Dishing Out Thanksgiving Day Ideas: Foods For Thought and Portfolio Plays

Alright Pilgrims, Turkey Day is a week away so its best you start to prepare. This week we are not only suggesting you finalize a grocery list but start anticipating family antics. Get ready for three times divorced, Aunt Denise to show up. She will be sporting her cornucopia earrings, sipping spiked hot apple cider while she tries to pry into every aspect of your personal life. Uncle Fred is best to chat with during halftime since this is when he will not be screaming obscenities, at the TV. Don’t forget, Cousin Chaz. He’s vegan. Five years ago, Chaz quit eating meat “cold turkey”. Now he works at a bird sanctuary. Sit at the kids table to avoid feeling guilt while he eats his Tofurky and shames the family.

We’ve found some traditional Thanksgiving Day dishes that feature top ranked brands. As you pad your belly, pad your portfolio and hopefully your wallet with these conventional T-Day food stock plays. If successful, you may be able to afford your impulse Black Friday buys.

Gobble Gobble

Obviously, our feathered friend is the traditional holiday meat to feast upon. Depending on where you are from, everyone has their own special way of cooking a turkey. Has anyone tried Turducken? For us, Uncle Bob never intends to, but always succeeds at, serving his unique specialty, Turkey Jerky. Turns out overindulging in spiked apple cider guarantees an overcooked bird. Maybe Chaz has a point.

One of the top US meat producers, Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN) announced earnings earlier this week reporting a quarterly loss and missed outlook estimates. Tyson cited muted beef sales, operational challenges, and declining protein production. On a positive note, TSN suggested a recovery in chicken and pork demand. The company is down ~24% YTD.

The Thanksgiving Day Divide

No matter if Ocean Spray’s leading farmer provided you with the freshest cranberries, there will always be a cult-like following for canned cranberry sauce. Since there is a narrowly even split between cranberry camps, most households try to keep the peace, by serving both fresh and canned varieties. Those searching for the right jellied, unknown, preserved, can-molded Cran, should consider the Kroger brand’s Simple Truth Organic which, was highly rated.

Cranberry connoisseurs make note, Ocean Spray is not public. It is an agricultural co-op owned by 700 farmer-families. The headlining Kroger Co. (KR) announced an agreement to purchase the grocer, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI), a deal that is expected to close in early 2024, subject to regulatory approval. Investors have been following the timeline of events leading up to this anticipated merger, which has received pushback from those who fear it could negatively impact the industry. The company is flat on the year.

A Bougie Bread Side

If you own a hand-painted, overpriced, “Thankful”, “Gather” or “Blessed” wooden sign, it is likely hanging next to your most recent professionally photographed, Fall family portrait. You know the one. Everyone is smiling while happily lying in a big pile of leaves, wearing matching brown, yellow and orange clothing, looking like a teeth whitening advertisement. If you’re hosting this year, but not going full blown Martha Stewart, the Tasting Table has ranked the best packaged stuffing mix to serve. Their highest ranked pick is from Williams-Sonoma which will save you from looking like a boring Stove Top stuffing peasant. Be “thankful” your guests will still think you’re as bougie as you try to be.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM) is lesser known for their stuffing mix and more for being an omni-channel specialty retailer for the home. From kitchen products to furnishings, the company touts multiple brands and has been successful this year, as it is up ~41% YTD. Today, the company announced 3Q earnings citing record quarterly operating margins of 17% and diluted EPS of $3.66.

Have Your Pie and Eat it Too

Historians continuously have failed to mention, when the Pilgrims and Native Americans decided to host this shindig, “Thanksgiving Math” was invented. You may not be aware of this mathematical oddity but, on Thanksgiving, all calories consumed equal zero. So, bring on dessert.

If you know anything about making pumpkin pie, then you know the only kind of pumpkin to use is Libby’s. As much as you’d like to think of little Grandma Libby canning her homegrown pumpkins, Nestlé S.A (NSRGY) has owned this brand, since the 70’s. Hope we didn’t crush your nostalgia. Last week, Nestlé invested $100M in the food delivery start-up, Wonder Group who recently struck a deal to buy Blue Apron (formerly trading as APRN) for $103M. The strategic Nestlé-Wonder partnership intends to sell high-tech kitchen equipment and food to businesses that will include hotels, sports arenas, and hospitals. Nestlé is down ~4% YTD.

Now you can focus on making those “creative” recipes you saw on Tik-Tok that no one will eat, while the top ranked traditional dishes we’ve suggested, save your culinary image. Bonus points to us for providing some scrumptious stock ideas. Regardless of your cooking or investment skills, feasting with your crazy family and friends, is what matters. PRISM MarketView wishes you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!