Should I buy, hold, or sell UTZ stock right now?

Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) currently earns a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell — SELL) with 55/100 RQD Confidence. Stretched risk/reward at current multiples (1% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.

What is UTZ's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

UTZ's 12-month base price target is $14.1 (range $11 to $16.64), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Consumer Staples / UTZ

NOMD (61) MZTI (65) FLO (60) FRPT (71) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$14.29 +0.14% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $14.27

Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) carries a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell) with 55/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.

ROARABLE D+ • SELL / AVOID Cap $2.05B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on UTZ Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is UTZ stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (NYSE: UTZ) is rated D+ (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 55/100 at a spot price of $14.29 (+0.14% 1D, market cap $2.05B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 10/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 16/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 10/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 12/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 7/20. Across 147 tracked Consumer Staples issuers, UTZ ranks #61 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does UTZ compare to NOMD and MZTI in the Consumer Staples sector?

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Within the Consumer Staples sector (Packaged Foods), UTZ carries a Roarable D+ (55/100 RQD), trailing P/E of N/A, gross margin of 24.9%, and ROIC of 1.1%. By comparison, NOMD (Nomad Foods Limited) holds a C- grade (61/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC —, cap $1.71B) and MZTI (The Marzetti Company) posts a C grade (65/100 RQD, P/E 17.8x, ROIC 20.9%, cap $2.99B). Among the 5-stock peer group, FLO leads on earnings multiple (15.6x) while MZTI leads on capital efficiency (20.9% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for UTZ?

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Per UTZ's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-28, CIK 0001739566), Utz Brands Inc (Class A) generated $1.44B in revenue (+2.1% YoY), $800.0K in net income, and $9.4M in free cash flow against $2.79B in total assets and $818.2M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Primary risk factors monitored: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $14.27 (-0.16%)🧬 Dilution Drag (+1.36% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 10/20 (D) • 0.7% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 55/100 (D+) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (-0.5% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 51.4% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERSELL / AVOID • D+

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw D+ · Rk D+

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE-1.3% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for UTZ)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±1.8%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (55/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY UTZ SCORES 55/100 (D+) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Whale & Options Positioning+16/20 pts (29% of score)

20D Institutional Volume Accumulation (±1.8% realized swing band)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Macro Regime Fit+12/20 pts (22% of score)

FRED Regime × Technicals: 99% of 52W Range • RSI-14 at 54.7 (NEUTRAL RANGE)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution7/20 pts (-13 pt drag)

Dilution Drag (+1.36% YoY Shares) & executive Form 4 sales trim 13 pts from alignment

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C+$14.30-0.1% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade C$14.29+0.1% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade C$14.30-0.1% Next Q

Current

Grade D+$14.29-0.5% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C+ (63) → D+ (55)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the UTZ Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 55/100 (D+) score, UTZ faces multiple-compression risk if current valuation multiples re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($14.26) or 200D SMA ($10.42) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($14.10) toward Bear Floor ($11.00).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $UTZ• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “UTZ Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 27, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 55%NO 45%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMNEUTRAL RANGE

54.730 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDDISTRESS RISK (<1.8)

1.25>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCORESOLID CORE (5–6)

5 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE99% OF RANGE

L: $7$14.29H: $14

1. Money & Cash Health● WEAK

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Weak cash conversion or heavy valuation strain compared to actual cash earned.

Factor Grade: DRQD 10 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● NEUTRAL

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Big funds and company insiders are mostly holding steady without aggressive buying or panic selling.

Factor Grade: D+RQD 23 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WATCH

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

No major SEC filing blowups, though current interest rates and Fed liquidity call for normal position sizing.

Factor Grade: D+RQD 22 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning on UTZ

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

BEARISH (50)

1.1% ROIC with 24.9% gross margin and 0.46% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BEARISH (50)

Altman-Z 1.25 and Piotroski 5/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

NEUTRAL (58)

23/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 12/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like UTZ

✓Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring UTZ)

✓Walkthrough of UTZ's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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UTZ // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +85.83%⚡ TESTING RESISTANCE

2026-11-03O $14.28H $14.29L $14.27C $14.29VOL 2.73M

RES: $14.41SUP: $14.25SMA50: $14.26SMA200: $10.42

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

UTZ Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 UTZ Butterfly Map → + Track UTZ →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

24.9%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +2.1% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on UTZ today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for UTZ. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for UTZ today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (UTZ)

Consumer Staples Rank #61 of 147 ⚔️ NOMD vs UTZ Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Staples Peer Comparison (UTZ vs. NOMD, MZTI, FLO, FRPT)

Industry: Packaged Foods (41 Tracked Issuers)

Across 147 tracked Consumer Staples securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) ranks #61 by composite RQD confidence (55/100, grade D+) and #55 by equity capitalization ($2.05B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, FLO leads on earnings valuation at 15.6x trailing P/E, while MZTI leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 20.9% ROIC and 23.9% gross margin. FRPT currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 71/100 (B-) compared with UTZ at 55/100 (D+).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
UTZ ACTIVE Utz Brands Inc (Class A)	D+	55/100	—	24.9%	1.1%	+0.14%	$2.05B	Benchmark Subject
NOMD Nomad Foods Limited	C-	61/100	—	—	—	+2.74%	$1.71B	/nomd-vs-utz →
MZTI The Marzetti Company	C	65/100	17.8x	23.9%	20.9%	+1.08%	$2.99B	/mzti-vs-utz →
FLO Flowers Foods Inc.	C-	60/100	15.6x	—	5.2%	+7.97%	$1.33B	/flo-vs-utz →
FRPT Freshpet Inc.	B-	71/100	22.8x	40.8%	6.4%	+3.14%	$3.24B	/frpt-vs-utz →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-28 • CIK 0001739566 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-28), Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) reported GAAP revenue of $1.44B (+2.1% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.41B , and +0.0% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $800.0K, operating cash flow of $112.2M, and free cash flow of $9.4M (+23.7% YoY). On the balance sheet, UTZ closed FY2025 with $2.79B in total assets against $818.2M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.25, Piotroski F-Score: 5/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-28	$1.44B	$800.0K	$112.2M	$9.4M	$2.79B	$818.2M
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-29	$1.41B	$15.9M	$106.2M	$7.6M	$2.72B	$752.5M
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$1.44B	-$24.9M	$76.6M	$76.6M	—	—

3. UTZ Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is UTZ stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does UTZ compare to NOMD and MZTI in the Consumer Staples sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for UTZ?

