THOMASVILLE, Ga., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) will report its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results on Thursday, February 12, 2026, after the market close. The company will host a live question and answer webcast at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time the next day. Access to the webcast, press release, pre-recorded remarks by management with accompanying transcript, and supporting slide presentation will be available and archived at investors.flowersfoods.com. About Flowe ...

Core Insights - Palm Valley Capital Fund's performance in Q4 2025 was a 0.66% appreciation, underperforming the S&P SmallCap 600's 1.70% gain and the Morningstar Small Cap Total Return Index's 3.12% rise [1] - The Fund increased its allocation to Treasury bills from 74.1% to 76.3% during the quarter, while equity holdings rose by 1.12% [1] - Precious metals investments, particularly in silver, positively influenced equity performance [1] Company-Specific Insights - Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) experienced a one-month return of -4.53% and a 52-week loss of 48.24%, closing at $10.32 per share with a market capitalization of $2.179 billion on January 5, 2026 [2] - In Q4 2025, Flowers Foods was one of the top three detractors from the Fund's performance, despite meeting earnings guidance and reaffirming its outlook [3] - The company is facing a challenging operating environment, with negative volume trends as consumers shift to private-label products and away from traditional loaf bread [3] - Flowers Foods is focusing on growth in healthier product offerings, such as Dave's Killer Bread and Simple Mills snacks, and plans to increase innovation and new product launches [3] - The company is expected to generate strong free cash flow, primarily used for a generous dividend yielding 9%, although a shift towards debt reduction is suggested [3] - Flowers Foods is currently trading at 10x earnings, which is viewed as attractively valued, leading to an increased position in the Fund during the quarter [3]

Company Overview - Flowers Foods, based in Georgia, has been producing baked goods since 1919, with brands including Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, and Tastykake. The company operates 44 bakeries across 19 states and reported sales of $5.1 billion in 2024. Its stock has reached 68 new 52-week lows in the past year, yielding 9.1% [1] Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) - Alexandra Real Estate Equities specializes in office and lab space for life sciences, agtech, and technology industries in major U.S. cities. As of September 30, it had 39.2 million square feet of leasable space and has hit 35 new 52-week lows in the past year, yielding 10.7% [3] Market Trends - In 2025, 105 stocks had at least 30 new 52-week lows and a market cap over $1 billion, with 30 of those stocks offering dividend yields of 2.75% or higher. The "Dogs of the Dow" strategy, which selects the highest-yielding stocks, was up 17.8% through December 26 [4][5] Staffing Industry - Robert Half, a staffing business, has hit 52 new 52-week lows in the past year, yielding 8.6%. The company reported a net margin of 2.8% for the trailing 12 months, the lowest in a decade, as hiring has slowed due to a high unemployment rate of 4.6% [7][8] Employee Benefits Sector - Alight administers employee benefits and provides payroll services for over 35 million employees. The company has also hit 52 new 52-week lows, yielding 8.1%. It has pivoted to AI initiatives to improve efficiency amid economic uncertainty [9][10][11] Food Industry - Conagra Brands has reached 40 new 52-week lows, yielding 8.0%. The stock has declined from around $18.30 to below $17.45, with analysts suggesting it may be a value trap [12][13] Real Estate and Investment - Americold Realty Trust has hit 47 new 52-week lows, yielding 6.9%. Despite revenue and EBITDA growth of 69% and 114% respectively over eight years, its share price has declined due to increased net debt of $4.1 billion [14][15][16][17] Retail Sector - Buckle has hit 32 new 52-week lows, yielding 2.6%. The company announced a special cash dividend of $3.00 per share, in addition to its regular quarterly dividend, bringing total dividends to $4.40 per share in 2026, yielding 8.2% at a share price of $53.76 [18][20][21]

Core Insights - Flowers Foods, Inc. is expected to report a revenue increase of 3.6% year-over-year, with third-quarter 2025 revenues estimated at $1.23 billion [1][9] - The earnings consensus estimate remains stable at 23 cents per share, reflecting a significant decline of 30.3% compared to the previous year [2][9] - The company has shown a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 2.6% on average [2] Revenue and Earnings Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Flowers Foods' revenues is $1.23 billion, indicating a 3.6% increase from the same quarter last year [1][9] - Earnings per share are projected at 23 cents, down 30.3% from the prior-year quarter [2][9] Growth Drivers - Flowers Foods continues to benefit from its branded retail portfolio, with products like Dave's Killer Bread and Canyon Bakehouse outperforming the broader category [3] - The company is gaining shelf space and expanding innovation, which is expected to sustain top-line momentum [3][4] - A shift towards better-for-you, premium, and value-oriented bakery segments is being implemented, addressing consumer preferences [4] Challenges - The company faces volume pressure in traditional loaf bread due to changing consumer preferences and the availability of lower-priced alternatives [5] - Competitive intensity in value-tier segments is limiting the impact of innovation and brand investments [5] - A projected 1.4% dip in overall volumes is expected for the third quarter [5] Earnings Prediction Model - The current model does not predict an earnings beat for Flowers Foods, with an Earnings ESP of +0.96% and a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) [6]

Core Points - Flowers Foods, Inc. has appointed D. Anthony Scaglione as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective January 1, 2026 [1][2] - Scaglione will oversee the company's financial strategy and various functions including treasury, investor relations, accounting, tax, internal audit, risk, procurement, and information security [1][3] - The appointment follows the retirement of Steve Kinsey, who will assist in the transition [3] Company Background - Flowers Foods is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, with net sales of $5.1 billion in 2024 [5] - The company operates bakeries nationwide and produces a variety of bakery products under well-known brands such as Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, and Wonder [5] Leadership Experience - Scaglione has extensive experience as CFO in several multi-billion-dollar organizations, including Total Wine & More, ODP Corporation, and ABM Industries [3] - His expertise encompasses core finance functions as well as strategy, real estate, procurement, mergers and acquisitions, and IT [3][4]

