Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Utz (NYSE: UTZ) and the best and worst performers in the shelf-stable food industry.

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 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.

The 16 shelf-stable food stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 3.6% below.

While some shelf-stable food stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 2.9% since the latest earnings results.

Utz (NYSE: UTZ)

Tracing its roots back to 1921 when Bill and Salie Utz began making potato chips in their kitchen, Utz Brands (NYSE: UTZ) offers salty snacks such as potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, and ready-to-eat popcorn, among others.

Utz reported revenues of $371.8 million, up 1.4% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $14.21.

Is now the time to buy Utz? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q2: J. M. Smucker (NYSE: SJM)

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

J. M. Smucker reported revenues of $2.22 billion, up 5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.3%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $126.40.

Is now the time to buy J. M. Smucker? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q2: BellRing Brands (NYSE: BRBR)

Spun out of Post Holdings in 2019, Bellring Brands (NYSE: BRBR) offers protein shakes, nutrition bars, and other products under the PowerBar, Premier Protein, and Dymatize brands.

BellRing Brands reported revenues of $570.4 million, up 4.2% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 3.7%. Still, it was a softer quarter as it posted full-year EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly and a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 19.8% since the results and currently trades at $10.39.

Read our full analysis of BellRing Brands’s results here.

Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC)

The result of a 2015 mega-merger between Kraft and Heinz, Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC) is a packaged foods giant whose products span coffee to cheese to packaged meat.

Kraft Heinz reported revenues of $6.26 billion, down 1.4% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 2.3%. However, it was a slower quarter as it produced a significant miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and a miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

The stock is down 6.7% since reporting and currently trades at $24.85.

Read our full, actionable report on Kraft Heinz here, it’s free.

Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ)

Founded as Nabisco in 1903, Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a packaged snacks powerhouse best known for its Oreo, Cadbury, Toblerone, Ritz, and Trident brands.

Mondelez reported revenues of $9.36 billion, up 4.1% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. It was a strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ gross margin estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

The stock is down 2.3% since reporting and currently trades at $61.06.

Read our full, actionable report on Mondelez here, it’s free.

Market Update

Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.

Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.

By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.