MKC vs. HRL

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

MKC (McCormick & Company, Incorporated) and HRL (Hormel Foods Corporation) are both stocks. Both operate in the Packaged Foods industry within the Consumer Defensive sector. Over the past 10 years, MKC returned 1.31%/yr vs -1.32%/yr for HRL. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

MKC vs. HRL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) and Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MKC achieves a -31.64% return, which is significantly lower than HRL's 1.20% return. Over the past 10 years, MKC has outperformed HRL with an annualized return of 1.31%, while HRL has yielded a comparatively lower -1.32% annualized return.

MKC

• 1D: -0.92%
• 1M: -8.14%
• YTD: -31.64%
• 6M: -28.35%
• 1Y: -35.32%
• 3Y*: -17.49%
• 5Y*: -10.52%
• 10Y*: 1.31%

HRL

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 9.47%
• YTD: 1.20%
• 6M: 3.87%
• 1Y: -20.53%
• 3Y*: -13.60%
• 5Y*: -11.14%
• 10Y*: -1.32%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

MKC vs. HRL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated	-31.64%	-8.33%	13.97%	-15.68%	-12.65%	2.67%	14.70%	23.65%	39.01%	11.34%
HRL Hormel Foods Corporation	1.20%	-21.27%	1.21%	-27.49%	-4.67%	6.99%	5.38%	7.85%	19.68%	6.72%

Correlation

The correlation between MKC and HRL is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.49
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.56
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990	0.38

The correlation between MKC and HRL shifts across timeframes, from 0.38 (all time) to 0.57 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap MKC : $12.43B HRL : $12.86B
EPS MKC : $6.10 HRL : $0.85
PE Ratio MKC : 7.56 HRL : 27.54
PS Ratio MKC : 1.75 HRL : 1.05
PB Ratio MKC : 1.78 HRL : 1.18
Total Revenue (TTM) MKC : $7.11B HRL : $12.22B
Gross Profit (TTM) MKC : $2.70B HRL : $1.92B
EBITDA (TTM) MKC : $1.22B HRL : $868.07M

Return for Risk

MKC vs. HRL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

MKC

MKC Risk / Return Rank: 3
MKC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
MKC Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
MKC Omega Ratio Rank: 4
MKC Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
MKC Martin Ratio Rank: 1

HRL

HRL Risk / Return Rank: 15
HRL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
HRL Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
HRL Omega Ratio Rank: 12
HRL Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
HRL Martin Ratio Rank: 22

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

MKC vs. HRL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) and Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	MKC	HRL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-1.27	-0.70	-0.57
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-1.83	-0.86	-0.97
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.79	0.89	-0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.88	-0.59	-0.29
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.84	-0.93	-0.91
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MKC vs. HRL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MKC Sharpe Ratio is -1.27, which is lower than the HRL Sharpe Ratio of -0.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MKC and HRL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	MKC	HRL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.27	-0.70	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.44	-0.46	+0.03
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.05	-0.06	+0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.37	+0.06

Drawdowns

MKC vs. HRL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MKC drawdown since its inception was -52.02%, smaller than the maximum HRL drawdown of -58.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MKC and HRL.

Drawdown Indicators

	MKC	HRL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-52.02%	-58.46%	+6.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-39.50%	-34.29%	-5.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-47.65%	-46.94%	-0.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-52.02%	-58.46%	+6.44%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-52.02%	-58.46%	+6.44%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-51.44%	-50.87%	-0.57%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.99%	-11.84%	+0.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.84%	21.60%	-2.76%

Volatility

MKC vs. HRL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) is 7.89%, while Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) has a volatility of 13.69%. This indicates that MKC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HRL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MKC	HRL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.89%	13.69%	-5.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.14%	21.01%	+2.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.93%	29.49%	-1.56%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.30%	24.07%	+0.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.17%	23.32%	+0.85%

Dividends

MKC vs. HRL - Dividend Comparison

MKC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.03%, less than HRL's 4.99% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HRL Hormel Foods Corporation	4.99%	4.89%	3.60%	3.43%	2.28%	2.01%	2.00%	1.86%	1.76%	1.87%	1.67%	1.26%
MKC McCormick & Company, Incorporated	4.03%	2.69%	2.24%	2.32%	1.81%	1.44%	1.68%	1.37%	1.53%	1.89%	1.89%	1.91%

Financials

MKC vs. HRL - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between McCormick & Company, Incorporated and Hormel Foods Corporation over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

MKC - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a gross profit of 708.90M and revenue of 1.87B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.8%.

HRL - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported a gross profit of 518.51M and revenue of 2.97B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 17.4%.

MKC - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported an operating income of 227.50M and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in an operating margin of 12.1%.

HRL - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported an operating income of 217.11M and revenue of 2.97B, resulting in an operating margin of 7.3%.

MKC - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, McCormick & Company, Incorporated reported a net income of 1.02B and revenue of 1.87B, resulting in a net margin of 54.2%.

HRL - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Hormel Foods Corporation reported a net income of 157.50M and revenue of 2.97B, resulting in a net margin of 5.3%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MKC and HRL in my portfolio?

MKC and HRL have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MKC or HRL?

HRL has higher volatility (13.69%) compared to MKC (7.89%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MKC dropped -52.02% vs HRL's -58.46%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

HRL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.70 vs -1.27), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.