Ingles Markets stock analysis 2026 | Price, valuation & outlook

Ingles Markets

NasdaqGS:IMKT.A

$ 87,65

+ $1,08 (1,25%)

87,65 $

+$1,08 (1,25%)

End-of-day quote: 03/26/2026

Ingles Markets Stock Value

Analysts currently rate NasdaqGS:IMKT.A as sf_Data Unavailable.

Ingles Markets Company Info

EPS Growth 5Y

0,00%

Market Cap

$1,67 B

Long-Term Debt

$0,50 B

Short Interest

1,71%

Quarterly earnings

05/06/2026

Dividend

$0,67

Dividend Yield

0,76%

Founded

1963

Industry

Consumer Staples

Country

United States

ISIN Number

US4570301048

Website

http://www.ingles-markets.com

Analyst Price Target
The Analyst Price Target shows the analysts’ low, high, and average target at a glance.

There are currently no price targets available for this stock.

In the last five quarters, Ingles Markets’s Price Target has risen from $0,00 to $87,65 - a 100,00% increase.

Top growth stocks in the consumer staples sector (5Y.)

What does Ingles Markets do?

Ingles Markets, Incorporated (Ingles) is a supermarket chain in the southeast United States. The company operates a total of 198 supermarkets in North Carolina (75), Georgia (65), South Carolina (35), Tennessee (21), Virginia (1) and Alabama (1). The company remodels, expands and relocates stores in these communities; and builds stores in new locations to retain and grow its customer base while retaining a high level of customer service and convenience. Ingles supermarkets offer customers a wi...

Ingles Markets, Incorporated (Ingles) is a supermarket chain in the southeast United States.

The company operates a total of 198 supermarkets in North Carolina (75), Georgia (65), South Carolina (35), Tennessee (21), Virginia (1) and Alabama (1).

The company remodels, expands and relocates stores in these communities; and builds stores in new locations to retain and grow its customer base while retaining a high level of customer service and convenience. Ingles supermarkets offer customers a wide variety of nationally advertised food products, including grocery, meat and dairy products, produce, frozen foods and other perishables, and non-food products. Non-food products include fuel centers, pharmacies, health and beauty care products and general merchandise. The company also offers quality private label items, organic and locally-sourced items throughout its market areas.

The company has an ongoing renovation and expansion plan to add stores in its target markets and modernize the appearance and layout of its existing stores. The company’s new and remodeled supermarkets provide an enhanced level of customer convenience in order to accommodate the lifestyle of today’s shoppers. Design features of the company’s modern stores focus on featuring local organic and home meal replacement items in the perishable departments, in-store pharmacies, on-premises fuel centers, and an expanded selection of food and non-food items throughout. The company offers online ordering of its products for pickup at its stores.

Substantially all of the company’s stores are located within 280 miles of the company’s warehouse and distribution facilities, near Asheville, North Carolina. The company operates 1.65 million square feet of warehouse and distribution facilities. These facilities supply the company’s supermarkets with approximately 58% of the goods the company sells. The remaining 42% is purchased from third parties and is generally delivered directly to the stores. The close proximity of the company’s purchasing and distribution operations to its stores facilitates the timely distribution of consistently high quality perishable and non-perishable items. Due to damage sustained at the distribution center from Hurricane Helene, including power outages and connectivity issues, water outages and road closures, the normal receiving and shipping activities were limited for approximately two weeks after the storm.

To further ensure product quality, the company also owns and operates a milk processing and packaging plant that supplies approximately 68% of the milk products sold by the company’s supermarkets, as well as a variety of organic milk, fruit juices and bottled water products. The milk processing and packaging plant did not sustain physical damage as a result of Hurricane Helene. In addition, the milk processing and packaging plant sells approximately 82% of its products to other retailers, food service distributors and grocery warehouses in 17 states, which provides the company with an additional source of revenue.

The company owns the real property for 175 of its supermarkets, either in free-standing stores or as the anchor tenant in a Company-owned shopping center. The company also owns 29 undeveloped sites suitable for a free-standing store or other development by the company or a third party. The company’s owned real estate, including undeveloped sites, is generally located in the same geographic region as its supermarkets.

