International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) Cut to Hold at Vertical Research

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) was downgraded by stock analysts at Vertical Research from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, MarketBeat reports. They presently have a $93.00 price target on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. Vertical Research’s target price points to a potential upside of 5.58% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on IFF. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on International Flavors & Fragrances from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Benchmark began coverage on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $100.00 price target on the stock. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $83.00 to $84.80 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of International Flavors & Fragrances from $93.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, International Flavors & Fragrances currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $91.27.

International Flavors & Fragrances Trading Up 8.9%

Shares of International Flavors & Fragrances stock opened at $88.08 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. International Flavors & Fragrances has a twelve month low of $59.14 and a twelve month high of $89.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.49 billion, a PE ratio of 80.81, a P/E/G ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.93. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $77.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $75.31.

International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.07 by ($0.25). International Flavors & Fragrances had a return on equity of 7.09% and a net margin of 2.78%.The firm had revenue of $1.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.15 earnings per share. International Flavors & Fragrances’s quarterly revenue was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that International Flavors & Fragrances will post 4.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

International Flavors & Fragrances announced that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, August 4th that permits the company to buyback $2.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the specialty chemicals company to reacquire up to 12.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other International Flavors & Fragrances news, Director Paul J. Fribourg acquired 260,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 1st. The stock was bought at an average cost of $74.28 per share, for a total transaction of $19,312,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 2,682,730 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $199,273,184.40. The trade was a 10.73% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 1.07% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Flavors & Fragrances

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of IFF. State Street Corp raised its holdings in International Flavors & Fragrances by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 11,092,368 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $751,875,000 after buying an additional 121,260 shares during the period. First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 27.5% during the fourth quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 8,831,668 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $595,166,000 after acquiring an additional 1,904,598 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 4.9% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 7,519,812 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $506,760,000 after acquiring an additional 352,636 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 6,771,894 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $454,607,000 after acquiring an additional 172,781 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its holdings in shares of International Flavors & Fragrances by 28.4% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 6,042,758 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $407,221,000 after acquiring an additional 1,336,479 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.02% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting International Flavors & Fragrances

Here are the key news stories impacting International Flavors & Fragrances this week:

• Positive Sentiment: IFF authorized a $2.5 billion share repurchase program, allowing it to buy back as much as 12.1% of outstanding shares. The authorization signals management’s view that the stock is undervalued and could support earnings per share. International Flavors & Fragrances to Buyback $2.50 Billion in Shares
• Positive Sentiment: The company is continuing to streamline its portfolio. The planned sale of its Food Ingredients business to CVC for approximately $4.3 billion, along with the sale of botanical extracts, vitamins, minerals and food-enhancement activities, should strengthen the balance sheet and concentrate IFF on higher-growth, higher-margin businesses. IFF Enters Agreement to Sell Its Food Ingredients Business to CVC
• Positive Sentiment: Investor reaction suggests the buyback, divestiture proceeds and management’s transformation strategy outweighed near-term earnings concerns. Recent insider buying and a median analyst price target around $91 also provide additional support for the undervaluation argument. Why International Flavors & Fragrances Stock Is Up Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Second-quarter revenue rose 1.8% year over year, while management highlighted growth in key segments and ongoing portfolio changes. However, the outlook remains dependent on successful execution of the restructuring and asset-sale strategy. IFF 2026 Q2 Results Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: IFF reported adjusted earnings of $0.82 per share, below estimates of roughly $1.07–$1.14, and revenue of $1.95 billion, well short of the approximately $2.62 billion consensus. Earnings also declined from $1.15 a year earlier. International Flavors Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates, Sales Rise Year Over Year
• Negative Sentiment: Management lowered its 2026 sales guidance, highlighting continued demand and execution risks. The earnings miss and guidance reduction could limit the stock’s upside if the anticipated benefits from divestitures and buybacks take longer to materialize. IFF Misses Q2 Sales Expectations and Lowers Guidance

International Flavors & Fragrances Company Profile

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (NYSE:IFF) is a global leader in the creation and production of flavors, fragrances, cosmetic actives and nutritional lipids. The company develops taste and scent solutions for a wide array of end markets including food and beverage, personal care, household goods and pharmaceutical products. Its portfolio spans natural and nature-identical flavors, fine fragrances, functional ingredients for skin and hair care, and specialty oils that enhance nutritional value and sensory appeal.

IFF’s research and development network comprises innovation centers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, where multidisciplinary teams collaborate on aroma chemistry, sensory science and biotechnology.