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Pilgrims Pride Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income and EPS fell sharply: GAAP net income was $116.3 million and GAAP EPS $0.49, against $1.44 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $0.49 against $1.52. Operating income was $191.5 million, down 61.1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 6.8%: Adjusted EBITDA was $316.3 million, a 6.8% margin, against $633.1 million and a 13.3% margin a year earlier. Net sales were $4.7 billion, down 2.2%. Source
  • U.S. margin at 6.9%, volumes steady: U.S. Adjusted EBITDA was $185.2 million at a 6.9% margin, against $479.1 million a year earlier and 8.7% in the second quarter. Volumes held steady despite planned downtime. Source
  • Just Bare retail sales grew: Just Bare retail sales grew over 25% against last year, and its share of fully cooked category volume rose over 300 basis points. U.S. Prepared Foods volumes rose over 15%. Source
  • Gross profit fell to $333.7 million: Gross profit was $333.7 million against $659.4 million a year earlier, as cost of sales rose to $4,319.5 million from $4,100.0 million. Source
  • Chicken supply outpaced demand: U.S. chicken supply rose 2.2% year over year, outpacing demand growth and lowering commodity cutout values from the prior period. Demand growth was moderate against near-record prior-year levels. Source
  • Net leverage rose to 1.76x: Net leverage was 1.76x Adjusted EBITDA, up from 1.43x at the second quarter and within the 2x to 3x target.

“We remain focused on our investments and strategies to drive profitable growth and adapt our portfolio to changing conditions.”

Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net leverage target Sourcenot stated2x to 3xKept
Walker County prepared foods facility commissioning Sourcesecond half of 2027second half of 2027
Walkers Deli & Sausage acquisition close Sourceearly 2027early 2027New

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Pending acquisition of Walkers Deli & Sausage, not mentioned in the second quarter release. Source
  • New: Flamin’ Hot offerings introduced across retail and foodservice, not mentioned in the second quarter release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income and EPS fell sharply: GAAP net income was $116.3 million and GAAP EPS $0.49, against $1.44 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $0.49 against $1.52. Operating income was $191.5 million, down 61.1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 6.8%: Adjusted EBITDA was $316.3 million, a 6.8% margin, against $633.1 million and a 13.3% margin a year earlier. Net sales were $4.7 billion, down 2.2%. Source
  • Lower than second quarter EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA was $360.0 million at a 7.8% margin in the second quarter, compared with $316.3 million in the third quarter.

Segments and regions

  • U.S. margin at 6.9%, volumes steady: U.S. Adjusted EBITDA was $185.2 million at a 6.9% margin, against $479.1 million a year earlier and 8.7% in the second quarter. Volumes held steady despite planned downtime. Source
  • Europe margins compressed on pork: Europe Adjusted EBITDA was $102.0 million at a 7.4% margin, against $110.3 million a year earlier. Management cited pork fundamentals and input cost increases. Source
  • Mexico margin 4.9% on live market: Mexico Adjusted EBITDA was $29.1 million at a 4.9% margin, against $43.7 million a year earlier. Live commodity fundamentals improved from earlier quarters despite extensive protein availability. Source

“While consumers maintained their interest in chicken across retail and foodservice, the market experienced a significant increase in supply,”

Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s President and CEO

Products and customers

  • Just Bare retail sales grew: Just Bare retail sales grew over 25% against last year, and its share of fully cooked category volume rose over 300 basis points. U.S. Prepared Foods volumes rose over 15%. Source
  • Mexico fresh branded retail up: Mexico fresh branded retail sales grew over 40%, Key Customer retail volumes rose more than 8%, and Just Bare retail fresh volumes more than doubled. Source
  • European shoppers bought poultry and meals: In Europe, retail volume and sales both rose as shoppers sought poultry and meals. Fridge Raiders and Rollover grew with more promotion and distribution. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross profit fell to $333.7 million: Gross profit was $333.7 million against $659.4 million a year earlier, as cost of sales rose to $4,319.5 million from $4,100.0 million. Source
  • Nine-month litigation settlement charges: Nine-month adjusted items included $158.9 million of litigation settlement expenses. No litigation settlement expense was recorded in the third quarter. Source
  • Chattanooga closure drove impairment: The $25.6 million asset impairment, recorded in the second quarter, was primarily due to the announced closure of the Chattanooga, Tennessee harvest plant. Source

