Sprouts Farmers Market adds 7 female college athletes to NIL program

PHOENIX - Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM), a healthy grocery chain with a market capitalization of $10.8 billion and an "GREAT" financial health rating according to InvestingPro, announced Tuesday the expansion of its PowHERed by Sprouts platform with seven new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) partnerships with female college athletes.

The new class includes basketball standouts Lauren and Sienna Betts, soccer player Melania Fullerton, softball players Madi Hays and Teagan Kavan, volleyball player Whitney Lauenstein, and track athlete Tiffani Rae Pittman.

Lauren Betts, the National Defensive Player of the Year for 2024-2025, became the first player in her school’s history to record over 600 points, 300 rebounds, and 100 blocks in a season. Her sister Sienna, described as one of the nation’s top recruits, is joining her team in Los Angeles this season.

Since 2022, Sprouts has partnered with more than 165 female athletes across 30 universities through its NIL program. The athletes will share their personal connections to Sprouts and nutrition choices via social media. The company’s strong marketing initiatives complement its impressive 16.8% revenue growth over the last twelve months, according to InvestingPro data.

"Sprouts is proud to be the first natural retailer to invest in women’s collegiate athletics - empowering female athletes, fueling their performance and celebrating their impact in the communities we serve," said Alisa Gmelich, Chief Marketing Officer of Sprouts, according to the company’s press release.

Beyond NIL partnerships, Sprouts supports women’s sports through sponsorships of the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, the Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party, the Big 12 Conference, the SEC, and the professional women’s soccer team Angel City Football Club.

Sprouts Farmers Market operates more than 450 stores across 24 states and employs approximately 35,000 people. With its next earnings report due on October 29, analysts have shown increasing confidence in the company’s outlook, with 12 analysts revising their earnings estimates upward. For detailed analysis and additional insights, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report available on InvestingPro, which covers over 1,400 top US stocks.

In other recent news, Sprouts Farmers Market reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results with same-store sales growth of 10.2%, surpassing analyst estimates of 9.0% and consensus expectations of 8.5%. This performance marked a 120 basis point sequential acceleration to 16.9% on a two-year stack basis. Additionally, Sprouts Farmers Market’s Board of Directors authorized a new $1 billion share repurchase program, replacing the previous authorization with approximately $143 million remaining. The program allows the company to repurchase shares through various means, including open market purchases and privately negotiated transactions.

In analyst updates, RBC Capital upgraded Sprouts Farmers Market stock from Sector Perform to Outperform, adjusting its price target to $148.00. Wells Fargo also upgraded the stock from Equal Weight to Overweight, raising its price target to $180.00, citing a buying opportunity despite investor concerns. Meanwhile, JPMorgan assumed coverage with a Neutral rating and set a price target of $159.00, recognizing the company’s strong positioning in the current health-conscious consumer environment. UBS maintained a Neutral rating while slightly lowering its price target to $180.00 due to supply chain impacts.

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