Flowers Foods: Setbacks Dangerously Push Up Payout Ratios

  • Flowers Foods faces ongoing organic growth challenges, with the Simple Mills acquisition adding leverage but only modestly improving growth prospects. The dividend payout ratio has climbed to an unsustainable 90%, limiting financial flexibility and raising concerns about long-term capital allocation priorities. Despite a tempting 6% dividend yield and low earnings multiple, elevated debt and persistent business softness keep me cautious on the stock.