When it comes to defensive plays in stock markets, consumer staples stocks are among the most sought-after investments. Characterized by steady growth, inflation protection, dividend certainty, and resilience against hard economic times, the sector encompasses essential products and services that are not highly vulnerable to economic turmoil.
Current economic challenges, including rising unemployment and inflation, have reduced consumer spending on discretionary items. On December 5, McKinsey & Company published an update on consumer sentiment during the recent holiday season. The report suggested that, despite a slight inclination toward semi-discretionary seasonal buying, consumers are prioritizing spending on essentials to navigate economic and financial uncertainties.
This makes it a bit challenging for businesses within this sector to keep up with evolving consumer demand, which now seeks more value for money. In that regard, Deloitte recently conducted a survey for its 2026 Consumer Products Outlook, published on January 8. As per the survey results, 77% of executives are now focusing their innovative spending on offerings that attract value-seeking consumers. Moreover, 68% of executives are looking into selling more through value-oriented channels.
These factors are expected to drive attention towards consumer staples stocks across a variety of underlying verticals. Precisely, the mid-cap segment will offer some interesting opportunities given its lower valuation multiples compared with large caps and greater potential for growth.
With that background, let’s explore our 12 Most Promising Mid-Cap Consumer Staples Stocks Under $100.
Copyright: defotoberg / 123RF Stock Photo
Our Methodology
To identify relevant stocks for this article, we began by screening U.S.-listed companies within the consumer staples sector having market capitalizations between $2 billion and $10 billion. We then added a filter to include companies with share prices above $5, in order to avoid penny stocks.
In the final part of the screening, we identified companies with at least 20% upside potential based on TipRanks consensus. We then selected 12 stocks with the highest upside as of January 9 and ranked them in ascending order.
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).
12. Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Farm Products)
Share Price: $73.69
Potential Upside: 22.1%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On January 8, Pooran Sharma from Stephens reiterated his stance on Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM) with an equal weight rating. He lowered the price target on the stock from $95 to $85, implying 15% upside.
The analyst referred to the company’s Q2 earnings that, despite beating consensus targets, were significantly lower compared to the same period last year. He noted declining egg prices being the primary reason, after touching multi-year highs during the past spring season. For the near- and intermediate-term, he anticipates continued concerns regarding oversupply of eggs, along with added pressure from a seasonal drop in demand. Having said that, Sharma still has confidence in the long-run earnings durability of the business.
On January 7, Benchmark Co. analyst Ben Klieve reiterated his Buy rating on Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM). He estimated a price target of $100, which results in an upside of almost 36%.
Klieve also based his ratings on second-quarter results, which saw the company delivering margins and earnings that beat the estimates. He highlighted a stable pricing structure across the premium Specialty Egg segment, which stayed resilient despite a huge drop in Egg prices.
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM) is the largest fresh shell eggs company in the United States, which is involved in the production, packaging, and distribution of eggs and egg products. Their ready-to-eat offerings include protein pancakes, egg wraps, and other byproducts. They distribute their products through grocery stores, supermarkets, club stores, and foodservice distributors.
11. Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Food Distribution)
Share Price: $60.99
Potential Upside: 25.8%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
As of January 9 closing, the consensus ratings indicate a highly bullish sentiment towards Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF). The stock has received coverage from 7 analysts, 6 of whom have given Buy ratings, and there was just 1 Hold call. This has led to a consensus 1-year median price target of $76.71, which offers an upside potential of nearly 26% from the current level.
On December 12, Todd Brookes from Benchmark Co also reiterated his favorable outlook on Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF). He assigned a Buy rating to the stock with a $75 price target estimate. This offers investors an upside potential of around 23%. Brookes’ rating and upside estimates came after meetings with the company management, referring to their tone as “as good as we can remember hearing.”
The analyst reiterated that the discussions indicated a lot of confidence in the underlying business momentum. Further backed by strong financial numbers, it has led to Brookes’ optimism on Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF).
Chefs’ Warehouse (NASDAQ:CHEF) is a specialty food distributor and restaurant supplier that operates within the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. They cover a variety of product categories, including Dairy & Eggs, Meat & Poultry, Seafood, Oil & Vinegar, Pantry, Frozen Grocery, and Beverages. Their supply chain operations are based on 53 distribution centers and an extensive logistics network.
10. McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Education & Training Services)
Share Price: $15.87
Potential Upside: 26.8%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19
McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On January 8, Shlomo Rosenbaum from Stifel Nicolaus reiterated a positive outlook for McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH), assigning a Buy rating. Rosenbaum’s estimates yield an almost 20% upside from prevailing levels, with a target price of $19.
