Core Insights - The article compares Mission Produce, Inc. (AVO) and Dole plc (DOLE) in the fresh produce market, highlighting AVO's focus on avocados and DOLE's diversified portfolio [1][9] - AVO is expanding aggressively in response to rising avocado demand, particularly in Asia and Europe, while DOLE leverages its scale and diverse product range to maintain market dominance [2][10] Group 1: Company Strategies - Mission Produce has established a vertically integrated model that controls sourcing, ripening, distribution, and marketing, ensuring product quality and reliability [4][8] - AVO's geographic expansion and supply-chain agility are key strategies, with recent gains in Europe and the U.K. reflecting investments in local infrastructure [5][6] - Dole's strength lies in its diversification across various produce categories, allowing it to serve diverse consumer segments and remain resilient amid market fluctuations [11][13] Group 2: Financial Performance - AVO's fiscal 2025 sales are estimated to grow by 8.1%, but EPS is expected to decline by 20.3%, with annual sales and earnings projected to decrease by 8% and 20.3% year-over-year in fiscal 2026 [14] - Dole's fiscal 2025 sales are expected to grow by 1.8%, with EPS indicating a slight decline of 0.8%, while annual sales and earnings are projected to increase by 3.1% and 18.8% year-over-year in fiscal 2026 [14] Group 3: Valuation and Market Position - AVO trades at a forward P/E of 27.87X, significantly higher than DOLE's 9.93X, reflecting its higher growth positioning [10][21] - AVO's recent stock performance shows a total return of 16.1% over the past three months, outperforming DOLE's decline of 1.7% [19] - The valuation gap indicates that investors view AVO as a higher-growth, specialized business, while DOLE's lower multiple may appeal to value-focused investors [23][25] Group 4: Market Outlook - AVO is positioned for continued leadership in the avocado market and long-term growth in the broader fresh produce category, appealing to health-conscious consumers [8][26] - Dole remains a global heavyweight with impressive scale and stability, offering income-oriented appeal through dividends and a lower valuation [27][28]

Core Viewpoint - Dole plc (NYSE: DOLE) appears to be an attractive investment opportunity, trading at approximately 5.5 times EBITDA, while being a leader in its core categories and a well-known brand in the industry [1]. Company Analysis - Dole is recognized as a leader in its primary market segments, which enhances its competitive positioning [1]. - The current valuation of Dole at 5.5x EBITDA suggests potential undervaluation compared to industry peers [1]. Industry Context - The article indicates a general focus on value investing, which may align with current market trends favoring established brands with strong fundamentals [1].

Dole (DOLE) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 12, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company Participants James O'Regan - Head of Investor RelationsRory Byrne - CEO & Executive DirectorJacinta Devine - CFO & DirectorChristopher Barnes - VP - Equity Research Conference Call Participants Gary Martin - Equity Research Analyst Operator Welcome to Dole plc's First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call and Webcast. Today's conference is being broadcast live over the Internet and is also being recorded for playback purposes. ...

Dole (DOLE) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 12, 2025 08:00 AM ET Speaker0 Welcome to Dole plc's First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call and Webcast. Today's conference is being broadcast live over the Internet and is also being recorded for playback purposes. Currently, all participants are in a listen only mode. After the speakers' presentation, there will be a question and answer session. For opening remarks and introductions, I would like to turn the call over to the Head of Investor Relation ...

Company Performance - Dole reported quarterly earnings of $0.35 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.39 per share, and down from $0.43 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of -10.26% [1] - The company posted revenues of $2.1 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.54%, but down from $2.12 billion year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Dole has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates four times [2] Stock Performance - Dole shares have increased approximately 9% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's decline of -3.8% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.48 on revenues of $2.14 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.33 on revenues of $8.39 billion [7] Industry Outlook - The Agriculture - Operations industry, to which Dole belongs, is currently in the top 36% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook [8] - Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, suggesting that industry performance can significantly impact stock performance [5][8]

Results Presentation Q1'25 Disclaimer Today's presentation includes forward-looking statements that reflect Dole plc's current views with respect to future events, financial performance, expected synergies and industry conditions. These statements are not statements of historical fact. The words "believe," "may," "could," "will," "should," "would," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "objective," "seek," "strive," "target" or similar words, or the negative of these words, identify forward-looking ...

