J.M. Smucker reshuffles pet food, snacks leadershi

Published 27/02/2025, 13:06
J.M. Smucker reshuffles pet food, snacks leadershi

ORRVILLE, Ohio - The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM), a consumer goods company with an $11.6 billion market cap and annual revenues of $8.8 billion, has announced a reorganization of its leadership team, with Judd Freitag set to lead the U.S. Retail Pet Foods and Sweet Baked Snacks segments starting March 7, 2025. This move comes as part of a broader effort to improve the company’s supply chain and manufacturing oversight. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company currently shows Fair Value potential and maintains a FAIR overall financial health score.

Freitag, who has been promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager, Pet and Sweet Baked Snacks, is an elected Officer of the Company. His previous roles within the company have spanned Finance, Corporate Strategy, and Brand Marketing, most recently serving as Vice President, General Manager and Marketing for the U.S. Retail Pet Foods segment. Freitag’s new role will focus on driving growth for the Hostess® brand, which includes expanding distribution and driving innovation.

The company is also adjusting its organizational structure to enhance supply chain and manufacturing operations. Bryan Hutson will take on the role of Senior Vice President, Information Services (NASDAQ:III) and Supply Chain, with expanded responsibilities for supply chain activities. Randy Day, as Senior Vice President, Operations, will continue to oversee manufacturing. With a revenue growth of 7.8% in the last twelve months and an EBITDA of $2.1 billion, these organizational changes come at a crucial time for the company’s operational efficiency. For deeper insights into SJM’s operational metrics and future potential, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report available on InvestingPro.

Dan O’Leary, the outgoing Senior Vice President and General Manager for Sweet Baked Snacks and Pet, will depart the company effective March 7, 2025. The company expressed gratitude for O’Leary’s contributions.

The restructuring is part of The J.M. Smucker Co.’s strategy to maintain robust execution across its portfolio of brands. The company’s forward-looking statements in the press release caution that these plans involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ from expectations.

The J.M. Smucker Co. is known for its diverse family of brands, which includes Folgers®, Dunkin’®, Jif®, Uncrustables®, Smucker’s®, Hostess®, Milk-Bone®, and Meow Mix®. The company emphasizes its commitment to quality, ethical operations, and positive societal impact. InvestingPro data reveals that SJM has maintained dividend payments for 55 consecutive years and currently offers a 4% dividend yield, demonstrating its strong commitment to shareholder returns. The company’s gross profit margin stands at 39%, reflecting its pricing power across its brand portfolio.

This report is based on a press release statement from The J.M. Smucker Co.

In other recent news, J.M. Smucker has faced several revisions to its stock price targets from various analyst firms. Bernstein lowered its target to $104, citing increased coffee input costs, and maintained a Market Perform rating. The firm highlighted that coffee accounts for a significant portion of the company’s sales and profits, and the recent surge in coffee prices poses a challenge. Similarly, BofA Securities reduced its target to $118, pointing to unprecedented increases in green coffee prices and the potential impact on earnings and margins, while maintaining a Neutral rating.

Jefferies also cut its target to $114, noting mixed performance across product segments, with growth in some areas like Uncrustables and Bustelo, but challenges in others, such as Hostess and Pet. They retained a Hold rating, emphasizing the need for reinvestment. Citi adjusted its target to $126, with a Buy rating, as they anticipate alignment with current EPS projections but acknowledge risks to sales figures. TD Cowen downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold, setting a price target of $121, due to concerns about the Hostess business and the Pet segment’s future challenges.

These developments reflect the broader financial landscape J.M. Smucker is navigating, particularly in light of rising costs and segment-specific issues.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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