Flowers Foods (FLO)
NYSE:FLO
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Flowers Foods (FLO) AI Stock Analysis

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FLO

Flowers Foods

(NYSE:FLO)

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Neutral 68 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:68Neutral
Price Target:
$12.50
▲(13.33% Upside)
Flowers Foods' overall score is driven by strong financial performance and attractive valuation, offset by bearish technical indicators and challenges highlighted in the earnings call. The company's strategic efforts and high dividend yield are positive, but increased leverage and market pressures require careful management.
Positive Factors
Cash Flow Management
Strong cash flow management indicates robust operational efficiency, enabling the company to reinvest in growth opportunities and manage debt effectively.
Strategic Realignment
Strategic realignment with consumer demand positions Flowers Foods to capture market share in growing segments, enhancing long-term competitiveness.
Brand Growth
Growth in key brands like Canyon and Dave's Killer Bread demonstrates strong brand positioning and consumer preference, supporting sustained revenue growth.
Negative Factors
Increased Leverage
Higher leverage can limit financial flexibility and increase risk, potentially impacting the company's ability to invest in growth or weather economic downturns.
Margin Pressure
Margin pressure from cost increases and promotional activities can reduce profitability, affecting long-term financial health and investment capacity.
Decline in Traditional Loaf Segment
Declines in traditional loaf sales highlight challenges in adapting to changing consumer preferences, potentially impacting revenue from core product lines.

Flowers Foods (FLO) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Flowers Foods Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionFlowers Foods, Inc. is a leading producer and marketer of fresh packaged bakery foods in the United States. The company operates through two primary segments: Direct Store Delivery (DSD) and Warehouse Delivery. Flowers Foods offers a diverse range of products including bread, buns, rolls, and snack cakes, under well-known brand names such as Nature's Own, Wonder, and Dave's Killer Bread. With a focus on quality and innovation, Flowers Foods serves retail and foodservice customers, leveraging a vast distribution network to deliver fresh products to consumers nationwide.
How the Company Makes MoneyFlowers Foods generates revenue primarily through the sale of its bakery products across various distribution channels. The company employs a Direct Store Delivery model, which allows it to deliver products directly to grocery stores and other retailers, ensuring freshness and optimal inventory management. Additionally, Flowers Foods utilizes a Warehouse Delivery model to service larger retail chains and foodservice customers. Key revenue streams include sales from its branded products, private label offerings, and specialty baked goods. The company also benefits from strategic partnerships with major retailers and foodservice operators, which facilitate broader market access and enhance brand visibility. Factors contributing to its earnings include brand loyalty, product innovation, and an efficient distribution system that minimizes waste and maximizes shelf life.

Flowers Foods Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 06, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlights several strategic and operational successes, such as successful integration of Simple Mills and growth in key brands, but also acknowledges significant challenges, including declines in traditional loaf sales, pressure in foodservice and private label segments, and ongoing margin pressures.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Positive Strategic Alignment and Consumer Engagement
The company is effectively targeting growth areas by aligning its portfolio with consumer demand, leading to positive results in the bread category. This includes redefining traditional loaf with value and better-for-you attributes.
Successful Integration and Performance of Simple Mills
Simple Mills has performed well post-acquisition, with collaboration between teams yielding opportunities in customer engagement and procurement. The brand's performance aligns with expectations, and new innovations are planned for the next year.
Growth in Key Brands and Product Categories
Canyon increased 6% in units, and Dave's Killer Bread increased 10% in units. The small loaf category, under Nature's Own banner, gained 15 points in unit share and is already the #2 brand in a category growing by 85%.
Negative Updates
Decline in Traditional Loaf Segment
There has been a significant shift away from traditional 20-ounce soft variety and white breads, impacting the company due to its concentration in this area, particularly with Nature's Own.
Pressure on Foodservice and Private Label Segments
The foodservice business has been under pressure due to economic conditions and consumer sentiment. Private label performance has been weak due to narrow price gaps with branded products.
Margin Pressure and Volatility
Gross margin decreased by 190 basis points and EBITDA margin by 160 basis points, due to factors like Simple Mills' higher cost structure and increased promotional activity. Inflationary pressures and economic uncertainties continue to pose challenges.
Company Guidance
In the third quarter of 2025, Flowers Foods emphasized its strategic efforts to realign its portfolio with consumer demand, which is yielding positive results despite pressures in the bread category. The company is focusing on redefining traditional loaf products by incorporating value and better-for-you attributes, aligning with evolving consumer preferences, though this transformation will take time. The call highlighted a generational shift in consumer behavior, with an increasing bifurcation into premium and value segments, impacting traditional loaf sales. Despite a 190 basis point decline in gross margin and a 160 basis point drop in EBITDA margin due to negative price mix and lower volumes, Flowers Foods remains committed to long-term consumer investment and cost optimization. The company reported growth in brands like Canyon (up 6% in units) and Dave's Killer Bread (up 10% in units), and significant gains in the small loaf category, where they achieved a 15-point unit share increase. Amidst these strategic shifts, Flowers Foods is also managing its capital allocation, reducing CapEx expectations for the year to focus on deleveraging, while acknowledging the balance between investment and maintaining dividends. Looking forward, the company anticipates stabilization in the category as economic conditions improve, with continued focus on consumer engagement and innovation, particularly through its Simple Mills acquisition, which is performing in line with expectations.

