The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who didn’t). Let’s take a look at how ingredients, flavors & fragrances stocks fared in Q2, starting with Ingredion (NYSE: INGR).

Ingredients, flavors, and fragrances companies supply essential components to food, beverage, personal care, and household product manufacturers. These firms develop proprietary formulations that enhance taste, scent, and texture, creating customer stickiness through specialized expertise and regulatory-approved ingredient portfolios. Tailwinds include growing consumer demand for natural and clean-label products, expansion in emerging markets, and innovation in plant-based and functional ingredients. However, headwinds persist from volatile raw material costs, particularly for agricultural and petrochemical inputs. Regulatory scrutiny over synthetic additives and fragrance allergens poses compliance challenges, while consolidation among major customers increases pricing pressure and negotiating leverage against suppliers.

The 5 ingredients, flavors & fragrances stocks we track reported a mixed Q2. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.4%.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Ingredion (NYSE: INGR)

Known for its ability to turn ordinary corn into thousands of different food ingredients, Ingredion (NYSE: INGR) transforms grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into specialty starches, sweeteners and other ingredients for food, beverage and industrial markets.

Ingredion reported revenues of $1.85 billion, flat year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 0.9%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

"Ingredion delivered a solid second quarter, with Texture & Healthful Solutions continuing its quarterly net sales volume growth and Food & Industrial Ingredients—U.S./CAN operating results sequentially improving during the quarter," said Jim Zallie, chairman, president and CEO of Ingredion.

Interestingly, the stock is up 4.5% since reporting and currently trades at $104.90.

Read our full report on Ingredion here, it’s free.

Best Q2: Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: ADM)

Transforming crops from the world's most productive agricultural regions into everyday essentials, Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: ADM) processes and transports agricultural commodities like grains and oilseeds while manufacturing ingredients for food, beverages, feed, and industrial applications.

Archer-Daniels-Midland reported revenues of $22.68 billion, up 7.2% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.2%. The business had a very strong quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and gross margin estimates.

Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 1.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $76.65.

Is now the time to buy Archer-Daniels-Midland? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Slowest Q2: International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE: IFF)

Responsible for the scents in your favorite perfumes and the flavors in your daily snacks, International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE: IFF) creates and manufactures ingredients for food, beverages, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals used in countless consumer goods.

International Flavors & Fragrances reported revenues of $1.95 billion, down 29.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 25%. It was a softer quarter as it posted full-year revenue and EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

International Flavors & Fragrances delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth among its peers. Interestingly, the stock is up 6.2% since the results and currently trades at $85.87.

Read our full analysis of International Flavors & Fragrances’s results here.

Bunge Global (NYSE: BG)

With origins dating back to 1818 and operations spanning both hemispheres to balance seasonal harvests, Bunge Global (NYSE: BG) is an agribusiness and food company that processes oilseeds, grains, and other agricultural commodities into vegetable oils, protein meals, flours, and specialty ingredients.

Bunge Global reported revenues of $24.04 billion, up 88.3% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 9.3%. It was a strong quarter as it also produced an impressive beat of analysts’ gross margin estimates and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Bunge Global scored the biggest analyst estimate beat and fastest revenue growth in the group. The stock is down 7.7% since reporting and currently trades at $108.38.

Read our full, actionable report on Bunge Global here, it’s free.

Darling Ingredients (NYSE: DAR)

Turning what others consider waste into valuable resources, Darling Ingredients (NYSE: DAR) collects and transforms animal by-products, used cooking oil, and other bio-nutrients into valuable ingredients for food, feed, fuel, and industrial applications.

Darling Ingredients reported revenues of $1.72 billion, up 16.4% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.5%. Taking a step back, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is up 1.4% since reporting and currently trades at $59.43.

Read our full, actionable report on Darling Ingredients here, it’s free.

Market Update

Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.

Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.

By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.