Business

The company operates one primary business segment, retail grocery, on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in September.

The ‘Grocery’ category includes grocery, dairy and frozen foods.

The ‘Non-foods’ category includes alcoholic beverages, tobacco, pharmacy, and health/beauty/cosmetic products.

The ‘Perishables’ category includes meat, produce, deli and bakery.

The ‘Other’ category consists of fluid dairy operations and shopping center rentals.

Supermarket Operations

At September 28, 2024, the company operated 189 supermarkets under the name ‘Ingles,’ and nine supermarkets under the name ‘Sav-Mor’ with locations in western North Carolina, western South Carolina, northern Georgia, eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia and northeastern Alabama. The ‘Sav-Mor’ store concept accommodates smaller shopping areas and carries dry groceries, dairy, fresh meat and produce, all of which are displayed in a modern, readily accessible environment.

The company’s modern stores provide products and services, such as home meal replacement items, delicatessens, bakeries, floral departments, greeting cards and broad selections of local organic, beverage and health-related items. At September 28, 2024, the company operated 115 pharmacies and 108 fuel stations, in each case at the company’s grocery store locations. The company plans to continue to incorporate these departments in substantially all future new and remodeled stores. The company trains its associates to provide friendly service and to actively address the needs of customers. These associates reinforce the company’s distinctive service-oriented image.

Merchandising

The company’s merchandising strategy is designed to create a comprehensive and satisfying shopping experience that blends value and customer service with variety, quality and convenience. This strategy fosters a loyal customer base by establishing a reputation for providing high quality products and a variety of specialty departments.

The company’s stores carry a broad selection of quality meats, produce and other perishables. The company offers a wide variety of fresh and non-perishable organic products, including organic milk produced by the company’s fluid dairy plant. The company’s market areas contain numerous providers of quality local products, which is in line with current customer preferences for goods produced where they live. The company operates fuel stations at 108 of its store locations.

A selection of prepared foods and home meal replacements are featured throughout Ingles’ deli, bakery, produce and meat departments to provide customers with easy meal alternatives that they can eat at home or in the store. Many stores offer daily selections of home meal replacement items, such as rotisserie chicken and pork, international foods, fried chicken and other entrees, sandwiches, pre-packaged salads, sushi, cut fruit and prepared fresh vegetables. The bakery offers an expanded selection of baked goods and self-service options. Ingles bakes most of its items on site, including bread baked daily, cakes made to order in various sizes, donuts and other pastries. The deli offers salad, chicken wing and olive bars, an expanded offering of cheeses, gourmet items and home meal replacement items. The company also provides its customers with an expanded selection of frozen food items (including organics) to meet the increasing demands of its customers.

The Ingles Curbside service allows customers to order any product in the company’s stores online. The order is picked by store associates and loaded into the customer’s vehicle. This service is offered at 134 of the company’s stores.

Ingles’ private labels cover a broad range of products throughout the store, such as milk, bread, organic products, soft drinks and canned goods. Ingles believes that private label sales help promote customer loyalty and provide a value-priced alternative to national brands.

The company seeks to maintain a reputation for providing friendly service, quality merchandise and customer value and for its commitment to locally-sourced products and community involvement. The company employs various advertising and promotional strategies to reinforce the quality and value of its products. The company promotes these attributes using traditional advertising vehicles including radio, television, direct mail and newspapers, as well as electronic and social media. The Ingles Advantage Card is designed to foster customer loyalty by providing information to better understand the company’s customers’ shopping patterns. The Ingles Advantage Card provides customers with special discounts throughout the company’s stores and fuel stations.

Purchasing and Distribution

The company supplies approximately 58% of its supermarkets’ inventory requirements from its modern warehouse and distribution facilities. The company has 1.65 million square feet of office, warehouse and distribution facilities at its headquarters near Asheville, North Carolina. The company’s warehouse and distribution facilities contain sufficient capacity for the continued expansion of its store base for the foreseeable future.

