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HORMEL FOODS REPORTS FIRST QUARTER FISCAL 2026 RESULTS

PR Newswire

Thu, February 26, 2026 at 8:30 PM GMT+9 23 min read

In this article:

HRL

-1.90%

Company Achieves Net Sales of $3 billion and Organic Net Sales1 Growth of 2%

Company Reports Diluted EPS of $0.33; Adjusted Diluted EPS1 of $0.34

Updates GAAP Guidance; Reiterates Adjusted Full Year Fiscal 2026 Guidance

AUSTIN, Minn., Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, today reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which ended January 25, 2026. All comparisons are to the comparable period of fiscal 2025, unless otherwise noted.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. (PRNewsfoto/Hormel Foods Corporation)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY — FIRST QUARTER

Net sales of $3.03 billion; organic net sales1 up 2%

Operating income of $244 million; adjusted operating income1 of $247 million

Operating margin of 8.0%; adjusted operating margin1 of 8.2%

Earnings before income taxes of $234 million; adjusted earnings before income taxes1 of $238 million

Diluted earnings per share of $0.33; adjusted diluted earnings per share1 of $0.34

Cash flow from operations of $349 million

EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY

“We delivered solid first quarter fiscal 2026 results, with adjusted diluted earnings per share1 of $0.34, supported by our fifth consecutive quarter of organic net sales1 growth,” said Jeff Ettinger, interim chief executive officer. “Our performance this quarter demonstrates the strength of our value-added, protein-centric portfolio and our disciplined execution against our key priorities, including pricing actions that are helping to close the gap between profitability and top-line growth.”

“This was an encouraging start to the year, with strong performance by our Foodservice and International segments,” said John Ghingo, president. “We continue to solidify our position as a consumer-focused protein leader with a diversified portfolio of market-leading brands. These results reinforce our confidence in our adjusted full year fiscal 2026 guidance.”

FULL YEAR FISCAL 2026 GUIDANCE

For fiscal 2026, the Company:

Reaffirms net sales in the range of $12.2 billion to $12.5 billion; organic net sales1 growth of 1% to 4%

Updates operating income guidance to be in the range of $1.02 billion to $1.08 billion

Reaffirms adjusted operating income1 in the range of $1.06 billion to $1.12 billion, reflecting growth of 4% to 10%

Updates diluted earnings per share guidance to be in the range of $1.37 to $1.46

Reaffirms adjusted diluted earnings per share1 in the range of $1.43 to $1.51, reflecting growth of 4% to 10%

Adjustments to operating income and diluted earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2026 include the impact from the sale of the **Justin’s**® branded business, which was finalized in the first quarter.

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This guidance does not include the impacts of the recently announced sale of the whole-bird turkey business expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The expected reduction of fiscal 2026 net sales from this transaction is approximately $50 million; the Company also expects minimal impact to expected adjusted diluted earnings per share1. This transaction-related guidance does not reflect any items that are unknown at this time, including the impacts of gains/losses on the transaction that we are unable to reasonably estimate while evaluating the accounting implications.

PORTFOLIO SHAPING

The Company previously announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its whole-bird turkey business, reflecting its ongoing portfolio-shaping efforts. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2026. Financial details of the whole-bird turkey transaction have not been disclosed. The Company will provide additional details on the transaction impacts following its completion.

“Our deliberate strategy around shaping our portfolio and sharpening our focus on value-added protein offerings has been demonstrated by our recently completed sale of a majority interest in the **Justin’s**® branded business and our definitive agreement to sell the whole-bird turkey business,” said Ghingo. “These strategic transactions enable us to focus resources on high-growth opportunities that meet evolving consumer needs while reducing our exposure to volatile commodity markets. The **Jennie-O**® branded portfolio remains a strategic and important part of our growth strategy, and this move positions us to accelerate growth in value-added turkey categories where we have a clear consumer advantage.”

SEGMENT HIGHLIGHTS – FIRST QUARTER

Retail

Volume down 6%; organic volume1 down 6%

Net sales down 2%; organic net sales1 down 2%

Segment profit down 19%

Organic volume1 and organic net sales1 declined in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. Organic volume1 and organic net sales1 performance was significantly impacted by previously anticipated factors, including the strategic exit from select non-core private label snack nut items and declines in branded and private label packaged deli items. Key priority brands delivered year-over-year net sales growth, including **Jennie-O**® ground turkey and **Planters**® snack nuts. Segment profit declined due to lower sales, higher raw material input costs and higher logistics expenses.

Foodservice

Volume flat; organic volume1 flat

Net sales up 7%; organic net sales1 up 7%

Segment profit up 13%

First quarter organic net sales1 for the Foodservice segment was up 7%, marking the 10th consecutive quarter of organic net sales1 growth for the segment. Growth was broad-based across multiple channels and categories, with strong performance across the customized solutions business, premium prepared proteins and branded pepperoni. While organic volume1 was flat, net sales growth was supported by our solutions-based products and the capabilities of our direct-selling organization. Segment profit increased for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, primarily driven by the benefit of pricing actions, which remained aligned with market dynamics.

