Conagra Brands High-Yield and Deep Value Are a Buy in October

Core Viewpoint - Conagra Brands is positioned as a buy in October due to successful turnaround efforts, with expectations for growth, margin expansion, and capital return [1] Financial Performance - FQ1 revenue was $2.63 billion, a 5.7% decline year-over-year, primarily due to divestitures and portfolio reshaping [4] - Organic revenue declined by less than 1%, with volume shrinkage offsetting price and mix increases [4] - Adjusted earnings contracted by 26%, but were approximately 1900 basis points above MarketBeat's consensus [5] Margin and Debt - Gross and operating margin contraction was less severe than anticipated, leaving the company in a stronger position [5] - Long-term debt is less than 1x equity, indicating a healthy financial position capable of sustaining capital returns [6] Analyst Outlook - The 12-month stock price forecast is $21.92, indicating a 14.86% upside potential [8] - Institutional ownership is nearly 85%, with buying activity outpacing selling at a rate of greater than $2.50 to $1 [9] Market Trends - Recent price action suggests a bottoming market, with a 3% price increase confirming a bullish trend [10] - The stock is expected to rise to the $20 to $21.50 range as market consolidation occurs [11]