Post Holdings Inc. Common Stoc (POST)
:POST

Post Holdings (POST) AI Stock Analysis

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Post Holdings

(NYSE:POST)

75Outperform
Post Holdings demonstrates strong financial performance with robust revenue growth and cash flow. However, high leverage and recent avian influenza impacts pose risks. Technical indicators suggest a stable outlook, while valuation is fair. The absence of a dividend yield and potential supply chain disruptions from avian influenza are notable concerns.
Positive Factors
Profitability
Management focuses on profitability over topline growth, especially in retail, while it could also benefit from incremental avian-flu driven pricing and value-add foodservice products.
Share Buyback
With profit growth potential ahead of numerous food peers, a FCF yield ~10%, and aggressive share buyback strategy, the current valuation is seen as simply too low.
Negative Factors
Cost Pressures
POST's volumes are soft, and they expect to incur an incremental $30-$50mm in avian-flu related cost pressures in FQ2.
Sales Trends
Sales impacted by multiple strategic rationalizations and FQ2 faces temporary profit dislocation from unfavorable cost/pricing in eggs before expected recovery.

Post Holdings (POST) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Post Holdings Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionPost Holdings, Inc. operates as a consumer packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Foodservice, Refrigerated Retail, and BellRing Brands. The Post Consumer Brands segment manufactures, markets, and sells branded and private label ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and hot cereal products. It serves grocery stores, mass merchandise customers, supercenters, club stores, natural/specialty stores, and drug store customers, as well as sells its products in the military, ecommerce, and foodservice channels. The Weetabix segment primarily markets and distributes branded and private label RTE cereal, hot cereals and other cereal-based food products, breakfast drinks, and muesli. This segment sells its products to grocery stores, discounters, wholesalers, and convenience stores, as well as through ecommerce. The Foodservice segment produces and distributes egg and potato products in the foodservice and food ingredient channels. It serves foodservice distributors and national restaurant chains. The Refrigerated Retail segment produces and distributes side dishes, eggs and egg products, sausages, cheese, and other dairy and refrigerated products for grocery stores and mass merchandise customers. The BellRing Brands segment markets and distributes ready-to-drink (RTD) protein shakes, other RTD beverages, powders, nutrition bars, and supplements. It serves club stores, food, drug and mass customers, and online retailers, as well as specialty retailers, convenience stores, and distributors. Post Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
How the Company Makes MoneyPost Holdings generates revenue through the sale of its diverse product offerings across its various segments. The Post Consumer Brands segment focuses on ready-to-eat cereals, while the Weetabix segment delivers cereal and cereal-related products primarily in the United Kingdom. The Refrigerated Retail segment sells a range of refrigerated and frozen products, including side dishes and egg-based items. The Foodservice segment supplies egg and potato products to foodservice distributors and operators. Additionally, the BellRing Brands segment contributes significantly through the sale of protein-based nutrition products like shakes and bars. Post Holdings benefits from its strategic partnerships and distribution agreements, which help expand its market reach and consumer base. The company's earnings are influenced by factors such as consumer demand, commodity costs, and operational efficiencies.

Post Holdings Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Post Holdings demonstrates strong revenue growth and profitability with effective cost management. While leverage remains high, the company maintains a healthy ROE and cash flow position. The financials suggest a stable yet leveraged growth trajectory, with good operational efficiency and cash generation capabilities.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Post Holdings shows robust profitability with a stable Gross Profit Margin of approximately 29% in TTM. The Net Profit Margin improved to 4.9% from 4.6% annually, indicating efficient cost management. Revenue growth is evident at 13.4% from 2023 to 2024, showcasing strong market demand. Both EBIT and EBITDA margins are solid at 10.3% and 14.6% respectively, highlighting operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The company's Debt-to-Equity Ratio is relatively high at 1.79, which poses a potential risk if interest rates rise. However, Return on Equity (ROE) is strong at 10.1% TTM, reflecting effective use of shareholders' funds. The Equity Ratio remains stable at around 30%, indicating a balanced capital structure.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
Free Cash Flow shows positive growth at 16.8% from the previous year, indicating healthy cash generation. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is strong at 1.93, demonstrating efficient cash conversion. The Free Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio of 1.04 supports sustainable operations.
Breakdown
TTMSep 2024Sep 2023Sep 2022Sep 2021Sep 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
7.93B7.92B6.99B5.85B6.23B5.70B
Gross Profit
2.30B2.30B1.88B1.47B1.81B1.79B
EBIT
816.20M793.50M598.90M415.60M655.70M700.50M
EBITDA
1.30B1.27B1.10B830.10M851.40M810.70M
Net Income Common Stockholders
391.90M366.70M301.30M756.60M250.60M59.90M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
12.90M787.40M103.90M681.30M817.10M1.19B
Total Assets
2.80B12.85B11.65B11.31B12.41B12.15B
Total Debt
784.50M7.06B6.23B5.96B7.04B7.02B
Net Debt
771.60M6.27B6.14B5.37B6.22B5.84B
Total Liabilities
1.30B8.75B7.80B7.74B9.36B9.32B
Stockholders Equity
1.50B4.09B3.84B3.25B2.74B2.85B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
580.00M502.20M447.30M128.90M395.70M391.00M
Operating Cash Flow
1.07B931.70M750.30M384.20M588.20M625.60M
Investing Cash Flow
-472.00M-677.50M-669.30M-220.20M-793.60M-218.50M
Financing Cash Flow
115.10M415.60M-555.70M-237.20M-167.50M-272.00M

Post Holdings Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price117.52
Price Trends
50DMA
112.20
Positive
100DMA
112.65
Positive
200DMA
112.11
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.85
Negative
RSI
63.08
Neutral
STOCH
92.88
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For POST, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 117.52 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 113.96, above the 50-day MA of 112.20, and above the 200-day MA of 112.11, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.85 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 63.08 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 92.88 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for POST.

