Freshpet gains after Q1 sales beat

Shares of pet food maker Freshpet FRPT.O rise 3.9% to $79.30

Company posts Q1 net sales of $263.3 mln, compared with analysts' expectation of $260.1 mln - data compiled by LSEG

Jefferies says company lowered FY forecast due to soft start driven by consumer uncertainty; still expects positive free cash flow in 2026

"Shares today offer a good entry point to a balanced growth/profit story" - brokerage

FRPT lowers FY net sales forecast to $1.12 bln-$1.15 bln from previous projection of $1.18 bln-$1.21 bln

"Our growth year-to-date has not been as robust as we had anticipated so we are adapting our growth plans to the current economic challenges that our consumers are facing...," CEO Billy Cyr

Thirteen out of 18 analysts rate the stock "buy" or higher and five "hold"; median PT is $122.50 - data compiled by LSEG

Including session moves, FRPT shares down almost 47% YTD