Stock fact sheet · data as of
Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Consumer Defensive · Packaged Foods · United States · Speculative / Distressed
Is UTZ undervalued?
Utz Brands, Inc. (UTZ) closed at 14.31 on 16 Oct 2026, 65% above the GLS average fair value of 8.65. 2 of the 3 models that produced a number value the shares below the current price. A gap this wide usually means the market is paying for growth or a story the trailing numbers do not show yet; the models work from filed results, not forecasts, so they are conservative by design.
The average is built from just 3 models (DCF, 10 Cap, DDM) - the rest returned nothing because an input they need (dividends, free cash flow, book value) is zero or negative - so treat it with more caution than usual.
The nightly engine files UTZ under Speculative / Distressed - negative earnings or a Piotroski score of 3 or less - which caps its Wheel Score at 45 and keeps it out of the Sunday Scan.
Nine valuation models for UTZ
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 4.71 | -67% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | - | - | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share; no value tonight |
| Graham Growth | - | - | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields; no value tonight |
| Lynch | - | - | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25%; no value tonight |
| GLS Growth | - | - | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year; no value tonight |
| 10 Cap | 17.52 | +22% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | - | - | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself; no value tonight |
| DDM | 3.71 | -74% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | - | - | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth; no value tonight |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -12.01 | -184% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 14.25 | -0% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Utz Brands, Inc. scores only 4 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score, which fails the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. A reading this low means several of the basic tests - positive earnings, positive operating cash flow, falling debt, no new share issuance - are not met. A GLS Moat score of 3.9/10 is a weak reading: the ten-year history the score grades (revenue, EPS, book value, margins, cash flow, share count, ROIC) has not been steady, so the Moat part of the Wheel Score contributes little.
Returns on capital are thin or negative - ROIC 0.0%, ROE 0.1%, ROA 0.0% - with debt at 1.64 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 4.0%.
The dividend yield is 1.76% at a payout ratio of -78%; for a wheel trader holding assigned shares the dividend adds to the covered-call premium, and the ex-dividend date is worth knowing before a call is sold. Revenue comes mainly from Reportable 100% (quarter Q2 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 10/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 4 / 9 | ROIC | 0.0% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 3.9 / 10 | ROE | 0.1% |
| Debt / equity | 1.64 | ROA | 0.0% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 4.0% | Payout ratio | -78% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 10 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 45: Weak
With a Wheel Score of 45 Utz Brands, Inc. sits in the Weak band, capped at 45 because the engine files it as Speculative / Distressed. The parts - Value 0/25, Health 9/20, Moat 6/15, Premium 18/20, Stability 15/20 - show where: Value (0/25) scores lowest.
Implied volatility is 33% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out: some premium, but under the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for (18 of 20 points). Chain open interest is 6,483 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 1.0M shares a day on a market cap of $1.3B, with a beta of 0.73 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 15 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 0 / 25 | -65% margin of safety | |
| Health | 9 / 20 | Piotroski 4/9 | |
| Moat | 6 / 15 | moat 3.9/10 | |
| Premium | 18 / 20 | implied volatility 33% | |
| Stability | 15 / 20 | 1.0M shares/day, $1.3B cap, beta 0.73 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
Utz Brands, Inc. reports earnings on 29 Oct 2026 (before the open) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Packaged Foods
The 12 companies below are the closest to Utz Brands, Inc. by market cap within the Packaged Foods industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SENEB Seneca Foods Corporation | 184.29 | 585.73 | +69% | 39No options | $1.2B |
| SENEM Seneca Foods Corporation PFD $12.00 | 178.00 | 567.83 | +69% | 39No options | $1.2B |
| FLO Flowers Foods, Inc. | 6.12 | 10.71 | +43% | 78Good | $1.3B |
| SENEA Seneca Foods Corporation | 181.78 | 582.74 | +69% | 39No options | $1.2B |
| JJSF J&J Snack Foods Corp. | 78.95 | 87.19 | +9% | 68Good | $1.5B |
| HLF Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. | 14.57 | 47.90 | +70% | 74Good | $1.5B |
| BRBR BellRing Brands, Inc. | 8.99 | 56.38 | +84% | 77Good | $1.0B |
| NOMD Nomad Foods Limited | 11.49 | 16.68 | +31% | 84Prime | $1.6B |
| SMPL The Simply Good Foods Company | 10.72 | 25.09 | +57% | 45Weak | $948M |
| WEST Westrock Coffee Company, LLC | 8.07 | - | - | 45Weak | $788M |
| JBSS John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. | 66.11 | 71.54 | +8% | 61Fair | $773M |
| OFRM Once Upon A Farm Pbc | 17.26 | - | - | 45Weak | $725M |
⚖ Compare UTZ with 7 of them All Consumer Defensive stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about UTZ
Is UTZ undervalued right now?
No: at 14.31 the stock trades 65% above the GLS average fair value of 8.65 (data as of 16 Oct 2026), well beyond what trailing earnings, cash flow and book value support.
What is the Wheel Score of UTZ and what does it mean?
UTZ scores 45 out of 100 (Weak). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for UTZ?
8.65 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 3 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Utz Brands, Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 29 Oct 2026 (before the open), 13 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does UTZ have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 120 listed contracts with 6,483 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 33% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.