This rating comes following the announcement of a leadership change for McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH). CEO and President Simon Allen will be replaced by Philip Moyer, effective February 9. Allen will continue to serve as the Chairman of the Board, and Rosenbaum sees this announcement as “somewhat unusual” from a timing perspective, as the company just got listed 6 months back.
However, the analyst noted that despite not having an Education industry background, the incoming CEO, Moyer, seems to be an interesting pick given his experience with technology businesses and AI focus.
Back on December 22, Goldman Sachs analyst George Tong also reiterated his bullish views on McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH). Tong assigned a Buy rating and lowered his price target from $25 to $22. This still results in an almost 39% upside for investors.
The analyst forecasted a healthy topline growth for the K-12 segment in 2026, but slightly meager operating margins. He also anticipated decelerating growth for the Global Professional segment amid the phasing out of their legacy products. However, the prospects for the Higher education segment remain strong, and the company is well-positioned to benefit from AI capabilities, backed by extensive proprietary content.
McGraw Hill Inc. (NYSE:MH) is a global education science company that functions through its 4 segments, i.e., K-12, Higher Education, Global Professional, and International. Through these segments, they offer learning solutions, instructional materials, and academic curricula, both in print and digital form.
9. Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Packaged Foods)
Share Price: $21.40
Potential Upside: 27.3%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 35
Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On December 19, Alexia Burland Howard from Bernstein SocGen reaffirmed her Buy rating on Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL). She also revised her target price from $29 to $31, which now results in an upside of almost 45%.
Howard pointed out the consensus topline growth forecasts, which do not align with U.S. scanner sales data. Despite some weakness in Atkins products, she observed promising signs across brands accounting for about 75% of the remaining sales mix. This includes Quest and OWYN products, which exhibit growth in high-teens during the prior 12 months. It is to be noted that these two brands account for approximately 50% of the product portfolio sales.
On December 15, Deutsche Bank analyst Stephen Powers reiterated his neutral stance on Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL). He assigned a Hold rating to the stock and revised the target price downwards from $26 to $22. His estimates now lead to a flat growth potential in share price, precisely around 3%.
Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:SMPL) develops and sells packaged food, nutritional snacks, and beverages under different brands, including Quest and Atkins. The company sells its products through a strong network of retail and e-commerce platforms. Some of their offerings include protein bars, shakes, caramel candy bars, cookies, crackers and peanut butter cups.
8. Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Grocery Stores)
Share Price: $16.66
Potential Upside: 33.7%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40
Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On December 31, Joe Feldman from Telsey Advisory reaffirmed his outperform rating for Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI), with a target price of $24. As per Feldman’s estimates, the stock now offers an upside potential of over 44%.
The analyst has forecasted over $1 billion in adjusted EBITDA based on 2.5% growth in identical store sales. He also projected an adjusted EPS of $0.68 amid easing inflation, elevating demand for private brands and digital product offerings. Feldman noted that the financial impact of such factors will be offset to some extent by cash outlays on pricing, workforce, and technology. However, there is enough reason for him to remain optimistic about the pharmacy business.
Feldman also noted some encouraging industry-wide growth figures across other relevant areas, such as low-single digit increments in the broader grocery industry and 2%-3% growth in U.S. Food & Beverages retail sales. This leads to a promising outlook on relevant industries.
On December 29, RBC Capital analyst Steven Shemesh also reaffirmed his Outperform rating on Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI). Shemesh has estimated a target price of $21, which gives an upside of over 26% from the prevailing level. Shemesh believes that the stock currently offers a huge discount, trading at a 4.5x forward adjusted EBITDA multiple.
Albertsons Companies (NYSE:ACI) is amongst the largest companies within the food and drug retailing business in the United States. Through their stores, they sell various types of products including beauty care, groceries, pharmacy, and general merchandise. They also operate several fuel stations, pharmacies, coffee shops, and distribution facilities under different banners.
7. Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE:PRMB)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Non-Alcoholic Beverages)
Share Price: $17.99
Potential Upside: 34.4%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE:PRMB) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On January 8, Mizuho reaffirmed its Outperform rating on Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE:PRMB). The firm also lowered the target price for the stock from $28 to $24 as part of their broader revisions across the food production businesses in line with the 2026 outlook. It cited macroeconomic uncertainties and fundamental weakness across businesses as primary factors that will continue to take a toll on potential valuation recoveries.
The firm sees rising trends towards health consciousness, which will prevail during the coming year. However, market fragmentation has now led to intense competition among players, which has kept valuations depressed. Despite the downward revision, Mizuho’s estimates still give an upside of 33% at the current level.
Back on December 18, JPMorgan also lowered its price target for Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE:PRMB) from $23 to $21. However, the firm maintained its Overweight rating on the stock based on its 2026 outlook. Despite forecasting some headwinds in 2026 for beverages, household, and personal care businesses, the firm believes that some of the major issues have already lapped during 2025. Most notable ones include tariffs and issues linked to low-income and Hispanic consumers.
