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UTZ Brands (UTZ)
NYSE:UTZ
US Market

UTZ Brands (UTZ) AI Stock Analysis

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UTZ Brands

(NYSE:UTZ)

Rating:62Neutral
Price Target:
$14.00
▲(6.79%Upside)
UTZ Brands' overall stock score reflects steady revenue growth and operational efficiency but is tempered by challenges in profitability and cash flow management. While technical indicators show a neutral trend, the high P/E ratio suggests valuation concerns. Positive earnings call insights and corporate events contribute to a cautiously optimistic outlook.
Positive Factors
Financial Performance
EBITDA grew 4% and margin expanded 30 bps to 12.8%, showing positive financial performance.
Market Share Growth
The company gained dollar and volume share in salty snacks, including strong growth in Expansion Geographies and non-measured channels.
Strategic Initiatives
UTZ launched bonus packs program, contributing to organic sales growth in response to consumers prioritizing affordability.
Negative Factors
Category Challenges
Challenges such as GLP-1 expansion and SNAP cuts are expected to lead to ongoing headwinds in the salty snack category.
Debt and Valuation
Subdued organic growth and debt leverage are expected to weigh on the valuation multiple in an increasingly volatile macro environment.
Market Environment
The 8.6% pullback in Utz stock is attributed to market fears of a more promotional environment, although this may be an overreaction.

UTZ Brands (UTZ) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

UTZ Brands Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionUTZ Brands, Inc. is a prominent American snack food company that specializes in producing and marketing a wide variety of snack products. Founded in 1921, the company is headquartered in Hanover, Pennsylvania. UTZ's product portfolio includes a diverse range of snacks such as potato chips, pretzels, cheese balls, popcorn, pork skins, and other savory snacks. The company markets its products under several well-known brand names, including Utz, Zapp's, Golden Flake, Good Health, Boulder Canyon, and several others. UTZ Brands is committed to providing high-quality, flavorful snacks to consumers across the United States and beyond.
How the Company Makes MoneyUTZ Brands generates revenue primarily through the sale of its snack products across various distribution channels. The company sells its products through a combination of direct-store delivery, direct-to-warehouse, and third-party distributors, ensuring extensive reach and availability in supermarkets, convenience stores, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. UTZ also leverages e-commerce platforms to reach a broader audience, capitalizing on the growing trend of online grocery shopping. Key revenue streams include the retail sales of its branded snacks, private label offerings, and potential collaborations with other food companies for co-manufacturing or product development. Strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and product innovations also contribute to the company's growth and expansion in the competitive snack food industry.

UTZ Brands Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 01, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: -0.91%|
Next Earnings Date:Aug 07, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Utz Brands demonstrated solid growth in organic sales and household penetration, driven by strong performance in untracked channels and the Boulder Canyon brand. However, challenges remain with specific product lines and channels, such as Dips & Salsa and convenience stores. The bonus pack program contributed to short-term volume gains but is not sustainable long-term. Overall, while there are positive aspects, there are also notable challenges.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
3% Organic Sales Growth
Utz Brands reported a 3% organic sales growth despite flat overall retail sales, driven by significant strength in untracked channels such as natural, discount, and club.
Boulder Canyon Performance
Boulder Canyon has been a tremendous growth driver, gaining distribution in both untracked and traditional channels, with increasing velocity and consumer reception.
Household Penetration Increase
Utz Brands achieved an all-time high household penetration rate of 49%, indicating strong trial and repeat rates among consumers.
Negative Updates
Dips & Salsa Under Pressure
The non-branded Dips & Salsa business is expected to face near-term pressure as it laps the prior year.
Convenience Store Performance
Performance in convenience stores has not returned to growth, affected by overall traffic trends and macroeconomic factors.
Impact of Bonus Packs on Volume Share
The bonus pack program contributed to volume share gains but is winding down, potentially affecting future volume performance.
Company Guidance
During the Utz Brands, Inc. First Quarter 2025 Earnings Call, several metrics and insights were discussed regarding the company's performance and future outlook. The company reported a 3% organic sales growth despite flat overall retail sales, attributing this to strength in untracked channels like natural, discount, and club, as well as improved throughput from the new Rice distribution center. The bonus pack program was highlighted as a significant driver of volume share gains, contributing about 300 basis points to price impacts, with an additional 60 basis points from other pricing investments. Boulder Canyon's expansion into new categories and increased distribution were noted as key growth drivers, with continued distribution gains expected in both core and expansion geographies. The call also addressed the potential for long-term growth through innovation, expanded distribution, and marketing investments, while acknowledging potential near-term challenges in the non-branded segment and convenience stores. Overall, Utz Brands expressed optimism about sustaining their growth trajectory through strategic initiatives and market responsiveness.

