Utz Brands Sees 6%-8% Growth in Adjusted EBITDA
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy UTZ?
Sees annual adjusted EBITDA growth of 6%-8%, with a focus on growing Adjusted EBITDA dollars. Sees annual adjusted EPS growth approximately in-line with adjusted EBITDA growth after 2026, which is impacted by a step-up of depreciation and amortization, higher interest and a higher tax rate. Sees accelerated adjusted free cash flow of $100M plus in 2027 and beyond, which represents approximately 80%-90% conversion of adjusted net income to adjusted free cash flow. Utz Brands will discuss its strategies and long-term growth targets today at the 2026 Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference. "As the largest pure-play salty snack company in the country, we are focused on driving growth faster than the category," Friedman said. "We believe that prioritizing consistent topline growth, annual Adjusted EBITDA growth with margin expansion, and accelerating free cash flow will create shareholder value over time."
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Analyst Views on UTZ
Wall Street analysts forecast UTZ stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 9.290
Low
11.00
Averages
13.57
High
17.00
Current: 9.290
Low
11.00
Averages
13.57
High
17.00
About UTZ
Utz Brands, Inc. manufactures a diverse portfolio of savory snacks through various brands, including Utz, On The Border Chips & Dips, Zapp’s, and Boulder Canyon, among others. The Company sells a variety of salty snacks under the Utz brand, including potato chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, pub/party mixes, and seasonal favorites. The Company’s On The Border brand (OTB) is a national brand of tortilla chips, salsa and queso. Its Boulder Canyon brand offers a line of BFY potato chips, including those made with olive or avocado oils. The Company's Zapp’s brand offers a line of kettle-cooked potato chips with bold, authentic flavors steeped in its New Orleans roots, including Voodoo, Hotter ‘N’ Hot Jalapeno, Spicy Cajun Crawtators, and Cajun Dill Gator-tators, among others. It also sells certain third-party branded products through its distribution network. The Company's products are distributed nationally through grocery, mass merchandisers, club, convenience, drug, and other channels.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Utz Brands Unveils Innovative Snacks at Natural Products Expo West
- New Product Launch: Utz Brands will showcase a variety of new products, including Boulder Batch Agave Sriracha flavored chips, at the 2026 Natural Products Expo West, aiming to meet consumer demand for healthier snacks and further solidify its market leadership.
- Health Trend Response: The new chips from Boulder Canyon are made with avocado oil, aligning with the growing consumer preference for snacks cooked in non-seed oils, which is expected to drive sales growth and enhance brand image.
- Protein Snack Innovation: Utz's new Protein Pretzels and Cheese Curls provide 10 grams and 8 grams of protein per serving, respectively, catering to the 60% of consumers looking to increase their protein intake, thereby expanding its product line.
- Market Positioning Strengthening: As America's fastest-growing salty snack brand, Boulder Canyon is expected to maintain its leading position in the natural channel through high-quality ingredients and innovative flavors, enhancing consumer loyalty.
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Investors Should Adopt a Defensive Strategy: Offload Staples and Invest in Healthcare.
- Investment Strategy: Investors are encouraged to shift their focus towards defensive stocks for better stability in uncertain markets.
- Sector Shift: The recommended approach is to sell off consumer staples and invest in the healthcare sector.
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Utz Brands to Update Long-Term Growth Strategies at CAGNY Conference
- Strategic Update: Utz Brands (UTZ) plans to update its strategies at the CAGNY Conference, focusing on goals for profitable growth, margin expansion, and accelerating free cash flow to efficiently allocate capital and reduce debt.
- Sales Targets: The company sets a long-term sales potential of $1.9 billion, indicating a $500 million incremental opportunity primarily driven by share growth from Boulder Canyon and expansion geographies, reflecting optimism for the salty snack category.
- Financial Growth: Utz Brands anticipates a long-term adjusted EBITDA growth rate of 6% to 8%, with plans for adjusted EPS growth to align with EBITDA growth post-2026, despite pressures from rising depreciation, interest, and tax rates.
- Market Performance: Although Utz Brands, as the largest pure-play salty snack company in the U.S., aims for growth faster than the category, CEO Howard Friedman notes a 13.3% decline in share price year-to-date, indicating market caution regarding its growth potential.
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Utz Brands (UTZ) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript
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Utz Brands Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
- Earnings Performance: Utz Brands reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.26, beating expectations by $0.01, indicating solid profitability despite slight revenue decline.
- Revenue Growth Challenges: The company's revenue for Q4 was $342.2 million, reflecting a 0.4% year-over-year increase but missing estimates by $0.5 million, highlighting challenges from intensified market competition and soft consumer demand.
- Organic Sales Growth: Organic net sales are expected to grow between 2% and 3%, driven by continued growth in branded salty snacks, particularly the performance of the
See More
Utz Brands Unveils Innovative Snacks at Natural Products Expo West
- New Product Launch: Utz Brands will showcase a variety of new products, including Boulder Batch Agave Sriracha flavored chips, at the 2026 Natural Products Expo West, aiming to meet consumer demand for healthier snacks and further solidify its market leadership.
- Health Trend Response: The new chips from Boulder Canyon are made with avocado oil, aligning with the growing consumer preference for snacks cooked in non-seed oils, which is expected to drive sales growth and enhance brand image.
- Protein Snack Innovation: Utz's new Protein Pretzels and Cheese Curls provide 10 grams and 8 grams of protein per serving, respectively, catering to the 60% of consumers looking to increase their protein intake, thereby expanding its product line.
- Market Positioning Strengthening: As America's fastest-growing salty snack brand, Boulder Canyon is expected to maintain its leading position in the natural channel through high-quality ingredients and innovative flavors, enhancing consumer loyalty.
See More
Investors Should Adopt a Defensive Strategy: Offload Staples and Invest in Healthcare.
- Investment Strategy: Investors are encouraged to shift their focus towards defensive stocks for better stability in uncertain markets.
- Sector Shift: The recommended approach is to sell off consumer staples and invest in the healthcare sector.
See More
Utz Brands to Update Long-Term Growth Strategies at CAGNY Conference
- Strategic Update: Utz Brands (UTZ) plans to update its strategies at the CAGNY Conference, focusing on goals for profitable growth, margin expansion, and accelerating free cash flow to efficiently allocate capital and reduce debt.
- Sales Targets: The company sets a long-term sales potential of $1.9 billion, indicating a $500 million incremental opportunity primarily driven by share growth from Boulder Canyon and expansion geographies, reflecting optimism for the salty snack category.
- Financial Growth: Utz Brands anticipates a long-term adjusted EBITDA growth rate of 6% to 8%, with plans for adjusted EPS growth to align with EBITDA growth post-2026, despite pressures from rising depreciation, interest, and tax rates.
- Market Performance: Although Utz Brands, as the largest pure-play salty snack company in the U.S., aims for growth faster than the category, CEO Howard Friedman notes a 13.3% decline in share price year-to-date, indicating market caution regarding its growth potential.
See More
Utz Brands (UTZ) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript
See More
Utz (UTZ) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript
See More
Utz Brands Q4 Earnings Beat Expectations
- Earnings Performance: Utz Brands reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.26, beating expectations by $0.01, indicating solid profitability despite slight revenue decline.
- Revenue Growth Challenges: The company's revenue for Q4 was $342.2 million, reflecting a 0.4% year-over-year increase but missing estimates by $0.5 million, highlighting challenges from intensified market competition and soft consumer demand.
- Organic Sales Growth: Organic net sales are expected to grow between 2% and 3%, driven by continued growth in branded salty snacks, particularly the performance of the
See More