The firm expects strong support for consumption and business profitability, which will result from reduced tariffs and currency movements favoring multinationals. Its forecasted price target leads to around 17% upside potential.
Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE:PRMB) offers purified water and branded beverages and is one of the largest players in North America. They distribute their products through an extensive network of more than 150,000 retail outlets. They also sell through e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, residential, and commercial channels.
6. e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE:ELF)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Household & Personal Products)
Share Price: $87.02
Potential Upside: 35.0%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43
e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE:ELF) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On December 18, JPMorgan analyst Andrea Faria Teixeira reaffirmed her Overweight rating for e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE:ELF), as part of the firm’s 2026 outlook. The stock was subject to a downward revision to the target price, as Teixeira lowered the target from $137 to $103. Her estimates now yield over 18% upside potential at the current level.
JPMorgan’s 2026 outlook remains favorable, backed by expectations of improved consumption patterns. Moreover, the firm believes that the added pressure from tariffs witnessed in 2025 will not be a hurdle for the coming year, which will facilitate profitability growth for companies. However, certain segments such as beverages, personal care, and household products will remain under pressure.
On January 6, Oliver Chen from TD Cowen also reiterated his optimism for e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE:ELF). He assigned a Buy rating based on encouraging sales figures reported by the company. He observed accelerated patterns in year-on-year and week-on-week sales growth on a one-week and two-year stack basis, respectively.
e.l.f. Beauty Inc. (NYSE:ELF) is a provider of beauty and skin care products that sells within and outside the United States through retail and e-commerce channels. They operate under various brand names such as e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. Skin, Well People, Naturium, and Keys Soulcare. Some of their offerings include skin-care products, lipsticks, blushes, bronzers, mineral-based makeup, eyeliners, brushes, and mascara.
5. Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Packaged Foods)
Share Price: $9.94
Potential Upside: 48.8%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16
Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On January 12, Bank of America Securities maintained its Buy rating on Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ), while lowering the target price from $15 to $14. Despite the downward revision, the firm’s estimates offer almost 41% upside on the stock.
The downward revision came after the company’s preliminary Q4 results, which showed underperformance in sales. The company reported organic sales growth between 0.3% and 0.6%, which was significantly lower compared to the analyst’s own expectations of 2.7% and consensus forecasts of 2.9%. The firm has cited macroeconomic headwinds and the resulting pressure on consumption for such meager growth.
The firm also highlighted an unforeseen inventory reduction in the company’s warehouse business, which is not expected to prevail beyond the fourth quarter as normality resumes in shipments at the tail end of 2025. Although the organic sales growth forecasts have been lowered from 3% to around 2.5%, it still maintains an adjusted EBITDA estimate of around $217 million.
On December 12, Mizuho Securities analyst John Baumgartner also reaffirmed his bullish estimates, assigning a Buy rating. With a target price of $16, his forecasts give an impressive upside potential of 61%. Such an optimistic outlook comes after meetings held with management.
Baumgartner expressed a lot of confidence in the company’s ability to generate volumetric growth and margin expansion during 2026. This will facilitate an increase in free cash flows, along with the management’s aim of financial deleveraging and EBITDA margins in the mid-teens.
Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) sells snack food to consumers, warehouse clubs, and merchandisers. The company markets and distributes its products under various brands such as Utz, Golden Flake, Hawaiian, Bachman, TGI Fridays, and more. Their offerings include pretzels, potato chips, tortillas, pub/party mixes, and ready-to-eat popcorn.
4. Stride Inc. (NYSE:LRN)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Education & Training Services)
Share Price: $70.16
Potential Upside: 52.2%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 39
Stride Inc. (NYSE:LRN) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
The stock has a consensus 1-year median price target of $106.75, which leads to an upside potential of almost 55% from the prevailing level. As of January 9 closing, Stride Inc. (NYSE:LRN) has received coverage from 5 analysts, with 3 of them assigning Buy ratings and 2 giving Hold calls. With no Sell rating, the forecasts remain moderately bullish.
On December 17, Greg Parrish from Morgan Stanley maintained his equal weight rating on Stride Inc. (NYSE:LRN). In the process, Parrish also lowered his estimated price target from $130 to $95. Despite such a notable downward revision, the stock still offers over 35% upside as per his forecasts.
Parrish pointed out an AI-based shift in the Information Services segment during 2025, which resulted in a clear bifurcation among leaders and laggards. He emphasized that this trend will persist in the coming year, depending on how businesses incorporate AI capabilities in their operations.
