Dole (NYSE:DOLE) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Hits Expectations

Dole (NYSE:DOLE) released its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.46, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $2.50 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.53 billion. Dole had a return on equity of 7.00% and a net margin of 0.63%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.55 EPS.

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

• Q2 profitability declined as higher fuel, shipping, fruit-sourcing and pineapple-growing costs reduced adjusted EBITDA by $20.4 million to $117 million, while adjusted diluted EPS fell to $0.46 from $0.55.
• Fresh Fruit was the main source of pressure, with adjusted EBITDA down $22.5 million to $50.3 million; management expects contractual fuel surcharges, cost savings and sourcing investments to support improved second-half performance.
• Diversified Americas delivered another strong quarter, with revenue up 14% and adjusted EBITDA increasing $5.2 million to $20.6 million, helping offset weakness in Fresh Fruit.
• Dole completed the Ecuador port sale for approximately $95 million of net proceeds, improving financial flexibility; pro forma net leverage was about 1.6 times, with year-end leverage expected to fall below 1.5 times.
• Management maintained its 2026 adjusted EBITDA target at approximately $400 million, citing resilient consumer demand and expected pricing recoveries, but acknowledged limited forecasting visibility due to geopolitical, fuel and shipping-cost uncertainty.

Dole Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of DOLE stock traded up $0.15 on Wednesday, reaching $13.12. 224,665 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 912,055. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 0.91. Dole has a one year low of $12.52 and a one year high of $16.57. The company has a 50-day moving average of $14.04 and a 200-day moving average of $14.70. The company has a market cap of $1.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.15, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.63.

Dole Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.085 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 16th. This represents a $0.34 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Dole’s dividend payout ratio is currently 75.56%.

Institutional Trading of Dole

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in DOLE. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in Dole by 17.3% in the fourth quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 11,948 shares of the company’s stock valued at $179,000 after acquiring an additional 1,761 shares during the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP bought a new position in Dole during the fourth quarter valued at $246,000. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC bought a new stake in shares of Dole in the fourth quarter valued at $295,000. Bank of Montreal Can purchased a new position in shares of Dole during the 4th quarter valued at $204,000. Finally, SmartHarvest Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Dole during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $179,000.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on DOLE shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $14.00 price objective on shares of Dole in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dole in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Dole from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $15.00.

About Dole

Dole plc is a global producer, marketer and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company’s product range includes bananas, pineapples, berries, grapes, salads and a variety of other fresh and packaged produce, sold under the Dole brand and through private-label arrangements. Dole’s operations span the full fresh-produce value chain, from farming and sourcing to packing, ripening, cold?chain logistics and wholesale and retail distribution, supporting both retail grocery and foodservice customers.

The company traces its commercial heritage to the early 20th century Hawaiian pineapple business founded by James Dole and has evolved through subsequent corporate restructurings and combinations.