SF
SMITHFIELD FOODS INC (SFD)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Smithfield delivered record third-quarter results: revenue $3.747B (+12.4% YoY), GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations $0.63, and adjusted diluted EPS $0.58, with adjusted operating profit of $310M and margin 8.3% .
- Results beat Wall Street consensus: revenue $3.6126B* and EPS $0.50*; actuals imply a revenue beat of ~$134M and EPS beat of ~$0.08, aided by vertical integration and strong Hog Production profitability* .
- Guidance raised again: total company adjusted operating profit to $1.225B–$1.325B (midpoint +$25M QoQ), Hog Production up to $125M–$150M, Fresh Pork lowered to $150M–$200M, Packaged Meats narrowed to $1.060B–$1.110B; capex reduced to $350M–$400M; tax rate reaffirmed at 23–25% .
- Catalysts: resilient Packaged Meats margin (10.8%) despite raw input inflation, profit migration from Fresh Pork to Hog Production in the integrated model, and continued innovation/brand investment (e.g., Prime Fresh, dry sausage, Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Packaged Meats delivered second-highest Q3 profit on record ($226M) with a 10.8% margin; management emphasized mix optimization, pricing discipline, and innovation despite input cost inflation .
- Hog Production profit surged: adjusted operating profit $89M vs $40M a year ago, driven by improved commodity markets and operational optimization on retained farms .
- CEO tone on execution: “record third-quarter adjusted operating profit… disciplined execution of our strategies,” highlighting vertically integrated model benefits in a cautious consumer environment .
What Went Wrong
- Fresh Pork faced compressed industry market spread; ~-$40M market headwind YoY, while segment adjusted operating profit fell $18M YoY to $10M (0.5% margin), reflecting higher hog prices and tariff challenges .
- Input cost inflation: bellies +40%, trim +35–68%, ham +14% YoY pressured Packaged Meats profitability despite pricing and cost actions .
- Other segment adjusted operating profit fell $10M YoY due to lower bioscience volumes; management also flagged cautious consumer behavior and potential SNAP benefit timing impacts .
Financial Results
Segment Sales ($USD Millions)
Segment Operating Profit and Margins
KPIs and Operational Metrics
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “We delivered record third-quarter adjusted operating profit of $310 million… underscoring the power of our brand and private label portfolio strategy” .
- CFO: “Strong profit growth in our hog production segment more than offset market headwinds… adjusted operating profit margin of 8.3%” .
- Strategy: five priorities—grow Packaged Meats via mix/volume/innovation; maximize Fresh Pork net realizable value; best-in-class Hog Production cost structure; optimize operations/SG&A/procurement; evaluate synergistic M&A .
- Innovation: Prime Fresh lunch meat volume up double digits; Smithfield Anytime Favorites quarter hams volume share +5.7 pts; Curly’s BBQ meals volume share +1.4 pts; launch of Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon .
Q&A Highlights
- Pricing vs volume in Packaged Meats: volumes flat; pricing power maintained amid +~12% costs YoY; selective promotions to protect category profitability .
- Hog Production strategy: target ~30% vertical integration over medium term; removing highest-cost farms; maintain assured supply to Fresh Pork .
- Input cost/seasonality: elevated belly/trim markets easing seasonally into Thanksgiving, but demand still strong; pork supported vs high beef prices .
- Capex timing: guidance lowered due to project timing shifts into early 2026, continued focus on automation and returns discipline .
- SNAP funding: potential November disruptions modeled; overall impact expected to be minor given protein demand and portfolio breadth .
Estimates Context
Values marked with an asterisk (*) retrieved from S&P Global.
Consensus breadth: Revenue estimates (n=3); EPS estimates (n=6). Beat driven by Hog Production outperformance and disciplined pricing/mix in Packaged Meats, partially offsetting compressed Fresh Pork spreads .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Vertical integration working: profit migration from Fresh Pork to Hog Production helped deliver record Q3 results despite compressed spreads and tariff headwinds .
- Packaged Meats resilience: 10.8% margin amid raw input spikes (bellies +40%, trim +35–68%, ham +14%); disciplined pricing and mix favored everyday, higher-margin items .
- Guidance momentum: total adjusted OP midpoint raised to $1.275B; Hog Production range lifted; Fresh Pork tempered; capex timing reduced to $350–$400M, with automation focus .
- Balance sheet strength: liquidity $3.069B; net debt/adj. EBITDA 0.8x—ample flexibility for investment and dividends ($1.00/share expected for FY25) .
- Near-term watch items: seasonality in cutout/belly markets, consumer caution/SNAP timing, and tariff impacts on Fresh Pork profitability .
- Medium-term thesis: continued portfolio mix improvements, brand investments, and hog cost optimization should support margin durability and earnings growth .
- Actionable: Expect sell-side estimate revisions upward on EPS and total adjusted OP; monitor spreads and input costs for Packaged Meats margins, and quarterly progress toward ~30% hog production target .
Notes:
- Q3 2025 8-K press release (Item 2.02) and exhibits reviewed in full .
- Q3 2025 earnings call transcripts read in full - - -.
- Prior quarters’ earnings press releases: Q2 2025 and Q1 2025 read for trend analysis - -.
- No additional Q3 press releases found in period search [ListDocuments returned 0 press-release items for Q3 window].