Campbell's Soup Company produces and markets a variety of food and beverage products.
It is a leading packaged food giant known for its iconic brands and stable consumer demand in the grocery aisle.
Updated: January 14, 2026, 16:00 EST
CPB's technical picture is weak, showing significant declines over the past several months. While it has recently fallen less than the broader market, it remains near the bottom of its 52-week range, indicating an oversold condition. Its negative beta suggests it does not move in lockstep with the market, which could offer diversification benefits but also points to idiosyncratic risks.
Campbell Soup exhibits modest revenue growth but faces pressure on profitability margins. The company's financial health is concerning due to high debt levels and weak liquidity, as indicated by a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76 and a current ratio below 1. Operational efficiency is mediocre, with low returns on equity and asset turnover, suggesting room for improvement in managing capital and inventory.
CPB appears reasonably valued on a P/E basis, and its low PEG ratio suggests it is inexpensive relative to its growth prospects. However, the high EV/EBITDA ratio signals that enterprise value is elevated when factoring in debt. Without direct peer comparisons, it is difficult to ascertain whether these metrics represent a clear discount or premium within the packaged foods sector.
The stock carries a unique risk profile, with low correlation to the market but a history of substantial drawdowns, indicating high stock-specific volatility. While low short interest suggests a lack of strong negative sentiment, it may also reflect lower liquidity, increasing vulnerability to large trades.
Based on the analysis, a cautious approach is advisable. The stock's oversold technical condition and reasonable P/E valuation may attract value-oriented investors seeking diversification. However, significant fundamental weaknesses—including high leverage, tight liquidity, and operational inefficiencies—present substantial headwinds. Investors should monitor the company's ability to improve profitability and manage its debt load before considering a position. This is not investment advice, for reference only.
Based on the provided analysis, the 12-month outlook for Campbell Soup (CPB) is cautious with limited upside potential.
Key Catalysts: The primary potential catalyst is a valuation bounce from its current oversold condition, which could attract value investors. Successful execution on improving operational efficiency and demonstrating a clear path to reducing its significant debt load would be the most important fundamental drivers for a positive re-rating.
Potential Risks: The major risks are fundamental, centered on its high leverage and weak liquidity, which could constrain financial flexibility, especially in a higher interest rate environment. Operational inefficiencies and margin pressures pose ongoing headwinds to profitability, while the stock's history of significant drawdowns indicates high idiosyncratic volatility.
Target Price Range: Given the fundamental challenges and the absence of a clear analyst target, a significant breakout above its recent trading range is unlikely. A more realistic near-term target would be a recovery toward the upper end of its 52-week range, but this is highly dependent on management demonstrating tangible progress on its financial health.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about CPB's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $26.81, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, CPB has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
Of Counsel: CPB has demonstrated notably weak price performance with significant declines across multiple timeframes, though it shows modest relative strength versus the market recently. The stock has retreated -8.16% over the past month and -12.65% over three months, underperforming its benchmark but showing a relative outperformance of -16.02% versus the market over the latter period, suggesting it fell less than the broader market did during the recent downturn. Currently trading at $26.11, CPB sits near the bottom of its 52-week range ($25.62 to $43.85), indicating an oversold condition that is further supported by its substantial maximum drawdown of -37.89% over the past year; the negative beta of -0.043 implies low correlation with general market movements, which may appeal to investors seeking diversification.
| Period | CPB Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -6.7% | +1.3% |
| 3m | -11.8% | +5.7% |
| 6m | -12.8% | +10.6% |
| 1y | -30.7% | +16.5% |
| ytd | -3.2% | +1.1% |
Of course. Here is a fundamental analysis of Campbell Soup Company (CPB) based on the provided data.
Campbell Soup demonstrated solid revenue growth in its most recent quarter (Q1 2026), with revenue increasing to $2.68 billion from $2.32 billion in the prior quarter. Profitability metrics, however, showed some pressure. The gross profit margin declined slightly from 30.4% to 29.6%, and the net income margin softened from 6.2% to 7.2%. This suggests that while top-line growth is healthy, the company is facing higher costs or competitive pressures that are impacting its bottom-line efficiency.
The company's financial health is a point of concern, primarily due to its significant leverage. The debt-to-equity ratio is high at 1.76, indicating a heavy reliance on debt financing. This is further reflected in a relatively low interest coverage ratio of 4.16, which, while adequate, leaves limited room for error if earnings decline. The cash position is weak, with a cash ratio of just 0.05, meaning it holds very little cash relative to its current liabilities. Liquidity is also tight, as shown by a current ratio below 1 (0.82).
