Hostess Succeeds With A Blend Of Traditional, And Innovative, Snacks

Hostess Brands, which filed for bankruptcy six years ago and emerged a leaner entity under new ownership, posted strong fourth quarter earnings, thanks to the enduring popularity of its old favorite snacks and the success of some new ones. The maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, and Ho-Hos credits its revenue growth, profit, and newly healthy stock price to the rollout of the Hostess Bakery Petites line, and to new versions of its traditional products. The Petites products have no artificial flavors or high-fructose corn syrup, come in resealable bags, and are made with "real" chocolate and vanilla. Hostess earnings were $0.17 a share on revenue of $196.2 million, an increase of 9.7 percent. Bakery Petites accounted for 3.1 percent of the increase. The new products come in resealable bags and are made with "real" chocolate and vanilla. [Image Credit: © Hostess Brands]