In this article, we will look at the 10 Best Confectionery, Cookie and Snack Stocks To Buy.
On February 2, David Katz, Matrix Asset Advisors CIO, appeared on CNBC’s ‘The Exchange’ to talk about why equity valuations could slow this year. Katz stated that we have seen three years of 15%+ returns, and if we go back to 1915 and look for periods like that, we would see only six out of 74 time periods showing such great returns. In the aftermath of these trends, the following one and three-year stocks have had a little less than average returns.
Applying this to the current scenario, he expects stock returns to slow down in 2026 and stated that he is more cautious in his equity outlook, expecting volatility and considerable market rotations. Katz further called to look for continued rotations, with stronger gains from several of last year’s laggards.
READ ALSO: 10 Best Undervalued Stocks to Buy Under $10 and 10 Best Strong Buy Stocks to Invest In Under $5.
Similar to Katz’s expectations of volatility in 2026, Sherry Paul, Morgan Stanley senior portfolio manager, also expects volatility ahead. We talked about her view and her appearance on CNBC’s ‘Closing Bell’ on January 26 in a recently published article on 15 Best Long Term Low Volatility Stocks to Invest In, and here is an excerpt from the article:
“According to her, one of the most important things that came out of Davos was going from the phrase globalization to the “new world order”, in which the former felt more like a conscious uncoupling, while the latter has a much harsher tone to it. This translates to the fact that the urgency around reimagining supply chains, partnerships, and the advancement of AI and automation manufacturing in the United States, along with the dollar that is now lower, becomes even higher.
Paul added that this means there is increased volatility ahead, especially as these trends unfold further. However, she also stated that it is important to remember volatility as a part of investing, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that something bad is taking place. According to her, volatility means that something more emergent is happening, and the emergence is moving away from the Mag 7 into what she calls the “magnificent thematics”. If one follows these thematics of the new world order of AI, automation, longevity, innovation, and a couple of others, one can start trailing down into the different sector weightings that people should not be overweighting in, and not necessarily moving into cash.”
With these trends in view, let’s look at the best confectionery, cookie, and snack stocks to buy.
Our Methodology
We sifted through stock screeners to find the best confectionary, cookie, and snack stocks, and then chose the top 10 with the highest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2025. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund holders.
Note: All data was recorded on February 1.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
10 Best Confectionery, Cookie and Snack Stocks To Buy
10. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN) is one of the best confectionery, cookie, and snack stocks to buy. On February 2, The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN) announced a definite agreement for the sale of its North American Snacks business, including Garden Veggie Snacks™, Terra® chips, and Garden of Eatin’® snacks, to Snackruptors Inc. for $115 million in cash. Snackruptors Inc., is a Canadian, family-owned snacks manufacturer. Management reported that the sale would allow the company to advance with a simplified portfolio in North America, focusing on core categories and margins with stronger margin and cash flow profiles as a means of boosting growth.
For perspective, this North America snacks portfolio represented 22% of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:HAIN) net sales in fiscal 2025 and 38% of the North America segment net sales, with negligible EBITDA contribution over the last 12 months. The company clarified that the remaining portfolio in North America has a meaningfully stronger financial profile, delivering EBITDA margins in the low double digits, underpinned by gross margins above 30%.
After the sale, The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:HAIN) North American flagship categories would encompass tea, yogurt, and baby/kids, along with its meal preparation platforms. Its brands in the region include Celestial Seasonings® teas, The Greek Gods® yogurt, Earth’s Best® Organic baby and kids foods, and Spectrum® Organic culinary oils.
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN) is a prominent US-based company specializing in snacks, natural and organic foods, as well as personal-care products. It operates in over 75 countries, offering various items across snacks, baby products, beverages, meal components, and personal care. Its customer base generally includes supermarkets, natural food stores, specialty and natural food distributors, mass-market, and club stores.
9. UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16
UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) is one of the best confectionary, cookie, and snack stocks to buy. UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) has received several rating updates since the beginning of the year. Most recently, Jefferies reiterated a Buy rating on the stock on January 27 and set a price target of $15.00. UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) also received a bullish stance from RBC Capital on January 16, which reaffirmed a Buy rating with a price target of $17.00.
However, UBS cut the price target on UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) to $11 from $11.50 on January 14 while keeping a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm told investors in a research note that while the market backdrop and operating environment for the Consumer Staples sector remain challenging, fundamentals may improve in 2026.
In addition, TD Cowen assigned a Hold rating to UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) on January 12, stating that the fiscal Q4 sales shortfall appears largely temporary, linked primarily to retailer inventory reductions due to a slowdown in November sales. It added that although December saw improved consumption and shipment, the recovery was unable to completely nullify the weakness of the quarter, with the recent sales growth decelerating compared to the previous quarter.
UTZ Brands, Inc. (NYSE:UTZ) markets, manufactures, and distributes branded snacks. Its portfolio includes a range of salty snacking products, such as pretzels, potato chips, veggie, cheese, and pork skins. The company’s brands include Utz, Golden Flake, Zapp’s, Good Health, Hawaiian, and Boulder Canyon.