Where is UTZ trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

UTZ last traded at $14.29 (+0.14% on volume of 1,117,749 shares), positioning the stock +0.21% above its 50-day simple moving average ($14.26) and +37.14% above its 200-day simple moving average ($10.42). Across its 52-week range of $6.78 to $14.36, UTZ sits at the 99.1% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 54.7 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±1.8% ($14.03 to $14.55).

Direct Sub-Reports: UTZ RQD Cockpit UTZ 12M Forecast UTZ Earnings & Move UTZ Dividends & DRIP UTZ Insiders & 13F UTZ Whale Options UTZ Profit Sankey UTZ News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 55/100 (D+) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

UTZ — Utz Brands Inc (Class A): What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-28

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 55/100, corresponding to a D+ letter grade (Roarable Sell) at a spot price of $14.29 (+0.14% 1D, market capitalization $2.05B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (10/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 1.1%, gross margin of 24.9%, operating margin of 1.4%, and free cash flow yield of 0.46%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (16/20) + Insider Conviction (7/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (12/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (10/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 1.25, Piotroski F-Score of 5/9, and Debt/Equity of 1.15x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Utz Brands Inc (Class A) is a NYSE-listed issuer in the Consumer Staples sector, Packaged Foods industry. Per the market data, gross margin is 24.9%, operating margin is 1.4%, and net margin is 0.1%. FY 2025 revenue was $1.44B.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-28), Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) reported $1.44B in annual revenue (up from $1.41B in FY2024, +2.1% YoY) and $800.0K in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($1.44B revenue, -$24.9M net income) through FY2025, UTZ scaled operating cash flow to $112.2M and free cash flow to $9.4M, backed by $2.79B in total assets against $818.2M in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (D+ • RQD 55/100): Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Free cash flow yield of 0.46% and institutional whale pillar of 16/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 10/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 16/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $6.78 – $14.36 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Investors must weigh current valuation and 25.8x EV/EBITDA against 1.4% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

No upstream or downstream links are recorded, and no proprietary signals are provided. Sector correlations, supplier dependencies, and second-order bottlenecks are — The only sector context supplied is Consumer Staples / Packaged Foods and the Beta of 1.0 per the market data.

Key Question #1: Can UTZ sustain or expand its 1.4% operating margin and 1.1% ROIC against Packaged Foods peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $1.44B and free cash flow of $9.4M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $818.2M in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is UTZ's equity valuation to Consumer Staples capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

UTZ Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to UTZ Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 22h ago

Intersnack Buyout Delivers 91% Cash Premium for Utz Brands (UTZ) Shareholders

Yahoo Finance report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔴 RISK WATCH TradingView • 1d ago

Utz Brands Inc Stock 12‑Month Price Target Cut to $14.21, Implies 1% Downside

TradingView report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Utz (UTZ): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q2 Earnings?

Yahoo Finance report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔴 RISK WATCH Benzinga • 1d ago

Top 3 Risk Off Stocks You May Want To Dump In Q4 - Herbalife (NYSE:HLF)

Benzinga report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE MarketBeat • 1d ago

Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) Share Price Crosses Below Fifty Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

MarketBeat report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Utz Brands, Inc. to Report Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results on November 6, 2026

Yahoo Finance report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE https://www.dars.gov.et/ • 1d ago

Utz Brands (UTZ) Slips to $14.30 as Shares Hold Mid-Range - Overbought Signal Alerts

https://www.dars.gov.et/ report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Utz Brands Announces Passing of Michael W. Rice, Chairman Emeritus

Yahoo Finance report covering Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

UTZ Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $14.29?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON UTZ 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

SI SiliconVal_Bull RQD DEBATE OPENER • Growth & Tech Investor 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $16.70 (+17.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Per the news feed, an Intersnack buyout is reported to deliver a 91% cash premium to Utz Brands shareholders.

The street is overcomplicating Utz Brands Inc (Class A) (UTZ). Per the news feed, an Intersnack buyout is reported to deliver a 91% cash premium to Utz Brands shareholders.. With an RQD score of 55/100 (D+) and Forensic Balance Sheet at 10/20, any positive earnings surprise or guidance raise forces underweight funds to chase above $15.41.

VolSurface_Trader 🐂 BULL

Both sides have a point here — UTZ's 10/20 balance sheet score keeps downside contained, so the real swing factor next earnings call is backlog and FCF conversion.

SH ShortSeller_Dan RQD DEBATE OPENER • Forensic Short Bias 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $11.70 (-18.0%)

Spot @ $14.27

Per the Roarable RQD rating, ROIC of 1.1% and an FCF yield of 0.46% leave the cash-generation pillar at 10/20.

Sitting on the sidelines or leaning short UTZ above $14.27. Per the Roarable RQD rating, ROIC of 1.1% and an FCF yield of 0.46% leave the cash-generation pillar at 10/20.. Until Fundamental Cash Engine (10/20) and FCF yield (0.46%) inflect higher, upside is capped near $14.36.