ODC

We rate Oil-Dri Corp of America (ODC) as a Hold with a composite score of 64.6/100 at a current price of $65.04. The stock presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to warrant new accumulation nor weak enough to justify selling for existing holders. Our factors are split, and the overall profile suggests patience is warranted.

The rating is primarily driven by strength in stability (85th percentile) and value (78th percentile), which together account for the majority of the composite score. All factors score above the 40th percentile, indicating no material weakness in the quantitative profile. We assign a Narrow Moat rating (50/100), Low uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation.

Key items to watch: quarterly earnings execution and sector-level competitive dynamics. Any material change in these dynamics could warrant a reassessment of our rating. The moat trend is stable, which suggests the competitive landscape is stable for now.

Oil-Dri Corp of America holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Manufacturing sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 64.6/100 places it at rank #308 in our full 7,333-stock universe. At $808M in market capitalization, Oil-Dri Corp of America is a small-cap player in the Manufacturing space, which limits certain scale advantages but may allow for more agile strategic execution.

The outlook is moderately positive, with revenue expanding at 13% and favorable momentum (60th percentile) reflecting constructive market sentiment. The business shows steady execution, though the growth rate is below the levels typically associated with high-conviction growth stories. Momentum confirmation provides support for the current price level.

The margin cascade tells an important story: gross margins of 30% (-12.7pp vs sector) narrow to operating margins of 14% (+13.1pp vs sector) and net margins of 11.7%, yielding a gross-to-net conversion rate of 39%. This efficient conversion suggests well-controlled operating costs and limited margin leakage between the gross and net levels.

At a current price of $65.04, Oil-Dri Corp of America appears undervalued relative to its fundamentals. Our value factor score of 78/100 reflects a composite assessment across multiple valuation metrics including price-to-earnings, price-to-book, EV/EBITDA, and price-to-sales ratios relative to both sector peers and the broader market. The stock screens as attractively priced on a majority of these measures, suggesting the market may be underappreciating the underlying fundamentals.

The stock currently trades at a P/E of 16.5x (a 26% discount to the sector median of 22.3x), EV/EBITDA of 13.3x (near the sector median), P/B of 3.5x, P/S of 1.9x. The below-sector P/E suggests possible undervaluation or the market pricing in near-term headwinds.

We assign a Low uncertainty rating to Oil-Dri Corp of America. The company exhibits strong financial stability with a beta of 0.44, conservative leverage (43% D/E), and a stability factor in the 85th percentile. The predictable nature of the business model and solid financial position reduce the range of potential outcomes, giving us confidence in our fair value estimate.

Specific risk factors that inform our assessment include: low beta of 0.44 — while defensive, this may indicate limited upside participation in bull markets. Each of these factors independently widens the distribution of potential outcomes, and in combination they create a risk profile that demands careful position sizing. The stability factor at the 85th percentile and quality factor at the 70th percentile provide a quantitative summary of the overall risk landscape.

Key risk mitigants include: above-average stability (85th percentile) suggests predictable business dynamics. These factors partially offset the identified risks and provide downside protection in adverse scenarios. On balance, the risk-reward profile is favorable for long-term investors.

We rate Oil-Dri Corp of America's capital allocation as Standard. Management has shown adequate — though not exceptional — stewardship of shareholder capital. Returns on equity stand at 21.2%, and the balance sheet is managed within acceptable parameters (D/E: 43%). Exemplary allocators typically sustain ROE above 20% and D/E below 50%; Oil-Dri Corp of America falls short on at least one dimension.

There is room for improvement in optimizing the capital structure or enhancing shareholder returns. The 1.17% dividend yield provides some income return, but the overall capital allocation framework would benefit from either higher reinvestment returns, improved balance sheet efficiency, or increased shareholder distributions. We will monitor for signs of strategic improvement that could warrant an upgrade.

In summary, Oil-Dri Corp of America receives a Hold rating with a composite score of 64.6/100 (rank #308 of 7,333). Our quantitative framework assigns a Narrow Moat (50/100, trend: stable), Low uncertainty, and Standard capital allocation. The average factor score across quality, value, momentum, stability, and investment is 67/100.

Our analysis supports a neutral stance on Oil-Dri Corp of America. While the quantitative profile is not weak enough to warrant selling, it lacks the multi-factor strength required for a buy recommendation. Existing holders should maintain positions and monitor for catalysts — either fundamental improvement or valuation compression — that would shift the risk-reward balance.