Street View: Strong quarter fails to ease inflation worries for McCormick

** Cholula hot sauce maker McCormick MKC.N on Thursday beat third-quarter results, as higher prices for seasonings and sauces helped offset softer demand due to elevated gas prices and cyclospora outbreak that weighed on volumes

** Median PT of 16 brokerages covering stock is $55 - data compiled by LSEG

INFLATION OVERSHADOWS STRONG QUARTER

**J.P. Morgan ("overweight," PT: $55) says inflation is rising faster than expected and is further cooling sentiment toward McCormick shares, though co remains constructive on long-term value creation potential of pending Unilever Foods combination

** Barclays says co remains on track to meet annual targets, but softer consumer demand, weaker foodservice activity and rising costs are making co's path more challenging

** Stifel ("hold," PT: $48) says slower-than-expected volume recovery in Americas and higher inflation are weighing on outlook, despite strong Q3 cost savings and profit growth

** TD Cowen ("hold," PT: $48) says productivity savings and pockets of international strength helped offset weak Americas demand in Q3, but higher inflation and consumer pressure are raising risks to FY27 earnings and combined co's longer-term growth outlook