Packaged foods company J.M Smucker (NYSE:SJM) reported results in line with analysts' expectations in Q3 FY2024, with revenue flat year on year at $2.23 billion. It made a non-GAAP profit of $2.48 per share, improving from its profit of $2.21 per share in the same quarter last year.

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"We are pleased to have delivered another quarter of strong financial results, including organic sales and earnings growth, driven by focused execution on our strategic priorities, sustained customer and consumer loyalty to our iconic brands, and volume growth across our business," said Mark Smucker, Chair of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Best known for its fruit jams and spreads, J.M Smucker (NYSE:SJM) is a packaged foods company whose products span peanut butter to coffee to pet food.

Packaged Food

As America industrialized and moved away from an agricultural economy, people faced more demands on their time. Packaged foods emerged as a solution offering convenience to the evolving American family, whether it be canned goods, prepared meals, or snacks. Today, Americans seek brands that are high in quality, reliable, and reasonably priced. Furthermore, there's a growing emphasis on health-conscious and sustainable food options. Packaged food stocks are considered resilient investments. People always need to eat, so these companies can enjoy consistent demand as long as they stay on top of changing consumer preferences.The industry spans from multinational corporations to smaller specialized firms and is subject to food safety and labeling regulations.

Sales Growth

J. M. Smucker is one of the larger consumer staples companies and benefits from a well-known brand, giving it customer mindshare and influence over purchasing decisions.

As you can see below, the company's revenue was flat over the last three years. This is poor for a consumer staples business.

This quarter, J. M. Smucker grew its revenue by 0.6% year on year, and its $2.23 billion in revenue was in line with Wall Street's estimates. Looking ahead, Wall Street expects sales to grow 9.9% over the next 12 months, an acceleration from this quarter.

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Volume Growth

Revenue growth can be broken down into changes in price and volume (the number of units sold). While both are important, volume is the lifeblood of a successful staples business as there’s a ceiling to what consumers will pay for everyday goods; they can always trade down to non-branded products if the branded versions are too expensive.

J. M. Smucker's quarterly sales volumes have, on average, stayed about the same over the last two years. This stability is normal because the quantity demanded for consumer staples products typically doesn't see much volatility.

In J. M. Smucker's Q3 2024, sales volumes jumped 4% year on year. This result was a well-appreciated turnaround from the 4% year-on-year decline it posted 12 months ago, showing the company is heading in the right direction.

Key Takeaways from J. M. Smucker's Q3 Results

It was good to see J. M. Smucker beat analysts' EPS expectations this quarter. On the other hand, its gross and operating margins both missed Wall Street's estimates. Guidance was ok, with full year comparable sales growth maintained from previous and full year EPS guidance coming in slightly ahead of expectations and raised from the previous range given. Overall, this was a mixed quarter for J. M. Smucker. The stock is flat after reporting and currently trades at $124.71 per share.

J. M. Smucker may have had a tough quarter, but does that actually create an opportunity to invest right now? When making that decision, it's important to consider its valuation, business qualities, as well as what has happened in the latest quarter. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free.