# The Marzetti Company (MZTI) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. NASDAQ, United States. Sector: Consumer Defensive / Food & Staples Retailing. Price $105.39, market value $2.9 billion.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 15.1×** (5-yr avg 31.7×, 3-yr avg 25.1×). The Marzetti Company trades at 15.1× trailing earnings, well below its own five-year average of 31.7×: cheap by its own standards. The Consumer Defensive median in the September 2026 study was 20.1×. Forward P/E is 14.6×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **PEG: 0.97**. A PEG of 0.97 means the P/E is low relative to expected earnings growth: the market is not paying much for that growth.
- **Price / sales: 1.5×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 1.5×.
- **Price / book: 2.7×**. The shares trade at 2.7× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 9.8×**. Enterprise value is 9.8× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: 7.2%** (5-yr avg 3.3%). Free cash flow equals 7.2% of the market value, above its five-year average of 3.3%, so the shares are cheaper on cash than they have usually been. Above 5% is generally attractive.
- **Earnings yield: 6.6%**. The inverse of the P/E: 6.6% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Gross margin: 24.7%**. The Marzetti Company keeps 24.7% of revenue after the direct cost of what it sells, a thin margin typical of retail, distribution and commodity businesses.
- **Operating margin: 12.4%**. 12.4% of revenue is left after running the business.
- **Net margin: 9.9%**. 9.9% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 18.2%**. 18.2% on shareholders' equity is solid.
- **Return on invested capital: 15.4%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 15.4%: comfortably above what that capital costs.
- **Return on assets: 11.9%**. Each dollar of assets produces 11.9% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 1.1%** (3-yr 1.9%/yr, 5-yr 5.6%/yr). Revenue grew 1.1% over the last year, against 5.6% a year compounded over five years: growth is slowing.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): 15.0%** (3-yr 20.0%/yr, 5-yr 6.2%/yr). Earnings per share rose 15.0%, faster than revenue, so margins expanded or the share count shrank.
- **Free-cash-flow growth (3 yr): 14.9%/yr**. Free cash flow has compounded at 14.9% a year over three years, lagging earnings: check whether profits are turning into cash.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 0.19**. Debt is 0.19 times equity: a conservative balance sheet.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: 0.6×**. It would take 0.6 years of operating earnings to repay net borrowings, within the comfortable range.
- **Current ratio: 1.56** (quick 1.56). Current assets cover the next year's liabilities 1.56 times.
- **Piotroski F-score: 5/9**. 5 of 9 checks pass: mixed.

## Dividends
- **Dividend yield: 3.80%** ($3.95 per share, trailing). The Marzetti Company yields 3.80%, an income-level yield.
- **Payout ratio: 57%** (53% of free cash flow). 57% of earnings goes out as dividends, leaving room to keep raising it.
- **Consecutive years of increases: 9**. 9 straight years of increases.
- **Dividend growth (5 yr): 6.2%/yr** (1-yr 5.5%). The dividend has grown 6.2% a year over five years.

## Analyst view
- **Analyst consensus: buy** (5 analysts). 5 analysts cover The Marzetti Company; the consensus is buy, with an average price target of $146.60 (+39% from the current price). Analyst opinion is shown for context; it is not part of the Fundamental Score.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): -41.1%** (YTD -34.9%, 3-mo -1.8%). The shares are down 41.1% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -43.2%** (1.1% above the low). Trading 43% below its 52-week high, deep in a drawdown.
- **200-day average: below**. The price sits below its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of a downtrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 37**. An RSI of 37 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): -0.02** (volatility 29%). Beta of -0.02 against the S&P 500: the shares move much less than the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=MZTI · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/mzti

Not investment advice.