Core Industry Insights - The Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry is benefiting from ongoing innovation and increasing consumer demand for health-focused products, particularly alternative proteins [1][2] - Advancements in food processing technologies, improved grain-handling methods, and expanded storage capacity are supporting industry momentum [2] - The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects agricultural exports of $170.5 billion for fiscal 2025, driven by stronger grain and feed exports [6] Company Highlights Mission Produce - Engaged in sourcing, farming, packaging, marketing, and distribution of avocados, mangoes, and blueberries, Mission Produce has optimized per-unit margins through effective integration of sales and sourcing operations [19][20] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Mission Produce's fiscal 2025 earnings has increased by 19% in the past 30 days, although sales and earnings are expected to decline by 6.6% and 32.4% respectively from the previous year [21] Corteva - Corteva is positioned for above-market growth through its innovative product pipeline and strong market demand for naturally derived products [22] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Corteva's 2025 earnings suggests growth of 1.7% and 15.2% respectively from the year-ago period [23] Dole - Dole is expected to benefit from improved logistical efficiencies and a healthier supply-demand balance, which has led to better pricing conditions in Europe [24] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dole's 2025 earnings suggests a growth of 4.7% from the previous year [25] Adecoagro - Adecoagro operates in farming, dairy, sugar, ethanol, and energy production, benefiting from high asset flexibility in a volatile market [26] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Adecoagro's 2025 earnings suggests declines of 3.2% and 41.1% respectively from the previous year [27] Industry Challenges - The industry faces challenges such as fluctuating commodity prices, rising input costs, trade uncertainties, and increasing operational expenses, which impact productivity and profitability [3][11] - Companies are managing higher selling, general and administrative expenses due to performance-related compensation and technology investments [12] Market Performance - The Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry has underperformed the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500, with a collective decline of 12.2% over the past year [16] - The industry is currently trading at a forward P/E ratio of 13.34X, compared to the S&P 500's 20.05X and the sector's 17.18X [17]

Financial Transactions - Dole's sale of its 65.0% stake in the Progressive Produce business to PTF Holdings generated gross proceeds of $120.3 million in cash[319]. - A goodwill impairment charge of $36.7 million was recorded in March 2024 due to the sale of the Progressive Produce business[319]. Fair Value Assessments - As of October 1, 2024, the fair value of the Fresh Fruit reporting unit was approximately 10% above its carrying amount, while the Diversified Fresh Produce – Americas & ROW reporting unit was about 8% above its carrying amount[324]. - Dole's indefinite-lived intangible assets, including the DOLE brand, were assessed and found to have fair values sufficiently above their carrying amounts as of October 1, 2024[326]. Regulatory and Environmental Factors - The EU's greenhouse gas emissions trading system (ETS) will require Dole to purchase allowances for 40% of its emissions in 2024, increasing to 100% by 2026[309]. - The company is subject to various international regulatory restrictions and tariffs that can influence its performance in core markets[312]. - Dole's exposure to foreign currency fluctuations includes transactions in multiple currencies such as the U.S. dollar, euro, and British pound sterling[305]. - The company is currently evaluating the financial impacts of new tariffs announced by the U.S. Presidential administration in early 2025[314]. Competitive Landscape - Dole's operations are affected by a diverse range of competitors, which can lead to reduced volumes and lower prices[306]. Pension Plan Obligations - The weighted average discount rate for Dole's U.S. pension plan obligations was 5.14% for the year ended December 31, 2024[335]. - A 25-basis point decrease in the U.S. discount rate would increase the projected benefit obligation by $2.9 million and net periodic benefit income by $0.7 million[335]. - The expected annual rate of return on U.S. pension plan assets was 6.70% as of December 31, 2024[337]. - The U.S. pension plan investment portfolio consisted of approximately 23% in equity securities, 51% in fixed income securities, and 14% in real estate as of December 31, 2024[337]. - The weighted average discount rate for Dole's international pension plan obligations was 5.66% for the year ended December 31, 2024[335]. - A 25-basis point decrease in the international discount rate would increase the projected benefit obligation by $5.7 million, with minimal impact on net periodic benefit cost[335]. - The expected annual rate of return on international pension plan assets was 4.38% as of December 31, 2024[338]. - The investment portfolio of international pension plans was approximately 11% in equity securities, 35% in fixed income securities, and 3% in real estate as of December 31, 2024[338]. - A 25-basis point change in the expected rate of return on U.S. pension plan assets would impact net periodic benefit income by $0.4 million[337]. - A 25-basis point change in the expected rate of return on international pension plan assets would impact net periodic benefit cost by $0.5 million[338]. Sustainability Goals - The company expects to incur additional costs related to sustainability goals, although the scope and timing of these expenditures remain uncertain[310].

Group 1 - The article expresses a beneficial long position in the shares of CAG, indicating a positive outlook on the company's stock performance [1] - The author emphasizes the importance of conducting due diligence and research before making any investment decisions, highlighting the risks associated with short-term trading and options trading [2] - It is noted that past performance does not guarantee future results, and the views expressed may not reflect those of the platform as a whole [3]

Q4'24 & FY'24 Results Presentation Disclaimer Today's presentation includes forward-looking statements that reflect Dole plc's current views with respect to future events, financial performance, expected synergies and industry conditions. These statements are not statements of historical fact. The words "believe," "may," "could," "will," "should," "would," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "objective," "seek," "strive," "target" or similar words, or the negative of these words, identify forward- ...