Flowers Foods Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Flowers Foods shows strong revenue growth and efficient cash flow management, with a robust free cash flow growth rate of 20.3% TTM. However, increased leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51 and slight pressure on net profit margins highlight areas for caution.
Income Statement
75
Positive
Flowers Foods shows a strong gross profit margin of around 49.6% in TTM, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin has slightly decreased to 4.5% from 4.9% in the previous year, reflecting some pressure on net earnings. Revenue growth is robust at 35.1% TTM, driven by increased sales, although this is a significant jump from the previous year's modest growth, suggesting potential volatility.
Balance Sheet
65
Positive
The company's debt-to-equity ratio has increased to 1.51 TTM, indicating higher leverage, which could pose risks if not managed carefully. Return on equity is healthy at 16.2%, showing effective use of equity to generate profits. The equity ratio stands at 32.8%, suggesting a balanced capital structure but with room for improvement in reducing debt levels.
Cash Flow
80
Positive
Flowers Foods demonstrates strong cash flow management, with a free cash flow growth rate of 20.3% TTM, indicating improved cash generation. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.78, reflecting solid cash conversion. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.72 suggests efficient cash utilization relative to earnings.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue5.13B5.10B5.09B4.81B4.33B4.39B
Gross Profit2.47B2.53B2.46B2.30B2.16B2.19B
EBITDA489.44M525.28M345.43M469.59M438.87M380.74M
Net Income194.02M248.12M123.42M228.39M206.19M152.32M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets4.35B3.40B3.43B3.31B3.25B3.32B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments16.73M5.00M22.53M165.13M185.87M307.48M
Total Debt2.13B1.36B1.35B1.19B1.21B1.32B
Total Liabilities2.93B1.99B2.08B1.87B1.84B1.95B
Stockholders Equity1.42B1.41B1.35B1.44B1.41B1.37B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow325.35M280.58M220.28M191.82M133.76M356.54M
Operating Cash Flow451.12M412.66M349.35M360.89M344.61M454.46M
Investing Cash Flow-955.12M-172.67M-403.81M-151.09M-191.44M-73.99M
Financing Cash Flow505.76M-257.52M-88.15M-222.17M-274.78M-84.04M

Flowers Foods Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price11.03
Price Trends
50DMA
12.51
Negative
100DMA
13.98
Negative
200DMA
15.62
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.49
Positive
RSI
23.80
Positive
STOCH
2.78
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For FLO, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 11.03 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.81, below the 50-day MA of 12.51, and below the 200-day MA of 15.62, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.49 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 23.80 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 2.78 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for FLO.

