels.
• Diversified Americas continued its strong run, with revenue up 14.1% and adjusted EBITDA up 22.8%, supported by higher North American volumes. Dole also said integration of its Scandinavian acquisition is progressing well and plans further investment in warehouse automation.

Dole Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of NYSE:DOLE traded down $0.18 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $13.88. 16,473 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 960,184. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $13.31 and its 200 day moving average price is $14.26. The firm has a market cap of $1.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.54 and a beta of 0.75. Dole has a 12-month low of $12.59 and a 12-month high of $16.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 1.28.

Dole Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 16th will be given a dividend of $0.0850 per share. This represents a $0.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 16th. Dole’s payout ratio is 54.84%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

DOLE has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded Dole from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $14.00 target price on Dole in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Freedom Broker started coverage on Dole in a research note on Wednesday, November 4th. They issued a “strong-buy” rating on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $14.00.

Dole Company Profile

Dole plc is an international fresh produce company that sources, grows, packs, ships, markets and distributes fruit and vegetables. Its products include bananas, pineapples and other fresh fruit, as well as vegetables and packaged salads sold under the Dole brand and other labels. The company serves retail, wholesale and food-service customers across a range of markets. Its operations span multiple regions, connecting produce growers and farms with customers through its global sourcing, logistics and distribution network.