Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) Downgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. to Underweight

Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) was downgraded by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a $22.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s target price would suggest a potential downside of 11.96% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on KHC. BNP Paribas Exane downgraded Kraft Heinz from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and set a $22.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Mizuho decreased their price objective on shares of Kraft Heinz from $29.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Kraft Heinz from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Evercore decreased their target price on Kraft Heinz from $28.00 to $25.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of Kraft Heinz from $27.00 to $25.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Kraft Heinz presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $26.05.

Kraft Heinz Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of NASDAQ KHC opened at $24.99 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $24.00 and its 200-day moving average price is $25.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.13. Kraft Heinz has a 52-week low of $21.99 and a 52-week high of $33.35. The company has a market capitalization of $29.58 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.70 and a beta of 0.08.

Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.06. Kraft Heinz had a negative net margin of 17.35% and a positive return on equity of 7.26%. The company had revenue of $6.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.84 EPS. The business’s revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Kraft Heinz has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.980-2.100 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Kraft Heinz will post 2.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Kraft Heinz

In related news, insider Miguel Patricio sold 125,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.82, for a total transaction of $3,102,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 686,817 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $17,046,797.94. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Kraft Heinz

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Jessup Wealth Management Inc bought a new position in Kraft Heinz in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Key Capital Management INC bought a new stake in shares of Kraft Heinz during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in Kraft Heinz by 70.2% in the fourth quarter. New England Capital Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,239 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 511 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc. raised its holdings in Kraft Heinz by 172.4% in the second quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 1,245 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 788 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cape Investment Advisory Inc. lifted its position in Kraft Heinz by 164.7% during the 2nd quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 1,297 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 807 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.17% of the company’s stock.

More Kraft Heinz News

Here are the key news stories impacting Kraft Heinz this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised cash return: KHC declared a $0.40 quarterly dividend (annualized yield ~6.4%), supporting income-focused investors and providing a defensive element to the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat: Adjusted EPS of $0.67 topped consensus ($0.61), showing some earnings leverage despite weaker top-line trends. This underpins the view that cost actions and margins still have upside if volumes recover. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company will pause the separation process and provide more detail on its turnaround; slides and the earnings call are available for investors to assess execution plans. These materials will be key to judging credibility of the $600M investment plan. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces examine how the split pivot reshapes the portfolio strategy and which brands may benefit from renewed investment; useful for longer-term positioning but not an immediate catalyst. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance cut: Management set FY2026 EPS at $1.98–$2.10 vs. consensus ~2.51, signaling a softer outlook and triggering analyst concern about near-term earnings trajectory. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Sales and volumes remain weak: Revenue of $6.35B was slightly below estimates and organic sales fell year-over-year, with margins pressured — underlying demand softness is a core concern. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Market disappointment with strategic pivot: Pausing the breakup — originally framed as a value-unlocking move — and opting for a turnaround investment surprised investors and contributed to the stock decline. Read More.

About Kraft Heinz

The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC) is a global food and beverage company formed in 2015 through the merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company. The combination created one of the largest packaged-food companies in the world, built around well-known consumer brands. The merger was supported by major investors and established a multi-national platform for branded food products.

Kraft Heinz develops, manufactures, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of branded packaged foods and condiments.