We recently published a list of the 10 Best Vegan Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where SunOpta, Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) stands against the other best vegan stocks to buy according to analysts.
Overview of the Global Vegan Food Market
According to Grand View Research, the global vegan food market was valued at $16.55 billion in 2022. It is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% between 2023 and 2030, reaching a projected revenue of around $37.45 billion by 2030. North America was the largest revenue-generating market in 2021. Country-wise, South Africa is anticipated to register the market’s highest compound annual growth rate between 2022 and 2030.
The primary reason behind this growth is the continually growing awareness regarding the benefits of a vegan diet. Concerns about animal cruelty and animal health are supporting the growth of this industry, causing people to shift from an animal-based to a plant-based and vegan diet. Grand View Research reported that Grubhub, a major online food delivery application, accounted for the upsurge of 17% in overall vegan food deliveries in 2021.
Concerns Surrounding the American Economy and the Food Industry
Despite the positive outlook of the vegan food market, the overall food industry in the US is a subject of concern due to the possible effects of Trump’s tariffs and slowing economic growth in the country. Consumers are reflecting these trends, as The Expectations Index dropped to a 72.9 reading, reflecting a decrease of 9.3 points. The measure has tumbled below the level consistent with recession for the first time since June 2024, according to CNBC.
In addition, The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 98.3 for February, reflecting a slip of nearly 7% and below the Dow Jones forecast of 102.3. We discussed what tariffs and potentially rising inflation could mean for the food industry in a recently published article on the 10 Cheap Food Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Economists and experts opine that the situation is unpredictable and worrisome. Trump’s tariffs may ignite another bubbling of inflation in a scenario where the Federal Reserve is weighing the odds of whether to slash interest rates further or hold steady as experts and policymakers chalk out the effects of the President’s aggressive trade and fiscal policies, as reported by CNBC.
Consumers are reflecting the worries of economists and experts, as the 12-month inflation expectations rose to 6%, up from 5.2% in the last month and considerably higher than the Fed’s steady goal of 2%. CNBC reported that Guichard opined:
“This increase likely reflected a mix of factors, including sticky inflation but also the recent jump in prices of key household staples like eggs and the expected impact of tariffs. There was a sharp increase in the mentions of trade and tariffs, back to a level unseen since 2019. Most notably, comments on the current administration and its policies dominated the responses.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rang caution bells regarding “sticky” inflation and the potential for slow growth. He attributed the cause to former President Biden’s administration, saying that he fostered an economy too dependent on government spending. He said the government’s plan now is to develop a more diverse economy through deregulation, tax cuts, and tariffs. However, such a scenario is likely to have adverse effects on the food industry. Economists believe that such aggressive policies may drive the cost of food, apparel, toys, and appliances.
Our Methodology
We sifted through stock screeners, online rankings, and ETFs to compile a list of vegan stocks. We then selected the top 10 with the highest analyst upside potential. We also added the number of hedge fund holders for these stocks as of fiscal Q4 2024. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The list is sorted in ascending order of analysts’ average upside potential, as of March 4.
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 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
An assembly line of automated machines packing a variety of plant-based foods and beverages.
SunOpta, Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL)
Analyst Upside: 70.07%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27
SunOpta, Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) provides plant-based food and beverages. It manufactures organic products and sells them through food service and retail channels. Its product portfolio includes a range of plant-based beverages, including almond, oat, soy, coconut, and rice milk and creamers. SunOpta, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:STKL) plant-based offerings encompass organic, non-genetically modified (non-GMO), and gluten-free products, with a consumer products portfolio including teas, protein shakes, fruit snacks, and broths. The company’s operations include natural and private label brands and its own brands, including SOWN, Dream, and West Life.
The company reported fiscal Q4 2024 results in line with its expectations. It experienced a 9% revenue growth driven by a 13% volume growth, reflecting broad-based gains across segments, products, and customers. Its adjusted EBITDA increased 20%, while its adjusted EBITDA margin improved 130 basis points to 13.4%. This was attributed to strong revenue growth and operational efficiencies. SunOpta Inc.’s (NASDAQ:STKL) co-manufacturing and private label solutions are continually resonating in the market, and its end consumer categories are growing.
In June 2024, SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) invested $26 million to expand its plant-based beverage processing facility in Modesto, California, marking the second-largest project in the history of the company. The investment will allow the company to increase its annual oat milk output by 60% and meet ongoing strong customer demand. With the plant-based milk market projected to grow in size from $20 billion in 2024 to over $45 billion by 2034, SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL) is well-positioned to capitalize on the rising demand for plant-based milk and oat-based products.
Overall, STKL ranks 5th on our list of the best vegan stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of STKL as an investment, 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 STKL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.