Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT) Issues Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.19 EPS

Freshpet (NASDAQ:FRPT) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.19, Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $317.84 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $312.02 million. Freshpet had a net margin of 10.90% and a return on equity of 6.39%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.86 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from Freshpet’s conference call:

• Freshpet raised its 2026 outlook, now expecting 12%–13% sales growth and adjusted EBITDA of $215 million–$220 million. Third-quarter sales rose 10%, adjusted EBITDA increased 18%, and adjusted gross margin reached 50%.
• Growth was broad-based: MVP household penetration rose 8%, e-commerce sales increased 35%, and distribution points grew 14%. Management said its products are holding up against new competitors, while noting that customer order timing caused reported sales growth to trail measured consumption growth.
• Improved manufacturing performance unlocked more than $100 million of capacity within the existing footprint, allowing Freshpet to lower its 2026 capital-spending outlook to $125 million–$150 million. The company expects its new bag technology to contribute substantially to a 100-basis-point adjusted gross-margin improvement in 2027.
• Higher logistics costs, along with structural inflation in ingredients and packaging, are pressuring profitability; management expects logistics costs to remain elevated and plans selective price increases in 2027. Planned maintenance downtime, holiday-related production interruptions, and additional staffing are expected to reduce fourth-quarter adjusted gross margin sequentially, potentially to below the prior-year level.

Freshpet Trading Down 9.1%

NASDAQ FRPT opened at $64.82 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 5.03, a current ratio of 5.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. Freshpet has a twelve month low of $46.45 and a twelve month high of $86.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.19 billion, a PE ratio of 25.72 and a beta of 1.75. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $64.71 and its 200 day moving average is $63.93.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on FRPT shares. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on shares of Freshpet from $66.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Freshpet from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Freshpet in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. Needham & Company LLC assumed coverage on shares of Freshpet in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. They set a “hold” rating on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Freshpet from $77.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $80.31.

Insider Buying and Selling at Freshpet

In other Freshpet news, CEO William B. Cyr sold 2,657 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.40, for a total transaction of $200,337.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 49,044 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,697,917.60. This trade represents a 5.14% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Walter N. George bought 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 14th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $64.92 per share, for a total transaction of $64,920.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 51,746 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,359,350.32. This represents a 1.97% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 171,636 shares of company stock worth $12,754,864. 4.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

More Freshpet News

Here are the key news stories impacting Freshpet this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Freshpet reported Q3 earnings of $0.58 per share, above the $0.39 consensus, and revenue of $317.84 million, ahead of estimates and up 10.1% year over year. Adjusted gross margin reached 50%, and the company raised its 2026 outlook, supporting the growth and profitability case. Article: Freshpet Raises 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $84 from $77 and maintained an overweight rating; JPMorgan lifted its target to $78 from $76 and also rated the shares overweight. The higher targets signal more bullish analyst views. Article: Wells Fargo Price Target Article: JPMorgan Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its target to $69 from $67 but kept a hold rating, suggesting a more cautious view than the overweight calls. Article: Deutsche Bank Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Competition is heating up in the fresh pet-food category, which could put pressure on Freshpet’s growth or margins despite its recent improvement. Article: Q3 Deep Dive

Freshpet Company Profile

Freshpet, Inc (NASDAQ: FRPT) is a pet food company that develops, manufactures and markets refrigerated, fresh food and treats for dogs and cats. Its products are made with animal proteins, vegetables and other ingredients and are designed to be stored in the refrigerator rather than on a conventional shelf.

The company sells its products under the Freshpet brand and related product lines, including Freshpet Select and Vital. Its offerings include refrigerated meals, rolls, recipes and treats formulated for different pet sizes, ages and dietary needs.