We recently published a list of the 10 Best Food Stocks To Buy Under $20. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Bloomin Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) stands against other best food stocks to buy under $20.
Overview of the Global Food Industry
The food industry plays a significant role in regulating the global economy, affecting agriculture and retail. Food demand is growing with an increase in the world’s population, resulting in changes in consumption patterns. According to The Business Research Company, the global food and beverages market was valued at $6.57 trillion in 2023. It is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.9% between 2024 and 2028, reaching $8.81 trillion by the end of the forecast period. In 2023, Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the food and beverages market.
Technological advancements are causing significant changes in how companies in food production operate. Innovations such as robotics and AI are streamlining supply chains and improving efficiency. Recent consumer spending trends also highlight a shift towards healthier and functional foods that support overall well-being. For instance, many consumers are now looking for products that satisfy hunger and promote health benefits at the same time, such as weight management and heart health.
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Are Food Prices Expected to Cool Down?
Inflation has simmered down over the past two years, according to CNBC. Although October and November saw a slight stall, prices for items such as cars, energy, and gasoline have all cooled down. However, food prices have continued to outpace inflation, rising by 28% since 2019. According to a 2024 survey by RR Donnelley, grocery price increases have left more than 85% of consumers frustrated and disturbed. More than a third of consumers reported shifting to buying fewer items to save money. Experts believe that trends surrounding higher food prices are likely to persist. CNBC reported that Claudia Sahm, a chief economist at New Century Advisors, was of the view that food prices tend to stay up once they rise. She said:
“The inflation may come back down, so you don’t see the big price increases. But outside of widespread depression, we don’t tend to see prices falling across the board.”
While policy interventions can affect food prices, experts are skeptical of the odds of that happening. CNBC reported that Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, was of the opinion that government policymakers can do nothing about the situation. He said this was not unique to the United States, as the problem has been experienced worldwide. At present, there isn’t much to do except wait and see how things work out in the future.
Another factor behind the looming uncertainty about the future of food prices is the current political climate and its unpredictability. However, tariffs are expected to considerably increase the prices of things, especially food. CNBC reported that Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at Groundwork Collaborative, said the following when talking about the scenario:
“Same thing with mass deportations. We have workers in this country who really prop up our food system, and when you start to really harm that workforce and send them away, that harms our entire economy.”
Our Methodology
We sifted through stock screeners, online rankings, and ETFs to compile a list of 20 food stocks with a share price under $20. We then selected the top 10 most popular stocks among elite hedge funds as of Q3 2024. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment. Please note that the share price data is as of February 14, 2025.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? 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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
The golden glow of the exterior of a modern Upscale Casual Dining restaurant reflecting on a busy street.
Bloomin Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN)
Stock Price: $11.21
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) is a Florida-based restaurant holding company that owns four brands: Outback Steakhouse, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Bonefish Grill. The company owns and operates more than 1,450 restaurants in 45 US states, Guam, and 13 countries, some of which are franchises. Its operations are thus divided into segments: International and US.
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) is undergoing a leadership transition, with Michael Spanos recently stepping in as CEO to revamp its operations. In addition, the company is in the process of franchising its Brazilian operations. The company has a strong cash position, as it ended fiscal Q3 2024 with over $83.6 million available in cash and cash equivalents. It has also been paying regular dividends to shareholders since 2015.
On November 6, Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN) entered into a Purchase Agreement with Vinci Partners to strategically re-franchise its Brazilian operations, selling a 67% stake for around $243 million. Analysts believe this move will streamline Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:BLMN) business and boost operational efficiency by allowing it to concentrate on its domestic market.
Overall, BLMN ranks second on our list of best food stocks to buy under $20. While we acknowledge the potential of BLMN, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BLMN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.