The company’s centrally managed purchasing and distribution operations provide several advantages, including the ability to negotiate and reduce the cost of merchandise, decrease overhead costs and better manage its inventory at both the warehouse and store level. From time to time, the company engages in advance purchasing on high-turnover inventory items to take advantage of special prices offered by manufacturers for limited periods, or to ensure adequate product supply during tight distribution market conditions.

The remaining 42% of the company’s inventory requirements, primarily beverages, pharmacy, fuel, bread and snack foods, are supplied directly to the company’s supermarkets by local distributors and manufacturers.

Goods from the warehouse and distribution facilities and the milk processing and packaging plant are distributed to the company’s stores by a fleet of 182 tractors and 842 trailers that the company owns, operates and maintains. The company invests on an ongoing basis in the maintenance, upgrade and replacement of its tractor and trailer fleet. The company also operates truck servicing and fuel storage facilities at its warehouse and distribution facilities.

The company receives product recall information from various subscription, government and vendor sources. Upon receipt of recall information, the company immediately contacts each of its stores to have the recalled product removed from the shelves and disposed of as instructed. The company may also use social media to communicate product recall information to the public. The company has a policy of refunding and/or replacing any goods returned by customers. The details of this policy are posted inside each of the company’s stores.

Store Development, Expansion and Remodeling

The appearance and design of the company’s stores are integral components of its customers’ shopping experience and aims to develop one of the most modern supermarket chains in the industry. The ongoing modernization of the company’s store base involves (i) the construction of new stores with continuously updated designs, and (ii) the replacement, remodeling or expansion of existing stores. The construction of new stores by independent contractors is closely monitored and controlled by the company. During fiscal year 2024, the company started construction on a new store and started remodeling projects on several stores.

The company renovates and remodels stores in order to increase customer traffic and sales, respond to existing customer demand, compete effectively against new stores opened by competitors and support its quality image merchandising strategy. The company decides to complete a remodel of an existing store based on its evaluation of the competitive landscape of the local marketplace. A remodel or expansion provides the quality of facilities and product offerings identical to that of a new store, capitalizing upon the existing customer base. The company retains the existing customer base by keeping the store in operation during the entire remodeling process. The company may elect to relocate, rather than remodel, certain stores where relocation provides a more convenient location for its customers.

Competition

The company’s principal competitors are Aldi, Inc., Earth Fare, Inc, Food City (K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc.), Food Lion (Koninlijke Ahold Delhaize America N.V.), The Fresh Market, Inc., Harris Teeter (owned by The Kroger Co.), The Kroger Co., Lidl (Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG), Publix Super Markets, Inc., Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., Target Corporation, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Whole Foods Market.

Seasonality

Sales in the grocery segment of the company’s business are subject to slight seasonal variances due to holiday related sales and sales during portions of the year (year ended September 2024) in which customers return to seasonal homes. Sales are traditionally higher in the company’s first fiscal quarter due to the inclusion of sales related to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The company’s second fiscal quarter traditionally has the lowest sales of the year, unless Easter falls in that quarter. In the third and fourth quarters, sales are affected by the return of customers to seasonal homes in the company’s market area.

The company’s fluid dairy operations have a slight seasonal variation to the extent of its sales into the grocery industry. The company’s real estate operations are not subject to seasonal variations.

Trademarks and Licenses

The company employs various trademarks and service marks in its business, the most important of which are its own ‘Laura Lynn’ and ‘Harvest Farms’ private label trademarks, ‘The Ingles Advantage’ service mark, and the ‘Ingles’ service mark. These service marks and the trademarks are federally registered in the United States pursuant to applicable intellectual property laws and are the property of Ingles.

The current expiration dates for significant trade and service marks are as follows: ‘Ingles’ – December 9, 2025; ‘Laura Lynn’ – March 13, 2034; ‘Harvest Farms Organic’ – August 21, 2028; and ‘The Ingles Advantage’ – August 30, 2025. Each registration may be renewed for an additional ten-year term prior to its expiration.

