Report
Zain Akbari, CFA
EUR 100.00 For Business Accounts Only

Hostess should beat category-level headwinds as it leverages its strong brand portfolio.

A large change to our $15 fair value estimate for narrow-moat Hostess is unlikely after 2017 results met our targets (mid-single-digit sales growth and adjusted operating margins just south of 24%). We believe shares are attractive, with sentiment overestimating the risk associated with its CEO transition (incumbent Bill Toler postponed his retirement to the end of March from the start of the month as a replacement is sought) while underestimating its brand strength despite category headwinds.
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Underlying
Hostess Brands Inc. Class A

Hostess Brands is a packaged food company. The company produces Hostess?, Dolly Madison?, Cloverhill? and Big Texas? products at bakeries located in Emporia, KS; Columbus, GA; Indianapolis, IN; and Chicago, IL. In-store bakery products are produced at bakeries located in Southbridge, MA. The company has invested in baking and packaging technology, including installing two Auto-bake systems and fully-automated packaging systems. A portion of the company's products are co-manufactured and packaged under its brands and sold through its distribution facilities. The company's Direct-to-Warehouse distribution model uses centralized distribution centers and common carriers to fill orders, with products.

Provider
Morningstar
Morningstar

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offer an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors.

Morningstar provides data on approximately 530,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 18 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries and had approximately $185 billion in assets under advisement and management as of June 30, 2016.

We have operations in 27 countries.

Analysts
Zain Akbari, CFA

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