Solel Partners LP initiated a new position in Cal-Maine Foods (NASDAQ:CALM), acquiring 181,700 shares in the fourth quarter for an estimated $14.46 million, according to a February 17, 2026, SEC filing. What happened Solel Partners LP disclosed a new stake of 181,700 shares in Cal-Maine Foods during the fourth quarter, as detailed in its SEC filing dated February 17, 2026. This addition contributed a $14.46 million increase in quarter-end position value. What else to know This is a new position for So ...

Core Insights - Cal-Maine Foods is the largest egg producer in the US, supplying approximately one-sixth of the eggs consumed in the country [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Cal-Maine Foods is recognized as the biggest egg producer in the US by conventional standards [1] - The company is always seeking undervalued stocks with a focus on balancing risk and reward [1] Group 2: Investment Philosophy - The investment strategy emphasizes limited risks and the potential for decent to high upside by understanding the assets owned [1] - Simplicity in investment ideas is highlighted as a key principle, with a contrarian approach being favored [1]

Company Overview - Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) is the largest egg producer in the United States, accounting for approximately one-sixth of the eggs consumed in the country [1] Investment Perspective - The company is viewed as a promising investment opportunity due to its focus on undervalued stocks, balancing risk and reward effectively [1] - The belief is that the best investment ideas are often the simplest, and a contrarian approach may yield better results [1]

Core Viewpoint - Institutional investors are showing continued interest in Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM), the largest U.S. egg producer, amid fluctuating commodity prices and resilient demand for consumer staples, indicating selective confidence at current valuation levels [1] Institutional Investor Movements - Bridgewater Associates, LP increased its stake by 61,578 shares, bringing total shares to 199,418, reflecting a value of $0.02 billion, likely due to CALM's defensive positioning and strong balance sheet [2] - Gotham Asset Management, LLC raised its position by 16,959 shares to a total of 54,564 shares, valued at $0.01 billion, suggesting favorable valuation signals and confidence in CALM's earnings power [3] - Fisher Asset Management, LLC added 11,127 shares to reach 220,781 shares, valued at $0.02 billion, consistent with a strategy focused on durable demand trends [4] - AQR Capital Management, LLC increased its exposure by 9,104 shares to a total of 70,631 shares, valued at $0.01 billion, aligning with interest in profitability and defensive earnings [5] - Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC added 2,366 shares, bringing the total to 9,247 shares, reflecting a focus on fundamentally resilient businesses [6] - Pzena Investment Management LLC made a small addition of 37 shares, typical of a disciplined deep-value approach [7] - Miller Value Partners, LLC initiated a new position with 62,000 shares valued at $0.01 billion, potentially indicating a contrarian value opportunity as egg pricing stabilizes [8] Overall Takeaway - The collective movements of these institutional investors indicate a mix of incremental conviction and fresh interest in Cal-Maine Foods, viewed as a defensive agricultural play with cyclical upside potential, supported by strong cash generation and essential product demand [8]

Core Insights - Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. announced the passing of Jim Poole, a long-serving member of its Board of Directors, who contributed significantly to the company's governance and strategic direction [1][2][3] Company Overview - Cal-Maine Foods is the largest egg company in the United States and a key player in the egg-based food industry, providing nutritious and sustainable protein to millions of households daily [4][6] - The company's product portfolio includes a wide range of egg types, from conventional to specialty, and extends into the prepared foods sector with various egg-based offerings [5] Leadership and Governance - Jim Poole served on the Board since 2004, bringing extensive audit, financial, and risk management expertise, and played a crucial role in the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee [2][3] - The Board Chair, Dolph Baker, highlighted Poole's intellectual rigor, independent judgment, and commitment to high standards of governance, emphasizing his lasting impact on the company [3] Strategic Direction - Following Poole's passing, the Nominating and Governance Committee has begun a search for a new director to align with Cal-Maine Foods' strategic priorities [3]

Company Overview - Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM) is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States, founded in 1957 and headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi. The company operates a vertically integrated production and distribution network serving retail and foodservice customers nationwide [3]. Financial Performance - For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Cal-Maine reported adjusted EPS that exceeded both firm and consensus expectations, although earnings declined significantly year over year due to normalizing egg prices from previous multi-year highs [1]. - Specialty egg sales during the quarter were largely stable, with a year-over-year decline of 0.4% but a year-to-date increase of 4.7%, indicating resilience within the company's higher-value product mix [2]. Strategic Moves - Cal-Maine announced the acquisition of Clean Egg LLC's production assets in Texas, which will expand its specialty cage-free and free-range capacity. This transaction added approximately 677,000 brown cage-free and free-range layers and pullets, supporting local sourcing initiatives and long-term specialty growth [2]. Analyst Insights - Stephens analyst Pooran Sharma lowered the price target on Cal-Maine Foods to $85 from $95 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating. The analyst expressed concerns about near- to intermediate-term performance being pressured by oversupply and seasonal demand softness, despite being encouraged by improving long-term earnings durability [1].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the author's extensive experience in researching various companies across different sectors, emphasizing a focus on value investing and a particular interest in metals and mining stocks. Group 1: Company Research - The company has over a decade of experience in in-depth research across multiple industries, including commodities like oil, natural gas, gold, and copper, as well as technology companies such as Google and Nokia [1] - The company has transitioned from writing a blog to creating a value investing-focused YouTube channel, where it has researched hundreds of different companies [1] - The company expresses a preference for covering metals and mining stocks but is also comfortable with other sectors like consumer discretionary/staples, REITs, and utilities [1]

Group 1 - Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:CALM) is recognized as a promising mid-cap consumer staples stock priced under $100, with analysts providing mixed ratings and price targets [1][3] - Pooran Sharma from Stephens lowered the price target from $95 to $85, indicating a potential upside of 15%, while expressing concerns over declining egg prices and oversupply issues [1][2] - Ben Klieve from Benchmark Co. maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $100, suggesting a potential upside of nearly 36%, citing strong margins and earnings despite falling egg prices [3] Group 2 - Cal-Maine Foods is the largest fresh shell eggs company in the United States, involved in the production, packaging, and distribution of eggs and egg products, including ready-to-eat offerings [4]

Core Viewpoint - The $80–85 level is identified as a key support area for investments, and a break below this level could indicate significant market shifts [1]. Group 1 - The year-to-date chart indicates that maintaining the $80–85 support level is crucial for market stability [1]. - The analysis emphasizes a fundamentals-first approach despite the influence of sentiment and technical factors in today's algorithm-driven investment environment [1].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes a fundamentals-first approach to investment analysis, focusing on uncovering mispriced assets that the market has overlooked [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The company has managed investments since 1999, gaining experience across multiple market cycles [1] - The analyst has a background in Economics and is pursuing CFA certification, indicating a strong foundation in financial analysis [1] - The approach taken is not just to provide buy or sell decisions but to conduct analyses that can be utilized personally [1] Group 2: Market Environment - The current investment environment is described as algorithm-driven, where sentiment and technicals are often prioritized over fundamentals [1] - Despite the influence of algorithms, the company remains committed to a fundamentals-first investment strategy [1]