Hormel Foods Corp vs Microchip Technology Inc. — how do they compare? Hormel Foods Corp trades at $25.26 (market cap $13.91B), while Microchip Technology Inc. trades at $83.17 (market cap $43.72B). The key difference: Microchip Technology Inc. is far larger — about 3.1× Hormel Foods Corp's market cap, and Hormel Foods Corp pays the higher dividend (4.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HRL | MCHP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.91B | $43.72B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $29.52 | $102.97 |
52-Week Low | $19.74 | $49.02 |
Enterprise Value | $15.91B | $49.01B |
Dividend Yield | 4.63% | 2.26% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $25.31, down 0.33% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and consistent earnings beats. The stock shows a P/E of 29.87 and net income margin of 3.82%, supported by a recent dividend of $0.29. Revenue for 2025 was $12.11B, though net income declined to $478.20M. Analysts maintain a mixed consensus with a $26.33 price target, while the company focuses on portfolio streamlining, such as the sale of its Ceratti business in Brazil (PRNewsWire, 2026-06-29).
HRL offers a stable dividend yield and is near multi-year lows, presenting a value opportunity amid sector weakness. Risks include margin pressure from input costs and competitive threats in the consumer staples space. Institutional sentiment is cautious with 57% hold ratings, but technical indicators suggest potential upside if earnings momentum continues.
MCHP trades at $80.64, down 0.4% on the day, with technical indicators signaling a bearish trend. The stock has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, with Q2 2026 expected at $0.70 EPS. Revenue declined to $4.40B in 2025, resulting in a net loss, but margins are projected to recover in 2026. Positive sentiment is driven by AI and aerospace demand, with 68% of analysts rating it a Buy.
Outlook is mixed: strong analyst consensus targets $113.33, but high P/E of 368 and recent net loss pose valuation risks. Key opportunities include AI data center growth and inventory recovery, while supply chain constraints and semiconductor cycle volatility remain headwinds. The stock offers upside if earnings rebound as forecasted.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Hormel Foods is a protein-focused branded food company. Its brands include its namesake Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Dinty Moore, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, and Skippy. The vast majority of the company's revenue is U.S.-based: 64% U.S. retail, 28% U.S. food service, and 8% international. By product type, in fiscal 2021, 23% of revenue was shelf-stable foods, 18% was poultry (branded and commodity), 55% was other perishable food, and 3% was other, primarily nutritional products. The company holds the number-one market position in shelf-stable meat, shelf-stable ready meals, pepperoni, natural/organic deli meat, and guacamole and the number-two position in turkey, bacon, chilled ready meals, and peanut butter.
Read more on HRL →Microchip became an independent company in 1989 when it was spun off from General Instrument. More than half of revenue comes from MCUs, which are used in a wide array of electronic devices from remote controls to garage door openers to power windows in autos. The company's strength lies in lower-end 8-bit MCUs that are suitable for a wider range of less technologically advanced devices, but the firm has expanded its presence in higher-end MCUs and analog chips as well.
Read more on MCHP →