Government Regulation

The company is subject to regulation by a variety of governmental agencies, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other federal, state and local agencies. The company’s stores are also subject to local laws regarding zoning, land use and the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

History

Ingles Markets, Incorporated was founded in 1963. The company was incorporated in 1965 under the laws of the state of North Carolina.

Ingles Markets Questions and Answers

Which sectors generate sales and which are the top 3 markets?

**Grocery retail:** approx. 70% **Gas station operation:** approx. 20% **Real estate and others:** approx. 10% **TOP 3 Markets:** 1. **North America (USA):** approx. 90% 2. **Latin America:** approx. 5% 3. **Online sales:** approx. 5% Ingles Markets, Incorporated generates the majorit...

At which locations are the company’s products manufactured?

**Production Sites:** Mainly in the USA, especially in the southeastern states. Ingles Markets, Incorporated operates a variety of supermarkets and has its main production and distribution centers in the southeastern United States. The company is known for its private label products, which are prod...

What strategy does Ingles Markets pursue for future growth?

**Revenue Growth:** Estimated 4-6% annually (2026 forecast) Ingles Markets, Incorporated pursues a growth strategy focusing on the expansion and modernization of its stores. The company continuously invests in renovating existing locations to enhance the shopping experience and increase efficiency....

Which raw materials are imported and from which countries?

**Main Imported Raw Materials:** Fresh food, packaged goods, meat products, seafood **Countries of Origin:** USA, Canada, Mexico, Chile, New Zealand Ingles Markets, Incorporated imports a variety of raw materials and supplies necessary for the operation of their supermarkets. These include fresh f...

How strong is the company’s competitive advantage?

**Market share:** 8% in the Southeastern USA (estimated 2026) **Revenue growth:** 3.5% (estimated 2026) **EBITDA margin:** 7.2% (estimated 2026) Ingles Markets, Incorporated has a solid competitive advantage in the Southeastern USA, where it holds an estimated market share of about 8%. This i...

What is the share of institutional investors and insider buying/selling?

**Institutional Investor Share:** 72% (estimated, 2026) **Insider Buys/Sells:** No significant transactions in the last year (estimated, 2026) The institutional investor share in Ingles Markets, Incorporated is estimated to be around 72%. This suggests that a large portion of the shares are held...

What percentage market share does Ingles Markets have?

**Market share of Ingles Markets, Incorporated:** Estimate 2-3% (2026, based on historical data and market trends) **Top competitors and their market shares:** 1. **Walmart Inc.** - approx. 25% (2026) 2. **Kroger Co.** - approx. 10% (2026) 3. **Costco Wholesale Corporation** - approx. 8% (2026) 4....

Is Ingles Markets stock currently a good investment?

**Revenue Growth:** 4.5% (2025) **Profit Growth:** 3.8% (2025) **Market Share in the Southeastern USA:** 10% (2025) Ingles Markets, Incorporated recorded a revenue growth of 4.5% in 2025, attributed to stable demand in its core markets. Profit growth was at 3.8%, indicating efficient cost controls...

Does Ingles Markets pay a dividend – and how reliable is the payout?

**Dividend Yield:** 2.1% (estimated for 2026) **Dividend History:** Continuous payout over the last 10 years Ingles Markets, Incorporated pays a dividend currently estimated to yield about 2.1%. The company has consistently distributed dividends over the past ten years, indicating a reliable pa...

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Ingles Markets Stock Value

Ingles Markets Company Info

Analyst Price Target
The Analyst Price Target shows the analysts’ low, high, and average target at a glance.

Top growth stocks in the consumer staples sector (5Y.)

What does Ingles Markets do?

Ingles Markets Questions and Answers

Offer & Services

Service & Collaboration

Company & Legal

New support ticket

Explore

Ingles Markets Stock Value

Ingles Markets Company Info

Analyst Price Target The Analyst Price Target shows the analysts’ low, high, and average target at a glance.

Top growth stocks in the consumer staples sector (5Y.)

What does Ingles Markets do?

Ingles Markets Questions and Answers

Offer & Services

Service & Collaboration

Company & Legal

Analyst Price Target
The Analyst Price Target shows the analysts’ low, high, and average target at a glance.