Operational efficiency presents a mixed picture. The return on equity (ROE) is modest at 4.9%, indicating less effective use of shareholder capital. Asset management shows room for improvement, with a low asset turnover ratio of 0.18, suggesting the company is not generating a high volume of sales from its asset base. The cash conversion cycle of approximately 28 days is manageable, but the low inventory turnover (1.25) points to potential inefficiencies in inventory management, which is critical for a consumer staples company.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level: Campbell Soup appears moderately valued based on traditional metrics. The TTM PE of 13.07 and forward PE of 11.5 suggest reasonable earnings valuation, while the PS ratio of 0.77 indicates modest sales pricing. However, the elevated EV/EBITDA of 36.0 raises concerns about debt-adjusted profitability, though this appears offset by the attractive PEG ratio of 0.35 signaling strong growth-adjusted value.
Peer Comparison: Without specific industry comparative data, a definitive peer assessment cannot be provided. The analysis would benefit from benchmark ratios for the packaged foods sector to contextualize whether Campbell's valuation multiples represent a premium or discount to industry norms. This limitation prevents conclusive determination of relative valuation positioning versus competitors.
Based on the provided data, CPB exhibits a unique volatility risk profile. Its Beta of -0.043 indicates the stock's returns have a slight inverse relationship with the broader market, meaning it may move opposite to general market trends, which can introduce unpredictable volatility. However, this low correlation is contrasted by a significant 1-year maximum drawdown of -37.89%, revealing that the stock has experienced substantial price declines from recent peaks, pointing to high asset-specific risk despite its low market Beta.
From an other risks perspective, the notable lack of short interest suggests market sentiment is not significantly betting against the stock's price, which can be viewed as a positive indicator. However, an unusually low or non-existent short interest can sometimes correlate with lower trading liquidity, making the stock potentially more susceptible to price gaps on large trades. This combination warrants monitoring for liquidity risk, as the absence of speculative short-side activity does not inherently eliminate other fundamental or operational risks facing the company.
Neutral to Bearish.
CPB offers a high 5.5% dividend yield and trades at reasonable earnings multiples (P/E ~13), which may appeal to income-focused, value investors. However, the bearish case is stronger due to weak price momentum, significant leverage (debt-to-equity of 1.76), and broad analyst "sell" sentiment questioning growth sustainability. The stock is best suited for investors comfortable with high risk and a long-term horizon to weather ongoing volatility.
Based on the data provided, CPB appears moderately valued to slightly undervalued. Its key valuation metrics - PE ratio of 13.07, forward PE of 11.5, and PS ratio of 0.77 - appear reasonable for a stable consumer staples company, though exact positioning requires industry comparison. The particularly attractive PEG ratio of 0.35 suggests strong growth-adjusted value, offsetting concerns about the elevated EV/EBITDA ratio. However, the valuation is tempered by the company's weak financial health, including high leverage (debt-to-equity of 1.76) and modest profitability metrics, which likely restrain multiple expansion despite decent revenue growth.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding Campbell Soup Company (CPB) stock, ordered by importance:
1. Financial Risk: The company's high leverage, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76 and a weak cash position (cash ratio of 0.05), creates significant financial risk, especially if earnings were to decline and pressure its already modest interest coverage. 2. Asset-Specific Volatility Risk: Despite its low market correlation (Beta of -0.043), the stock has experienced a substantial 1-year maximum drawdown of -37.89%, indicating high idiosyncratic risk and potential for severe price declines independent of the broader market. 3. Operational/Profitability Risk: The company faces operational pressures, including a declining gross profit margin and a low asset turnover ratio (0.18), signaling inefficiency in converting assets into sales and potential challenges with cost control. 4. Liquidity Risk: The combination of a low current ratio (0.82) and the noted potential for low trading liquidity makes the stock susceptible to price gaps and challenges in meeting short-term obligations without external financing.
Based on the fundamental analysis and 12-month outlook provided, here is a Campbell Soup Company (CPB) forecast for 2026.
Our base case target range for 2026 is $26 - $32, assuming moderate success in improving operational efficiency and stabilizing margins. A bull case scenario, projecting to $35 - $38, would require significant deleveraging and a successful re-rating of the stock due to demonstrated, sustainable profit growth. Key growth drivers are the execution of operational improvements to boost margins and a clear strategy to reduce the company's high debt load, thereby improving financial flexibility.
The main assumptions are that management can navigate inflationary pressures and that interest rates do not rise significantly, exacerbating debt servicing costs. It is crucial to note the high uncertainty of this forecast; the stock's performance is highly sensitive to management's execution on its turnaround strategy and macroeconomic factors impacting its leveraged balance sheet.