Dole’s first quarter saw revenue slightly ahead of Wall Street expectations, even as sales declined modestly year over year. The market responded negatively, with shares falling following the release. Management attributed the underwhelming profit performance to higher sourcing and shipping costs, particularly from disruptions caused by Tropical Storm Sarah, as well as ongoing operational challenges in the fresh fruit segment. CEO Rory Byrne noted, “Profitability was somewhat held back by the anticipated higher sourcing costs following the impact of Tropical Storm Sarah.”

Is now the time to buy DOLE? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions Dole’s Q1 Earnings Call

• Christopher Barnes (Deutsche Bank) asked how much of the updated EBITDA guidance is attributable to Q1 outperformance versus expectations for FX tailwinds. CEO Rory Byrne explained the new target combines the better-than-expected Q1, anticipated positive currency effects, and known tariff impacts.
• Christopher Barnes (Deutsche Bank) questioned the prolonged process around the vegetables division exit and its operational risks. Byrne acknowledged the complexity of finding a suitable buyer and affirmed Dole’s continued commitment to an appropriate strategic outcome.
• Gary Martin (Davy) sought specifics on the company’s forward capital allocation, especially after refinancing. Byrne said future investments depend partly on the outcome of the vegetable business review but highlighted ongoing internal development in automation and category expansion.
• Gary Martin (Davy) inquired about the drivers behind diversified Americas’ like-for-like EBITDA growth. Byrne cited strong North American distribution and a normalization of South American export markets as the key factors.
• Gary Martin (Davy) requested details on incremental CAPEX for Honduras recovery. Byrne estimated $10–12 million in additional investment, aimed at yield improvement and long-term resilience.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In the upcoming quarters, we will monitor (1) progress on restoring production in Honduras and the impact on fresh fruit margins, (2) the resolution of strategic options for the vegetable business, and (3) the effectiveness of capital deployment into both internal development and acquisitions. We will also track evolving tariff policies and currency movements as they influence reported performance.

Dole currently trades at $14.20, down from $14.73 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs.

While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.