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Tyson Foods, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 4 lowered, 10 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales flat; legal accrual reduced sales: Third-quarter sales were $13,868 million, flat on the prior year, and up 0.6% excluding a $98 million legal contingency accrual recorded as a reduction to sales. Source
  • Nine-month adjusted operating income fell: For the nine months, sales rose 3.1% to $41,834 million, while adjusted operating income was $1,616 million, down 4%, and adjusted EPS was $2.83, down 5%. Source
  • Beef adjusted loss widened: Beef adjusted segment loss was $138 million, against $116 million, with a margin of (2.6)% against (2.1)%. As reported, the beef loss narrowed to $142 million from $459 million. Source
  • Chicken adjusted profit and margin rose: Chicken adjusted segment operating income was $488 million, against $448 million, with an 11.2% margin against 10.6%. As reported, chicken operating income was $389 million. Source
  • Beef volume fell, average price rose: Beef volume fell 15.9% in the quarter while average price rose 12.1%. For the nine months, beef volume fell 12.0% and average price rose 13.4%. Source
  • Beef loss range widened: The beef segment operating loss, as adjusted, is now expected at $(650) million to $(500) million, against $(500) million to $(350) million previously. Source
  • Total adjusted operating income range lowered: Total company adjusted operating income is now expected at $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion, down from $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion in the prior release. Source
  • Nine-month free cash flow nearly flat: Nine-month free cash flow was $913 million, against $929 million. Operating cash flow was $1,469 million, down $151 million, and additions to property, plant and equipment were $556 million, against $691 million. Source

“fueled by continued strength in our Chicken and Prepared Foods segments, with seven consecutive quarters of growth in Chicken and continued market share gains by our iconic brands”

Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Beef segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$(650) million to $(500) millionLowered from $(500) million to $(350) million
Pork segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$250 million to $300 millionKept
Chicken segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$1.90 billion to $2.05 billionKept
Prepared Foods segment operating income, as adjusted Sourcefiscal 2026$1.3 billion to $1.35 billionRaised from $1.25 billion to $1.35 billion
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$2.1 billion to $2.3 billionLowered from $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion
Capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$0.7 billion to $0.9 billionLowered from $0.7 billion to $1.0 billion
Net interest expense Sourcefiscal 2026approximately $365 millionKept
Liquidity Sourcefiscal 2026remain above $1.0 billion minimum liquidity targetKept
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2026$1.3 billion to $1.7 billionKept
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 domestic production Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025decrease approximately 3%Lowered from decrease approximately 2%
USDA chicken production Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025increase approximately 3%Raised from increase approximately 2%
USDA pork production Sourcefiscal 2026 compared with fiscal 2025increase approximately 2%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Beef segment operating loss range, as adjusted, widened to $(650) million to $(500) million from $(500) million to $(350) million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Total company adjusted operating income range lowered to $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion from $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Capital expenditure range top end lowered to $0.9 billion from $1.0 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Prepared Foods segment operating income range low end raised to $1.3 billion from $1.25 billion. Source
  • New: An executive leadership transition was announced in the third quarter, with related charges excluded from adjusted results. Source

Third-quarter results and nine-month trend

  • Sales flat; legal accrual reduced sales: Third-quarter sales were $13,868 million, flat on the prior year, and up 0.6% excluding a $98 million legal contingency accrual recorded as a reduction to sales. Source
  • GAAP operating income rose 39%: GAAP operating income was $362 million, up 39%, with a GAAP operating margin of 2.6% against 1.9% a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 9% in quarter: Adjusted EPS was $0.99, up 9%, and GAAP diluted EPS was $0.52, up $0.35 from the prior year's $0.17. Source
  • Nine-month adjusted operating income fell: For the nine months, sales rose 3.1% to $41,834 million, while adjusted operating income was $1,616 million, down 4%, and adjusted EPS was $2.83, down 5%. Source

Segment operating results

  • Beef adjusted loss widened: Beef adjusted segment loss was $138 million, against $116 million, with a margin of (2.6)% against (2.1)%. As reported, the beef loss narrowed to $142 million from $459 million. Source
  • Chicken adjusted profit and margin rose: Chicken adjusted segment operating income was $488 million, against $448 million, with an 11.2% margin against 10.6%. As reported, chicken operating income was $389 million. Source
  • Prepared Foods profit and margin eased: Prepared Foods adjusted segment operating income was $321 million, against $334 million, with a 12.6% margin against 13.3%. Source
  • Pork profit higher than last year: Pork adjusted segment operating income was $60 million, against $50 million, with a 3.8% margin against 3.3%. Nine-month pork adjusted income was $212 million, against $192 million. Source
  • International profit up, margin flat: International adjusted segment operating income was $48 million, against $45 million, with the margin at 8.0% against 8.1%. Source

“We remain confident in our ability to deliver long-term growth and create value for shareholders through disciplined execution of our branded food products strategy.”

Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods

Volume and price by segment

  • Beef volume fell, average price rose: Beef volume fell 15.9% in the quarter while average price rose 12.1%. For the nine months, beef volume fell 12.0% and average price rose 13.4%. Source
  • Chicken volume and price both rose: Chicken sales were $4,255 million, with volume up 1.0% and average price up 2.2%. Nine-month chicken volume rose 2.1%. Source
  • Pork volume up, price slightly lower: Pork sales were $1,580 million, with volume up 5.2% and average price down 0.3% in the quarter. Source
  • Prepared Foods volume held steady: Prepared Foods sales were $2,557 million, with volume up 0.1% and average price up 1.6%. Nine-month average price rose 4.6%. Source
  • International volume down, price up: International sales were $601 million, with volume down 3.5% and average price up 11.4% in the quarter. Source

Costs, margins and interest

  • Gross margin fell to 6.6%: Gross profit was $921 million, a 6.6% margin, against $1,141 million and 8.2% a year earlier, as cost of sales rose to $12,947 million from $12,743 million. Source
  • Interest expense lower year on year: Interest expense was $98 million in the quarter, against $113 million, and $299 million for the nine months, against $343 million. Source

Full-year fiscal 2026 targets changed

  • Beef loss range widened: The beef segment operating loss, as adjusted, is now expected at $(650) million to $(500) million, against $(500) million to $(350) million previously. Source
  • Total adjusted operating income range lowered: Total company adjusted operating income is now expected at $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion, down from $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion in the prior release. Source
  • Prepared Foods low end raised: Prepared Foods segment operating income is now expected at $1.3 billion to $1.35 billion, up from $1.25 billion at the low end. Source
  • Sales, capex and cash ranges revised: Sales growth is now expected at 2.5% to 3.5%, against 2% to 4%. Capital expenditures are expected at $0.7 billion to $0.9 billion, and free cash flow at $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 has 53 weeks: The company said fiscal 2026 has 53 weeks against 52 in fiscal 2025, and its fiscal 2026 targets are based on a comparable 52-week year. Source

Industry protein production forecasts

  • Total protein output seen up 1%: USDA indicates domestic protein production across beef, pork, chicken and turkey will rise about 1% in fiscal 2026, the same as in the prior release. Source
  • Chicken and pork production forecasts: USDA projects chicken production up about 3%, against about 2% in the prior release. Pork production is projected up about 2%, unchanged from the prior release. Source

Cash, debt and free cash flow

  • Nine-month free cash flow nearly flat: Nine-month free cash flow was $913 million, against $929 million. Operating cash flow was $1,469 million, down $151 million, and additions to property, plant and equipment were $556 million, against $691 million. Source
  • Debt mix shifted toward current: Total debt was reduced by $824 million over the nine months. Current debt rose to $1,427 million from $909 million, and long-term debt fell to $6,579 million from $7,921 million. Source
  • Cash balance lower at quarter end: Cash and cash equivalents were $740 million at June 27, 2026, against $1,229 million at September 27, 2025. Source

Returns to shareholders

  • Quarterly dividend per share raised: Class A dividends declared were $0.510 per share in the quarter, against $0.500, and Class B dividends were $0.459, against $0.450. Source
  • Share purchases higher over nine months: Purchases of Tyson Class A common stock were $123 million for the nine months, against $42 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $529 million, against $524 million. Source

Strategy, leadership and reporting

  • Executive leadership transition announced: An executive leadership transition was announced in the third quarter. Its severance and one-time payments are excluded from adjusted results, with a $73 million charge in the quarter. Source
  • Network optimization plan under way: Restructuring and related charges of $14 million in the quarter relate to the Network Optimization Plan, which the company excludes from adjusted results. Source
  • Segment reporting changed in fiscal 2026: Corporate expenses and amortization are no longer allocated to segments, International is a reportable segment, and prior periods have been recast. Source
  • Workforce size as stated: The company reported approximately 133,000 team members as of September 27, 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Beef volume change, third quarter Source(15.9)%
Pork volume change, third quarter Source5.2%
Chicken volume change, third quarter Source1.0%
Prepared Foods volume change, third quarter Source0.1%
International volume change, third quarter Source(3.5)%
USDA domestic protein production, fiscal 2026 Sourceincrease approximately 1%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Legal contingency accruals reduced sales by $248 million over the nine months, against $343 million a year earlier. Source
  • Financial: The non-deductible $73 million executive leadership transition charge affects the quarter's effective tax rate of 30.1%. Source
  • External: USDA projects domestic beef production to decrease about 3% in fiscal 2026, against about 2% in the prior release. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the fiscal 2026 capital expenditure range includes profit improvement projects as well as maintenance and repair projects. 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.