Stride Inc. (NYSE:LRN) is an online educational platform that sells virtual curriculum, training programs, educational materials, and software systems. As an alternative to the traditional brick and mortar education system, their advanced and personalized interactive products enable users to track and monitor progress of their learning outcomes.
3. Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Farm Products)
Share Price: $30.90
Potential Upside: 58.3%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On December 18, D.A. Davidson analyst Brian Holland reaffirmed his Buy rating for Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL). The analyst lowered his price target from $52 to $47, which still implies over 52% upside.
Holland’s downward revision is based on the company’s revised guidance for Q4 results, which led to disappointment for investors. However, he defended the company for undergoing a temporary disruption, something that many people are ignoring.
He also spoke about the slowdown in volumes in recent weeks, which he believes was due to issues specific to the company and does not reflect a structural demand problem. For 2026, Holland anticipates that the company will have “relatively unconstrained capacity to meet pent-up consumer & customer demand.”
On December 18, TD Cowen also lowered its estimated price target for Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL), from $59 to $44. Despite such a sharp downward revision, the firm’s forecasts still result in an upside potential of 42%.
The firm reflected on Vital Farms’ recent struggles, which seem to have already priced in during 2025. However, it remains optimistic about their long-term outlook, which is backed by strong financial health.
Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL) is a brand of pasture-raised eggs and butter that distributes products across the United States. Their products, which include hard-boiled eggs, shell eggs, liquid whole eggs, and butter, are distributed through retailers and food service operators. All these products are sourced from animals raised on family farms.
2. Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Education & Training Services)
Share Price: $7.29
Potential Upside: 65.9%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 34
Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On January 5, RBC Capital Markets analyst Rishi Jaluria reiterated his optimism on Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR), maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock. He lowered his price target from $13 to $11, which still results in an upside of almost 51%.
Jaluria expects 2026 to be driven by AI-related catalysts, which will help businesses that have positioned themselves to capitalize on such developments. He emphasized on certain peers, who have not prepared themselves for such disruptions, to struggle with the “AI is the death of software” narrative. Despite some conservatism in early 2026 guidance, the analyst noted GenAI-related innovation trends and related enterprise spending in specific areas.
On December 17, Nafeesa Gupta of Bank of America Securities maintained a neutral rating on Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR). Her estimated target price of $12 leads to an upside potential of almost 65% for investors.
Gupta attributed her stance to the company’s global user base and an extensive ecosystem of complementary content. She also highlighted how the company’s proprietary platform is set to capitalize on AI-driven developments, which will transform the online learning experience for users. Gupta also shared the company’s forward-looking EV/2026E Sales multiple of 1.4x, which led to her estimated $12 price target.
Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) is an online course provider that collaborates with universities and training institutions to deliver virtual degrees, certifications, and online training programs. Their operations are stretched across 3 segments, i.e., Consumer, Enterprise, and Degrees, and are being delivered to users around the world. They cater to the needs of individuals, organizations, and government entities.
1. ODDITY Tech (NASDAQ:ODD)
Sector/Industry: Consumer Staples (Household & Personal Products)
Share Price: $35.42
Potential Upside: 88.1%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
ODDITY Tech (NASDAQ:ODD) is one of the most promising mid-cap consumer staples stocks under $100.
On December 19, Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney reaffirmed his optimistic views on ODDITY Tech (NASDAQ:ODD), with an outperform rating. He has projected an $80 price target for the stock, which gives an upside of nearly 126%.
Mahaney mentioned that the stock’s valuation appears attractive and also acknowledged its latest skin care offering, METHODIQ. His analysis reveals a promising response for the new product, based on website visits and customer reviews. He believes that this product could deliver incremental revenues between $80 million and $200 million by 2028.
Mahaney also took notice of Oddity’s strong fundamental performance, characterized by financial discipline and customer retention. The company has delivered EBITDA margins of nearly 20% for 9 consecutive quarters, in addition to above 20% topline growth for 10 consecutive quarters.
Citizens also reiterated its bullish stance by assigning an outperform rating to ODDITY Tech (NASDAQ:ODD) on December 17. The firm estimated a 126% upside based on a price target of $80.
The firm also focused on a favorable market response for the new launch, METHODIQ. On a relative basis, METHODIQ has outperformed the SpoiledChild product at a comparable stage, which paves the way for further growth and cross-selling opportunities in the future.
ODDITY Tech (NASDAQ:ODD) is a consumer technology business that is disrupting the beauty and wellness industries through its AI-enabled platform. This platform leverages data science, machine learning, and biotechnology for developing digital-first brands such as SpoiledChild and IL MAKIAGE.
While we acknowledge the potential of ODD as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ODD and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 15 Most Promising Mid-Cap Healthcare Stocks Under $50 and 11 Most Promising Small-Cap Industrial Stocks Under $50.
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