Campbell Soup Co
Morningstar Rating for Stocks | Fair Value | Economic Moat | Capital Allocation |
---|---|---|---|
$73.00 | Bcvv | Sfzgyct |
Campbell Soup Serves Up Solid Sales Growth, but Headwinds Abound; Shares Not a Bargain
On the surface, wide-moat Campbell Soup delivered a strong start to the fiscal year—15% organic sales growth and just a 30-basis-point drop in adjusted gross margins to 32.2% (as pricing and cost savings were unable to offset pronounced inflation, up 18% in the quarter, lower volumes, and unfavorable mix); shares shot up a mid-single-digit percentage. However, we take a more tempered view, as Campbell was lapping bleak year-ago results, during which sales slumped 4% (on account of lower retail inventories that are now building back) and gross margins compressed 200 basis points.