Post Holdings Risk Analysis

Post Holdings disclosed 33 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Post Holdings 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

Post Holdings Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
75
Outperform
$6.64B19.7610.01%7.32%34.44%
DADAR
74
Outperform
$4.62B16.926.21%-15.34%-56.83%
74
Outperform
$8.40B13.4717.62%2.41%-8.95%1.35%
72
Outperform
$5.50B9.1021.60%2.67%5.85%
LWLW
72
Outperform
$8.33B23.1421.63%2.46%-2.49%-65.96%
64
Neutral
$8.96B32.93-190.65%21.00%72.21%
62
Neutral
$20.22B14.00-15.99%3.22%1.17%3.32%
* Consumer Defensive Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
POST
Post Holdings
117.52
15.54
15.24%
BRFS
BRF SA
3.28
-0.01
-0.30%
DAR
Darling Ingredients
29.22
-17.04
-36.84%
INGR
Ingredion
130.89
20.35
18.41%
LW
Lamb Weston Holdings
59.00
-17.17
-22.54%
BRBR
BellRing Brands
69.86
12.11
20.97%

Post Holdings Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date: Feb 6, 2025 | % Change Since: 11.01% | Next Earnings Date: May 1, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presents a mixed outlook. While there are strong performances in grocery, pet, and foodservice segments, and positive actions on share repurchases and capital allocation, challenges remain due to avian influenza, pet segment consumption decline, and refrigerated retail EBITDA drop.
Highlights
Strong Start to Fiscal 2025
Fiscal 2025 is off to a good start with strong Q1 financial results driven by cost management and benefits from a diversified portfolio. Major ERP conversions were successfully executed at PCB, PET, and Weetabix.
Grocery and Pet Segments Performance
Grocery had a strong quarter with improved gross margin driven by cost performance and freight efficiencies. Pet segment benefited from improved cost and plant performance, with innovations like the relaunch of Nutrish underway.
Foodservice Volume Growth
Foodservice had a strong quarter driven by continued volume growth, ongoing avian influenza pricing from the May 2024 outbreak, and improved supply chain performance.
Share Repurchase and Capital Allocation
Post Holdings bought back over 4% of its shares while keeping net leverage flat, indicating strong liquidity and cash flow, well-positioned for potential M&A transactions.
Adjusted EBITDA Guidance Raised
The bottom end of FY 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance was raised by $10 million to a range of $1.42 billion to $1.46 billion.
Lowlights
Avian Influenza Impact
Two third-party contracted farms were hit with Avian Influenza in December. The supply imbalance will cause sourcing and cost challenges, especially in fiscal Q2, with a potential headwind of $30 million to $50 million.
Pet Segment Challenges
Pet category consumption was down approximately 1%, with the portfolio declining 5% due to lost distribution points in Nutrish and price elasticity in Gravy Train.
Refrigerated Retail EBITDA Decline
Q1 adjusted EBITDA for refrigerated retail was down significantly compared to the prior year, due to the absence of customer-sponsored promotions and cost increases ahead of pricing for sausage and eggs.
Weetabix Volume Decline
Weetabix business performance was down as expected due to a pullback on promotions and ERP conversion impacts, with a volume decline of 12%.
Company Guidance
In the earnings conference call for Post Holdings' first quarter of fiscal year 2025, several key performance metrics and guidance details were discussed. The company reported consolidated net sales of $2 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $370 million. For the Post Consumer Brands segment, net sales decreased by 6%, with volumes down by 9% but average net pricing increased by 3%. In the foodservice segment, net sales increased by 9% and volumes grew by 3%, driven by favorable volumes and elevated avian influenza-driven pricing. However, the company anticipates a headwind of $30 million to $50 million in the second fiscal quarter due to avian influenza impacts, although they are confident in recovering these costs throughout the fiscal year. Adjusted EBITDA for the refrigerated retail segment decreased by 22% due to lower volumes and increased costs. The company raised the bottom end of its FY 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance by $10 million, projecting a range of $1.42 billion to $1.46 billion.

Post Holdings Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
Post Holdings Approves Performance-Based Stock Units for Executives
Neutral
Apr 2, 2025

On March 27, 2025, Post Holdings, Inc.’s Corporate Governance and Compensation Committee approved performance-based restricted stock units (PRSUs) for key executives. These awards, part of the company’s long-term incentive plan, aim to align executive performance with shareholder interests, potentially impacting the company’s operational focus and stakeholder value.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

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.