International

Volume up 1%; organic volume1 up 1%

Net sales up 8%; organic net sales1 up 8%

Segment profit up 10%

For the International segment, organic volume1 and organic net1 sales grew in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. Organic net sales1 growth was driven by strong performance in our multinational businesses and branded exports, led by **SPAM**® luncheon meat. Organic volume1 growth in the segment was primarily driven by growth in China and strong branded exports, led by **SPAM**® luncheon meat. International segment profit increased in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 as lower SG&A spend and growth in China were partially offset by lower export margins.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL DETAILS – FIRST QUARTER FISCAL 2026

Income Statement

Operating margin and adjusted operating margin1 were 8.0% and 8.2%, respectively, compared to 7.6% and 8.5%, respectively, in the prior year.

Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales and adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales1 were 8.0% and 7.9%, respectively, compared to 8.8% and 7.9%, respectively, in the prior year.

The gain on the sale of our controlling equity interest in Justin's, LLC was $23.5 million.

Advertising investments were $41 million, compared to $43 million last year.

The effective tax rate was 22.4%, compared to 21.8% last year.

Cash Flow Statement

Cash flow from operations was $349 million.

Capital expenditures were $69 million, compared to $72 million last year. The largest projects in the quarter were related to the ambient meat snack facility in Jiaxing, China, and investments in data and technology.

Depreciation and amortization expense was $67 million, comparable to last year.

The Company returned approximately $160 million to stockholders during the quarter through dividends.

Balance Sheet

The Company remained in a strong financial position at quarter end, with ample liquidity and a conservative level of debt.

Cash on hand was $868 million at quarter end, an increase of $197 million from the end of fiscal 2025.

Inventories at quarter end were $1.6 billion, a decrease of $100 million from the end of fiscal 2025.

**PRESENTATION

**A conference call will be webcast at 7 a.m. CT on Feb. 26, 2026. Access is available at hormelfoods.com by clicking on “Investors.” The call will also be available via telephone by dialing 800-549-8228 (toll free) or 646-564-2877 (international) and providing the conference ID 71131. An audio replay is available at hormelfoods.com. The webcast replay will be available at noon CT, Feb. 26, 2026, and will remain on the website for one year.

**ABOUT HORMEL FOODS

**Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, Skippy®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, _Jennie-O_® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The Company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report and one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World’s Best Companies and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. For more information, visit hormelfoods.com.

**FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

**This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on the Company’s current assumptions and expectations. These statements are typically accompanied by the words “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or similar words or expressions. The principal forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company’s fiscal 2026 guidance and future financial and operational performance.

All such forward-looking statements are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Although the Company believes there is a reasonable basis for the forward-looking statements, its actual results could be materially different. The most important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from its forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks related to the deterioration of economic conditions; risks and uncertainties associated with intangible assets, including any future goodwill or intangible assets impairment charges; the risk of disruption of operations; the risk that the Company may fail to realize anticipated cost savings or operating profit improvements associated with strategic initiatives, including the Transform and Modernize initiative and the Company’s recent corporate restructuring plan; risk of the Company’s inability to protect information technology (IT) systems against, or effectively respond to, cyberattacks, security breaches or other IT interruptions; food safety risks; fluctuations in commodity prices and availability of raw materials and other inputs; fluctuations in market demand for the Company’s products; risks related to the Company’s ability to respond to changing consumer preferences; damage to the Company’s reputation or brand image; risks of litigation; risks associated with trade policies, export and import controls, and tariffs; and the other risks and uncertainties described in Item 1A – Risk Factors of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which can be accessed at hormelfoods.com in the “Investors” section. Though the Company has attempted to list comprehensively these important cautionary risk factors, the Company cautions that other factors may in the future prove to be important in affecting the Company’s business or results of operations. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as otherwise required by law.

Note: Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this press release may not sum precisely to the totals provided, and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

END NOTES

Non-GAAP measure. See Appendix: Non-GAAP Measures to this news release for more information.

**INVESTOR CONTACT

**Florence Makope
ir@hormel.com

**MEDIA CONTACT

**Media Relations
media@hormel.com

**APPENDIX: NON-GAAP MEASURES

**This press release includes measures of financial performance that are not defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The Company utilizes these non-GAAP measures to understand and evaluate operating performance on a consistent basis. These measures may also be used when making decisions regarding resource allocation and in determining incentive compensation. The Company believes these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors because they aid analysis and understanding of the Company’s results and business trends relative to past performance and the Company’s competitors. Non-GAAP measures are not intended to be a substitute for GAAP measures in analyzing financial performance. These non-GAAP measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies.

**Transform and Modernize (T&M) Initiative

**In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company announced a multi-year T&M initiative. In presenting non-GAAP measures, the Company adjusts for (i.e., excludes) expenses for this initiative that are non-recurring, which are primarily project-based external consulting fees and expenses related to supply chain and portfolio optimization (e.g., asset write-offs, severance, or relocation-related costs). The Company believes that non-recurring costs associated with the T&M initiative are not reflective of the Company’s ongoing operating cost structure; therefore, the Company is excluding these discrete costs. The Company does not adjust for (i.e., does not exclude) certain costs related to the T&M initiative that are expected to continue after the project ends, such as software license fees and internal employee expenses, because those costs are considered ongoing in nature as a component of normal operating costs. The Company also does not adjust for savings realized through the T&M initiative as these are considered ongoing in nature and reflective of expected future operating performance.

