Tyson Foods delivered a resilient Q3 2024 performance driven by a substantial improvement in chicken profitability and continued strength in pork and Prepared Foods, offsetting the persistent headwinds in beef. Total net sales reached $13.35 billion, up 1.6% year over year, while adjusted operating income (AOI) approached $500 million and adjusted EPS rose to $0.87, marking the best AOI and AOI margin in seven quarters. Management credited multi-protein diversification, disciplined capital allocation, and supply-chain improvements for the quarterly cadence and for raising the full-year guidance.
Segment highlights underscored the breadth of Tyson’s portfolio: chicken AOI was about $307 million, with the best quarterly performance in years, driven by lower grain costs, improved live operations, and better demand planning. Prepared Foods delivered revenue growth supported by Food Service and new product ramps (e.g., Jimmy Dean Griddle Cakes), with AOI largely in line with expectations. Beef faced continued margin compression from elevated cattle costs and tighter spreads, while pork benefited from stronger demand and improved profitability. International results and ongoing investments were discussed as strategic growth avenues. Cash flow remained robust, with year-to-date operating cash flow near $2.0 billion and free cash flow exceeding $1.1 billion; liquidity stood at about $4.8 billion, supporting a targeted leverage trajectory toward a 2.0x net debt to adjusted EBITDA anchor. The company reiterated its confidence in a multi-protein, multi-channel strategy and raised the midpoint of its full-year AOI guidance by $100 million, signaling prudent optimism for the balance of 2024 and into 2025.