“While conditions in Mexico have been challenging throughout the year, we continue to improve our operational excellence, diversify our portfolio through branded offerings, and strengthen Key Customer partnerships,”

Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s President and CEO

Demand and supply

  • Chicken supply outpaced demand: U.S. chicken supply rose 2.2% year over year, outpacing demand growth and lowering commodity cutout values from the prior period. Demand growth was moderate against near-record prior-year levels. Source
  • Small bird demand stayed firm: Small bird demand held firm on continued consumer interest in boneless offerings from leading QSR chains. Source
  • Excess European pork imports continue: Management described inflationary pressure and excess pork imports from European countries as continuing challenges in Europe. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Net leverage rose to 1.76x: Net leverage was 1.76x Adjusted EBITDA, up from 1.43x at the second quarter and within the 2x to 3x target.
  • Borrowings rose in nine months: Nine-month borrowings totaled $709.3 million against $399.8 million of repayments. Long-term debt, less current maturities, rose to $3,404.7 million from $3,093.1 million at year end. Source
  • Capital spending rose to $682.1 million: Nine-month capital spending was $682.1 million, against $441.1 million a year earlier. Nine-month operating cash flow was $684.2 million, against $1,080.4 million. Source
  • No dividend payments this year: The statement shows no dividend payments in the nine months, against $1,994.3 million a year earlier. Cash and equivalents reached $935.8 million at September 27, 2026. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Ellijay small bird investment: The Ellijay, Ga., investment, announced last quarter, supports growth for Key Customers in the boneless category.
  • Poultry supply chain investment continues: Management said it will keep investing in the poultry supply chain to expand its presence in the market. Source
  • Mexico ramp-up in two regions: Ramp-up of operations in the Merida region and the Southern Peninsula is reported as on schedule. Source

People, sustainability and safety

  • Scope 1 and 2 emissions down 20%: Since 2019, global Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity fell over 20%, according to the sustainability update covering 2025. Source
  • Safety index up over 60%: The Global Safety Index improved over 60% against last year, and more than 6 million training hours were provided in 2025. Source
  • Workforce across regions: The company employs about 63,000 people and operates plants and prepared-foods facilities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, the U.K., Ireland and continental Europe. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 October 2026

  • Walkers acquisition expected to close: The Walkers Deli & Sausage acquisition is expected to close in early 2027, pending approval. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
U.S. Prepared Foods volume growth Sourceover 15% versus last year
Just Bare retail sales, fully cooked category Sourceover 25% versus prior year
Just Bare volume market share, frozen fully cooked Sourceover 300 basis points year over year
Mexico Key Customer retail volumes Sourcemore than 8% versus last year
Mexico fresh branded retail sales Sourceover 40% compared to last year
U.S. chicken supply growth (USDA) Source2.2% increase year over year

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Planned plant downtime for the Ellijay, Ga., small bird deboning investment affected volumes in the quarter, offset by promotion and distribution. Source
  • External: Management said conditions in Mexico were challenging through the year, despite extensive protein availability. Source
  • Demand: Commodity cutout values fell as U.S. supply growth outpaced demand growth, pressuring fresh chicken results. Source
  • Regulatory: The Walkers Deli & Sausage acquisition was still in the approval process at quarter end. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said construction of the Walker County, Ga., facility remains on track, with commission expected in the second half of 2027. Source
  • On track: Management said ramp-up in the Merida region and Southern Peninsula remains on schedule. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.