Core Points - Flowers Foods, Inc. has elected Sterling A. Spainhour to its board of directors, effective October 1, 2025, where he will serve on the audit and finance committees [1][2][3] Company Overview - Flowers Foods, Inc. is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, with net sales of $5.1 billion in 2024 [4] - The company operates bakeries nationwide, producing a variety of bakery products under brands such as Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Canyon Bakehouse, Simple Mills, Wonder, and Tastykake [4] Board Member Profile - Sterling A. Spainhour brings over 30 years of experience, including roles at Southern Company, Jones Day, and CNN, with expertise in M&A, legal matters, and corporate governance [3] - Spainhour holds degrees in political science, business administration, and law from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and Duke University [3] - He is also a board member of several organizations, including Gray Media and Emory Healthcare Network [3] Strategic Implications - The addition of Spainhour is expected to enhance the board's composition and support the company's strategic priorities aimed at increasing shareholder value [3]

Group 1 - Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) is recognized as one of the largest packaged baked goods producers in the US, with a strong portfolio of popular brands such as Nature's Own and Dave's Killer Bread, which dominate the mainstream and organic bread markets [2][3] - The company is actively reshaping its portfolio by upgrading digital systems and expanding into health-focused and higher-growth product areas, with acquisitions like Simple Mills aimed at attracting health-conscious consumers [3] - Flowers Foods has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2475 per share, maintaining its dividend for 23 consecutive years, resulting in a dividend yield of 7.54% as of September 22 [4]

Management Changes - Steve Kinsey, CFO of Flowers Foods, will retire at the end of the year after 26 years with the company, including 18 years as CFO, and will continue in an advisory role post-retirement [2] - James Shen has been appointed as interim CFO of GitLab, having previously served as vice president of finance since January 2021, replacing Brian Robins who resigned to join Snowflake [3] - Alan Shepard, currently president and CFO of CNX Resources, will become CEO effective January 1, while retaining his role as president; he succeeds Nick Deiuliis, who will retire after 35 years [4] - Josh Greear has been named finance chief of Authority Brands, previously serving as CFO of Primrose Schools and holding various financial leadership roles at Cracker Barrel and The Home Depot [5] - Brett Summerer has been appointed CFO of Accel Entertainment, effective September 22, previously serving as CFO of Verano Holdings and holding leadership roles at Kraft Heinz, Corning, and General Motors [6]

Company Announcement - Flowers Foods, Inc. announced the retirement of Steve Kinsey, the chief financial officer, after 36 years of service, with the last 18 years in the CFO role [1][2] - The company has begun the search for Kinsey's successor with a leading executive search firm and he is expected to serve in an advisory role post-retirement to ensure a smooth transition [1] Leadership Perspective - Ryals McMullian, chairman and CEO, expressed gratitude for Kinsey's leadership and commitment, highlighting his legacy of integrity and excellence [2] - Kinsey reflected on his career at Flowers, emphasizing the honor of working with a talented team and confidence in their ability to continue driving shareholder value [2] Company Overview - Flowers Foods, headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the U.S., reporting net sales of $5.1 billion in 2024 [3] - The company operates bakeries nationwide and produces a variety of bakery products under well-known brands such as Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Canyon Bakehouse, and Tastykake [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall bread category has declined by approximately 2.5% to 3% [11] - Traditional loaf segment, including honey wheats and white breads, has seen a decline of 5% to 6% [12] - The company has lowered its underlying guidance for both top and bottom lines for 2025 due to challenges in the first half of the year [36][38] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is innovating around its product portfolio, particularly in keto products and brands like Dave's Killer Bread, which continue to perform well [12][34] - Small loaves are gaining traction, with an increase from three SKUs to six, catering to consumer preferences for reduced consumption [46] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is experiencing pressure from economic uncertainty and inflation, impacting consumer behavior [4][6] - The competitive landscape has seen new low-price competitors entering the market, prompting the company to address this with value offerings [23][24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to innovate and reposition its product offerings to counteract the decline in traditional bread categories [14][18] - There is a focus on expanding distribution in underpenetrated markets, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast [27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the current challenges but expresses confidence in the company's ability to navigate through them, citing strong brand positions [79][80] - The company is committed to maintaining margins while being mindful of consumer price sensitivity in the current economic climate [32][66] Other Important Information - The integration of Simple Mills has gone smoothly, with expectations for growth driven by innovation and distribution expansion [33][35] - The company is undergoing an ERP transition, with plans to ramp up rollouts in the second half of the year [60][63] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the long-term expectations for the bread category? - Management believes the bread category will evolve, with a shift towards more differentiated items and a decline in traditional soft varieties [15][18] Question: How is the company addressing new low-price competitors? - The company is responding with value offerings and believes that as the economic environment improves, the situation will stabilize [24][25] Question: What is the outlook for brand support and advertising? - The company plans to continue increasing brand support to drive awareness and household penetration, balancing advertising and promotional efforts [65][66] Question: What are the capital allocation priorities post-Simple Mills acquisition? - The focus is on deleveraging while maintaining a strong cash flow position, with the board evaluating the dividend on a quarterly basis [68][71]