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Tyson Foods, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 2 lowered, 11 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 4.4 percent: Second quarter sales were $13,653 million, up 4.4%. Excluding the $343 million prior-year legal accrual, sales rose 1.8%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell five percent: Adjusted EPS was $0.87 against $0.92 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.73 against $0.02. Source
  • Chicken adjusted profit rose: Chicken adjusted segment operating income rose to $523 million from $411 million, with an adjusted margin of 12.2% against 9.9%. Source
  • Prepared Foods profit grew: Prepared Foods adjusted segment operating income was $352 million against $329 million, at a 14.0% adjusted margin. Source
  • Share gains credited for growth: The release headline attributes top-line growth to market share gains led by Chicken and Prepared Foods. Source
  • Gross margin rose: Gross profit was 7.0% of sales in the quarter against 4.6% a year earlier. The six-month gross margin was 6.3% in both periods. Source
  • Free cash flow higher: Free cash flow for six months was $432 million, up from the prior year. Source

“We remain focused on continuous improvement, leveraging our scale and operating capabilities to better serve our customers and consumers.”

Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Beef segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$(500) million to $(350) millionLowered from $(500) million to $(250) million
Pork segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$250 million to $300 millionKept
Chicken segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$1.9 billion to $2.05 billionRaised from $1.65 billion to $1.90 billion
Prepared Foods segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$1.25 billion to $1.35 billionKept
International segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$150 million to $200 millionKept
Corporate expenses and amortization, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$950 million to $975 millionKept
Total company adjusted operating income Sourcefiscal 2026$2.2 billion to $2.4 billionRaised from $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion
Sales growth Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025up 2% to 4%Kept
Capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$0.7 billion to $1.0 billionKept
Net interest expense Sourcefiscal 2026approximately $365 millionLowered from approximately $370 million
Liquidity Sourcefiscal 2026above $1.0 billion minimum liquidity targetKept
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2026$1.2 billion to $1.8 billionRaised from $1.1 billion to $1.7 billion
Adjusted effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 2026approximately 25%Kept
USDA domestic protein production (beef, pork, chicken, turkey) Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025increase approximately 1%Kept
USDA beef production (industry, cited by management) Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025decrease approximately 2%Kept
USDA pork production (industry, cited by management) Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025increase approximately 2%Kept
USDA chicken production (industry, cited by management) Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025increase approximately 2%Raised from increase approximately 1%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Beef segment adjusted operating loss range for fiscal 2026 moved to $(500) million to $(350) million from $(500) million to $(250) million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Chicken segment adjusted operating income range for fiscal 2026 moved to $1.9 billion to $2.05 billion from $1.65 billion to $1.90 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Total company adjusted operating income range for fiscal 2026 moved to $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion from $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Free cash flow range for fiscal 2026 moved to $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion from $1.1 billion to $1.7 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Net interest expense estimate for fiscal 2026 moved to approximately $365 million from $370 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: USDA chicken production projection for fiscal 2026 moved to an increase of about 2% from about 1%. Source

Quarter results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 4.4 percent: Second quarter sales were $13,653 million, up 4.4%. Excluding the $343 million prior-year legal accrual, sales rose 1.8%. Source
  • GAAP operating income rose sharply: GAAP operating income was $435 million, compared with $100 million a year earlier, when the prior-year period carried the $343 million legal accrual. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell five percent: Adjusted EPS was $0.87 against $0.92 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.73 against $0.02. Source
  • Six-month adjusted profit lower: Six-month adjusted operating income and adjusted EPS were each below the prior year, at $1,069 million and $1.84 respectively. Source

Segment operating results

  • Chicken adjusted profit rose: Chicken adjusted segment operating income rose to $523 million from $411 million, with an adjusted margin of 12.2% against 9.9%. Source
  • Beef adjusted loss widened: Beef adjusted segment operating loss was $202 million against $113 million a year earlier, at an adjusted margin of (3.9)%. Source
  • Pork adjusted profit fell: Pork adjusted segment operating income was $41 million against $69 million. Reported pork income moved from a $181 million loss to $41 million. Source
  • Prepared Foods profit grew: Prepared Foods adjusted segment operating income was $352 million against $329 million, at a 14.0% adjusted margin. Source
  • International profit declined: International adjusted segment operating income was $37 million against $54 million, at a 6.4% adjusted margin against 9.5%. Source

“Our disciplined balance sheet management, execution and diversified, multi-protein portfolio position us to capitalize on significant growth opportunities ahead,”

Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods

Volumes, pricing and market share

  • Beef price rose, volume fell: Beef sales were flat at $5,205 million. Average price rose 11.5% while volume fell 13.1%. Source
  • Pork price edged higher: Pork average price rose 1.3%, and pork sales reached $1,579 million, up from $1,244 million. Source
  • Prepared Foods price drove sales: Prepared Foods average price rose 4.4%, and segment sales reached $2,511 million against $2,396 million. Source
  • Share gains credited for growth: The release headline attributes top-line growth to market share gains led by Chicken and Prepared Foods. Source

Costs, margins and tax rate

  • Gross margin rose: Gross profit was 7.0% of sales in the quarter against 4.6% a year earlier. The six-month gross margin was 6.3% in both periods. Source
  • Effective tax rate lower: Effective tax rate was 26.2% in the quarter against 51.0% a year earlier, and 27.1% for six months against 25.1%. Source
  • GAAP and adjusted operating margins: Total company GAAP operating margin was 3.2% and adjusted operating margin was 3.6% in the quarter, against 0.8% and 3.8% a year earlier. Source

“With sustained market demand for protein and our proven ability to innovate and execute, we're well-positioned for long-term value creation.”

Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Operating cash flow slightly lower: Cash from operations for six months was $829 million, a decline of $17 million from the prior-year period. Source
  • Free cash flow higher: Free cash flow for six months was $432 million, up from the prior year. Source
  • Capital spending lower year on year: Six-month additions to property, plant and equipment were $397 million against $464 million a year earlier. Source
  • Total debt reduced: Management reported a reduction in total debt of $747 million during the first six months of fiscal 2026. Source

Shareholder returns and team

  • Cash returned to shareholders: Management said $445 million of cash was returned to shareholders year to date through dividends and share repurchases. Source
  • Class A dividend raised: Class A dividends declared were $0.510 per share in the quarter against $0.500, and Class B were $0.459 against $0.450. Source
  • Share buybacks and dividends paid: Six-month purchases of Class A common stock were $92 million against $16 million, and dividends paid were $353 million. Source
  • Workforce size: The company reported approximately 133,000 team members as of the end of fiscal 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Beef volume change, second quarter Source(13.1) %
Pork volume change, second quarter Source4.4 %
Chicken volume change, second quarter Source1.7 %
Prepared Foods volume change, second quarter Source0.4 %
International volume change, second quarter Source(1.0) %

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Legal contingency accruals reduced sales in both periods, with $150 million in the current year and $343 million in the prior year. Source
  • Operational: Restructuring charges are tied to the Network Optimization Plan, which started in fiscal 2025 and continues to affect results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: In the first quarter release, management said it expected continued improvement in controllable areas during fiscal 2026. This release does not state a status.

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.