UTZ Brands Financial Statement Overview

Summary
UTZ Brands shows solid revenue growth and operational efficiency with a healthy gross margin. However, low net profit margins and negative free cash flow indicate challenges in profitability and cash management.
Income Statement
72
Positive
UTZ Brands demonstrates steady revenue growth with a TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue of $1.41 billion, showing a slight increase from the previous year. The gross profit margin remains healthy at 34.9%. However, the net profit margin is relatively low at 1.7%, indicating limited profitability after expenses. The EBIT and EBITDA margins at 3.9% and 9.2% respectively suggest moderate operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
60
Neutral
The debt-to-equity ratio has improved significantly, dropping to 0.05 in the TTM period, which indicates reduced financial leverage. Return on Equity (ROE) at 3.2% shows low profitability relative to shareholder equity. The equity ratio is solid at 26.1%, reflecting a stable capital structure with a significant portion of assets financed by equity.
Cash Flow
55
Neutral
The company’s free cash flow has turned negative in the TTM period, signaling potential issues in maintaining cash reserves after capital expenses. The operating cash flow to net income ratio of 4.41 indicates strong cash generation relative to net income, yet the free cash flow to net income ratio is negative, highlighting cash outflows exceeding inflows.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2024Dec 2023Mar 2023Mar 2022Mar 2021
Income StatementTotal Revenue
1.41B1.41B1.44B1.41B1.18B768.23M
Gross Profit
493.43M494.78M456.49M449.06M383.91M253.80M
EBIT
54.93M58.91M16.02M5.34M10.57M38.75M
EBITDA
157.72M182.12M99.25M91.33M127.67M-16.07M
Net Income Common Stockholders
27.47M15.97M-24.94M-392.00K20.55M-16.17M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
62.75M56.14M52.02M72.93M41.90M46.83M
Total Assets
2.78B2.73B2.75B2.84B2.72B2.58B
Total Debt
1.03B940.82M985.34M944.74M876.63M812.05M
Net Debt
964.23M884.68M933.32M871.80M834.73M765.22M
Total Liabilities
1.40B1.34B1.36B1.39B1.28B1.06B
Stockholders Equity
725.60M702.45M669.50M703.15M679.71M602.26M
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
-53.27M7.53M20.92M-39.77M14.89M8.00M
Operating Cash Flow
103.91M106.17M76.64M48.19M48.39M27.99M
Investing Cash Flow
-123.78M74.96M-48.49M-76.07M-136.10M-115.88M
Financing Cash Flow
44.52M-177.01M-49.05M58.91M82.78M96.03M

UTZ Brands Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price13.11
Price Trends
50DMA
12.99
Positive
100DMA
13.27
Negative
200DMA
14.88
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.14
Positive
RSI
50.39
Neutral
STOCH
13.82
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For UTZ, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 13.11 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 13.09, above the 50-day MA of 12.99, and below the 200-day MA of 14.88, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.14 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.39 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 13.82 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for UTZ.

UTZ Brands Risk Analysis

UTZ Brands disclosed 39 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. UTZ Brands reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

UTZ Brands Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
66
Neutral
$733.63M13.1916.58%13.46%7.40%-14.93%
66
Neutral
$2.62B11.288.59%3.98%-0.24%26.74%
65
Neutral
$8.81B15.014.71%3.72%3.60%-2.89%
UTUTZ
62
Neutral
$1.85B41.053.93%2.20%-1.29%
58
Neutral
$2.24B29.568.20%2.71%0.49%-12.32%
THTHS
54
Neutral
$1.05B160.120.43%-3.37%-65.26%
BGBGS
47
Neutral
$346.32M-32.48%17.51%-7.06%-83.82%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
UTZ
UTZ Brands
13.15
-4.00
-23.32%
BGS
B&G Foods
4.41
-3.17
-41.82%
JJSF
J & J Snack Foods
113.98
-50.22
-30.58%
JBSS
John B Sanfilippo & Son
62.43
-32.88
-34.50%
THS
TreeHouse Foods
20.57
-15.19
-42.48%
NOMD
Nomad Foods
17.17
1.13
7.04%

UTZ Brands Corporate Events

Financial Disclosures
Utz Brands Reports Strong Q1 2025 Financial Results
Positive
May 1, 2025

On May 1, 2025, Utz Brands reported its first quarter 2025 financial results, showing a 1.6% increase in net sales to $352.1 million and a significant 137.5% rise in net income to $5.7 million compared to the previous year. The company achieved a 2.9% growth in organic net sales, with branded salty snacks seeing a 4.9% increase. Despite a decline in gross profit margin, adjusted gross profit margin expanded by 100bps, driven by productivity savings. Utz reaffirmed its full-year 2025 outlook, expecting continued growth in branded salty snacks and adjusted EBITDA, while anticipating modest impact from tariff volatility due to domestic sourcing of input costs.

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Utz Brands Appoints New CFO Ahead of May 2025
Positive
Apr 17, 2025

Utz Brands announced the appointment of William J. Kelley Jr. as the new Chief Financial Officer, effective May 1, 2025, succeeding Ajay Kataria. Additionally, Mark Schreiber, the Chief Customer Officer, will retire, and Jeremy Stuart will take over the role. The company reaffirmed its fiscal year 2025 outlook and announced preliminary first-quarter results, expecting a slight increase in net sales and net income. Utz continues to focus on growth through its branded salty snacks and aims for improved financial performance, including adjusted EBITDA growth and expanded profit margins.

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.