**Gain or Loss on Sale of Business

**In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company sold 51% of its equity interest in Justin’s, LLC, resulting in a gain on the sale. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company sold Mountain Prairie, LLC, a non-core sow operation, resulting in a loss on the sale. The Company believes the one-time impacts from these sales are not reflective of the Company’s ongoing operating cost structure, are not indicative of the Company’s core operating performance, and are not meaningful when comparing the Company’s operating performance against that of prior periods. Thus, the Company has adjusted for (i.e., excluded) these impacts.

**Legal Matters

**From time to time, the Company receives proceeds or incurs expenses related to discrete legal matters that the Company believes are not indicative of the Company’s core operating performance, do not reflect expected future operating income or costs, and are not meaningful when comparing the Company’s operating performance against that of prior periods. The Company adjusts for (i.e., excludes) these impacts.

_Litigation Settlements

_In fiscal 2025, the Company entered into a settlement agreement with a plaintiff in a pending antitrust litigation.

**Corporate Restructuring Plan

**In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, the Company commenced a corporate restructuring plan, the focus of which is to reduce administrative expenses, improve efficiencies, and align the workforce to the Company’s future needs, while enabling continued investment in the Company’s growth. The costs incurred to execute the corporate restructuring plan and the charges incurred under the program are primarily related to severance and employee benefit costs. Because the Company believes the charges incurred under the corporate restructuring plan do not reflect future operating costs and are not meaningful when comparing the Company’s operating performance against that of prior periods, the Company adjusts for (i.e., excludes) these impacts.

**Consulting Agreement

**On October 27, 2025, the Company entered into an agreement with its former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), pursuant to which the former CEO is expected to provide consulting services to the Company until April 2027. Consulting costs related to the agreement include cash and share-based compensation, which were primarily recognized in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The Company believes non-recurring costs associated with the consulting agreement are not reflective of the Company’s ongoing operating cost structure, are not indicative of the Company’s core operating performance, and are not meaningful when comparing the Company’s operating performance against that of prior periods; therefore, the Company is excluding these discrete costs.

The tables below show the calculations to reconcile from the GAAP measures to the non-GAAP measures presented in this press release. The tax provision expense or benefit of each of the pre-tax items excluded from the Company’s GAAP results was computed based on the facts and tax implications associated with each item.

ORGANIC VOLUME AND ORGANIC NET SALES (NON-GAAP)

The non-GAAP measures of organic volume and organic net sales are presented to provide investors with additional information to facilitate the comparison of past and present operations. Organic volume and organic net sales exclude the impact of the sale of the Company’s controlling equity interest in Justin’s, LLC in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Forward-looking GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

The information below reconciles the estimated fiscal 2026 GAAP measures to the corresponding estimated adjusted non-GAAP measures.

Fiscal 2026 Outlook – Organic Net Sales (Non-GAAP)

To provide a clearer comparison of past and present net sales performance, the Company has adjusted its fiscal 2025 net sales to exclude the impact of the sale of the**_ Justin’s®_** branded business in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

| In billions | Fiscal 2026 Outlook | | | | 2025 Results | | Change | | | | Net Sales (GAAP) | $ 12.2 | - | $ 12.5 | | $ 12.1 | | 1 % | - | 3 % | | Divestitures | — | - | — | | (0.1) | | | | | | Organic Net Sales (Non-GAAP) | $ 12.2 | - | $ 12.5 | | $ 12.0 | | 1 % | - | 4 % |

Fiscal 2026 Outlook – Adjusted Operating Income (Non-GAAP)

The Company’s fiscal 2026 outlook for adjusted operating income is a non-GAAP measure that excludes items impacting comparability.

In fiscal 2026, the Company expects:

Operating income (GAAP) in the range of $1,017 million to $1,082 million

Adjustments for the T&M initiative of $43 million to $49 million

Adjustments for corporate restructuring plan-related charges of $8.5 million

Adjustment for a gain related to the sale of the **_Justin's_**® branded business of $(23.5) million

Adjustment for the Consulting Agreement of $7.8 million

Resulting in an adjusted operating income range (non-GAAP) of $1,059 million to $1,118 million.

**Fiscal 2026 Outlook – Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share (Non-GAAP)

**The Company’s fiscal 2026 outlook for adjusted diluted earnings per share is a non-GAAP measure that excludes items impacting comparability.

In fiscal 2026, the Company expects:

Diluted earnings per share (GAAP) in the range of $1.37 to $1.461

Adjustments for the T&M initiative of $0.06 to $0.07

Adjustments for corporate restructuring plan-related charges of $0.01

Adjustment for a gain related to the sale of the **_Justin's_**® branded business of $(0.03)

Adjustment for the Consulting Agreement of $0.01

Resulting in an adjusted diluted earnings per share range (non-GAAP) of $1.43 to $1.51.

Cision

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