Campbell’s (NASDAQ:CPB) Cut to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

Campbell’s (NASDAQ:CPB) was downgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on CPB. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of Campbell’s from $28.00 to $23.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. UBS Group reduced their target price on Campbell’s from $24.00 to $20.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Campbell’s from $27.00 to $25.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday. TD Cowen cut their price objective on Campbell’s from $29.00 to $24.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $30.00 price objective on shares of Campbell’s in a research note on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and seven have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $27.65.

Campbell’s Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ CPB opened at $21.71 on Thursday. Campbell’s has a fifty-two week low of $21.59 and a fifty-two week high of $40.59. The company has a market cap of $6.47 billion, a PE ratio of 11.86, a P/E/G ratio of 8.40 and a beta of -0.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 1.01. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $26.76 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.37.

Campbell’s (NASDAQ:CPB) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $2.56 billion for the quarter. Campbell’s had a net margin of 5.48% and a return on equity of 19.96%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.74 EPS. Campbell’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.250 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Campbell’s will post 3.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Charles A. Brawley III sold 11,550 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.14, for a total transaction of $325,017.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 43,777 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,231,884.78. This represents a 20.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Anthony Sanzio sold 2,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.51, for a total value of $71,577.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 25,264 shares in the company, valued at $669,748.64. This trade represents a 9.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 19.78% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Two Sigma Investments LP grew its stake in Campbell’s by 534.8% in the 3rd quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 4,937,170 shares of the company’s stock valued at $155,916,000 after acquiring an additional 4,159,398 shares during the period. Brandywine Managers LLC acquired a new position in Campbell’s during the fourth quarter worth $92,793,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA purchased a new position in Campbell’s during the third quarter valued at $77,940,000. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Campbell’s by 42.6% during the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 7,995,733 shares of the company’s stock valued at $252,505,000 after purchasing an additional 2,387,575 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG grew its position in shares of Campbell’s by 175.7% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 3,730,947 shares of the company’s stock valued at $117,823,000 after purchasing an additional 2,377,488 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.35% of the company’s stock.

Key Campbell’s News

Here are the key news stories impacting Campbell’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Appointment of Joshua Levine as Chief Investor Relations Officer could improve investor communication and help reset expectations. Campbell’s Appoints Joshua Levine Chief Investor Relations Officer
• Positive Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein kept an “outperform” stance (though cut its PT), signaling that some analysts still see upside from here. Bernstein Maintains Outperform
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed coverage with a $30 price target, which implies significant upside but keeps a cautious posture. DA Davidson Reaffirms Neutral
• Neutral Sentiment: Several brokers trimmed price targets (Deutsche Bank to $23, Morgan Stanley to $25, Stifel to $25, RBC to $26) and shifted ratings to hold/sector perform — these are mixed signals that reduce near-term upside but stop short of broad sell recommendations. Analyst Price Target Changes
• Negative Sentiment: Q2 results disappointed: EPS missed, revenue fell ~5% Y/Y and organic sales declined ~3%; management lowered FY26 guidance (EPS range 2.15–2.25), prompting analysts to cut forecasts. This is the primary driver of the sell-side reaction. Campbell’s posts one of worst quarters
• Negative Sentiment: UBS moved to a “sell” rating and lowered its target to $20 — a direct negative catalyst because that PT sits below the current market price and signals increased downside from a major broker. UBS Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo downgraded CPB as part of a broader caution on packaged-food names, citing inflation, weak consumption and promotional pressure — adds sector-level headwinds to company-specific issues. Wells Fargo Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and market commentators describe the quarter as one of Campbell’s weakest in years; shares already gapped down after the print and analyst model cuts suggest pressure on near-term earnings and dividend coverage. Market Reaction to Weak Quarter

Campbell’s Company Profile

Campbell’s (NASDAQ: CPB) is a leading manufacturer of shelf-stable foods and beverages, best known for its iconic soups and broths. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, the company offers a diverse portfolio of products designed to meet consumer demand for convenient, affordable meals and snacks. Since its founding in 1869, Campbell’s has grown through a combination of organic innovation and strategic acquisitions to expand its presence in the food industry.

The company’s brand portfolio includes Campbell’s Condensed Soups, V8 juices, Prego pasta sauces, Swanson broths and stocks, Pace salsas and dips, and Pepperidge Farm baked snacks.