Zacks Research Analysts Reduce Earnings Estimates for SMG

Key Points

• Zacks Research lowered its Q3 2026 earnings estimate for Scotts Miracle-Gro to $2.49 per share from $2.86, while also trimming several other near-term and longer-term projections. The revisions suggest analysts see softer earnings momentum ahead.
• The company’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, with EPS of $4.53 versus the $3.97 consensus and revenue of $1.46 billion versus estimates of $1.41 billion. Revenue also rose 2.7% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: the stock has four Buy ratings and four Hold ratings, with an average target price of $73.50. Shares were trading at $58.29, below the consensus target, and the company also pays a quarterly dividend yielding about 4.5%.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q3 2026 earnings estimates for shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro in a research note issued on Monday, May 18th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the basic materials company will earn $2.49 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.86. The consensus estimate for Scotts Miracle-Gro's current full-year earnings is $4.35 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Scotts Miracle-Gro's Q4 2026 earnings at ($1.95) EPS, FY2026 earnings at $4.30 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at ($0.73) EPS and Q4 2027 earnings at ($1.62) EPS.

Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE:SMG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The basic materials company reported $4.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.97 by $0.56. The business had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. Scotts Miracle-Gro had a net margin of 3.27% and a negative return on equity of 79.61%. The company's revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.98 EPS.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $79.00 target price on shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Scotts Miracle-Gro from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Scotts Miracle-Gro from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. UBS Group set a $67.00 price objective on Scotts Miracle-Gro in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Scotts Miracle-Gro from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $70.00 to $67.00 in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $73.50.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Price Performance

Shares of SMG stock opened at $58.29 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $3.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.56 and a beta of 1.88. Scotts Miracle-Gro has a 1-year low of $52.00 and a 1-year high of $72.35. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $62.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $61.44.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group increased its holdings in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro by 4.2% during the fourth quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 4,690 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $275,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased its holdings in shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro by 3.9% during the first quarter. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft now owns 5,193 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $312,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the period. State of Michigan Retirement System grew its holdings in Scotts Miracle-Gro by 1.9% during the third quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 10,600 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $604,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its holdings in Scotts Miracle-Gro by 2.2% during the first quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 9,126 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $555,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System grew its holdings in Scotts Miracle-Gro by 1.8% during the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 13,662 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $778,000 after acquiring an additional 245 shares during the period. 74.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Scotts Miracle-Gro

In other Scotts Miracle-Gro news, EVP Mark J. Scheiwer purchased 693 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $71.44 per share, with a total value of $49,507.92. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president owned 15,370 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,098,032.80. This trade represents a 4.72% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 24.40% of the company's stock.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 22nd will be issued a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 22nd. Scotts Miracle-Gro's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 147.49%.

More Scotts Miracle-Gro News

Here are the key news stories impacting Scotts Miracle-Gro this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised estimates for FY2026 EPS to $4.30 from $4.21 and also nudged Q4 2027 EPS higher, suggesting improved confidence in Scotts Miracle-Gro's earnings outlook.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts also lifted Q2 2027 and FY2028 EPS estimates, which may help investor sentiment by signaling longer-term earnings resilience.
• Neutral Sentiment: Scotts Miracle-Gro said it will participate in the William Blair 46th Annual Growth Stock Conference on June 3, keeping the company in front of investors and potentially providing a platform for fresh commentary. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some near-term estimates were cut, including Q3 2026, Q4 2026, Q1 2027, and FY2027, which may pressure the shares by highlighting ongoing earnings volatility.
• Negative Sentiment: Even after the upgrades, several projections still call for negative EPS in parts of 2026 and 2027, underscoring seasonal weakness and margin challenges for the lawn-and-garden business.

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Profile

Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of consumer lawn and garden products. The firm serves both retail and professional customers through an array of branded offerings that include lawn fertilizers, grass seed, pest and disease control solutions, plant foods and specialty products for indoor and outdoor gardening. Its portfolio spans well-known names such as Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, Ortho® and various hydroponic and specialty garden brands.

Headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, the company traces its roots to O.M.

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