Flowers Foods Risk Analysis

Flowers Foods disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Flowers Foods reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Flowers Foods Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$5.75B18.359.23%0.80%10.43%
68
Neutral
$2.34B12.1013.73%8.56%0.26%-19.45%
67
Neutral
$1.64B25.016.82%3.51%0.54%-24.42%
63
Neutral
$1.97B19.835.86%8.98%-26.29%
62
Neutral
$20.33B14.63-3.31%3.23%1.93%-12.26%
57
Neutral
-4.30%-70.31%
54
Neutral
$638.71M2.23%11.31%99.83%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
FLO
Flowers Foods
10.62
-10.29
-49.21%
JJSF
J & J Snack Foods
89.54
-71.41
-44.37%
SMPL
Simply Good Foods
19.69
-19.45
-49.69%
POST
Post Holdings
107.20
-3.19
-2.89%
STKL
SunOpta
3.55
-4.01
-53.04%
KLG
WK Kellogg Co
23.00
6.46
39.06%

Flowers Foods Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Flowers Foods Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Positive
Oct 21, 2025

On October 21, 2025, Flowers Foods announced the appointment of D. Anthony Scaglione as Chief Financial Officer, effective January 1, 2026. Scaglione, who has extensive experience in financial leadership roles, will succeed Steve Kinsey and is expected to drive the company’s financial strategy and growth. This leadership transition is anticipated to strengthen Flowers Foods’ position in the competitive bakery industry and enhance shareholder value.

The most recent analyst rating on (FLO) stock is a Hold with a $13.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Flowers Foods stock, see the FLO Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board Changes
Flowers Foods Elects Sterling Spainhour to Board
Positive
Sep 29, 2025

On September 26, 2025, Flowers Foods, Inc. announced the election of Sterling A. Spainhour to its board of directors, effective October 1, 2025. Spainhour, who is the executive vice president and chief legal officer of Southern Company, will serve on the audit and finance committees. His extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, legal matters, and corporate governance is expected to strengthen Flowers Foods’ board as the company continues to evolve and pursue strategic priorities aimed at increasing shareholder value. With his appointment, the board will expand to twelve members.

The most recent analyst rating on (FLO) stock is a Hold with a $16.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Flowers Foods stock, see the FLO Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board Changes
Flowers Foods CFO Retirement Announced
Neutral
Sep 25, 2025

On September 19, 2025, Flowers Foods announced the planned retirement of their Chief Financial Officer, R. Steve Kinsey, effective December 31, 2025, after 36 years of service, including 18 years as CFO. The company has begun searching for his successor and Kinsey will continue in an advisory role post-retirement to ensure a smooth transition. His departure marks a significant change in the company’s leadership, with implications for its strategic direction and stakeholder relations.

The most recent analyst rating on (FLO) stock is a Hold with a $16.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Flowers Foods stock, see the FLO Stock Forecast page.

Flowers Foods Earnings Call: Mixed Sentiment Amid Transition
Sep 1, 2025

The recent earnings call for Flowers Foods revealed a mixed sentiment, reflecting both optimism and caution. The company showcased strong growth in its premium and innovative segments, particularly with brands like Dave’s Killer Bread (DKB) and Simple Mills. However, this positive momentum was somewhat overshadowed by challenges in traditional bread sales and increased market competition. Flowers Foods is currently in a transition phase, with strategic plans in place to address these issues, though significant patience will be required for these initiatives to bear fruit.

Executive/Board Changes
Flowers Foods Announces Board Member Retirement
Neutral
Aug 25, 2025

On August 22, 2025, Melvin T. Stith, Ph.D. announced his retirement from the board of directors of Flowers Foods, effective December 31, 2025. Dr. Stith, who has been a director since 2004 and served on key committees, is retiring without any disagreements with the board or the company.

The most recent analyst rating on (FLO) stock is a Hold with a $16.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Flowers Foods stock, see the FLO Stock Forecast page.

Flowers Foods Reports Modest Sales Growth Amid Challenges
Aug 16, 2025

Flowers Foods, Inc., headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, is a leading producer of packaged bakery foods in the United States, known for its popular brands like Nature’s Own and Dave’s Killer Bread. The company operates in the consumer goods sector, focusing on bakery products.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 07, 2025