Pilgrim’s Pride (NASDAQ:PPC) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.10 EPS

Pilgrim’s Pride (NASDAQ:PPC) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.78 by ($0.10), Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $4.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.39 billion. Pilgrim’s Pride had a net margin of 6.70% and a return on equity of 38.17%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.35 earnings per share.

Pilgrim’s Pride Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of Pilgrim’s Pride stock opened at $43.19 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $40.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $41.33. The stock has a market cap of $10.26 billion, a PE ratio of 8.37 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. Pilgrim’s Pride has a 12 month low of $35.73 and a 12 month high of $57.16.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on PPC shares. Wall Street Zen raised Pilgrim’s Pride from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Pilgrim’s Pride in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays cut their price target on Pilgrim’s Pride from $49.00 to $45.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Zacks Research upgraded Pilgrim’s Pride from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Santander upgraded shares of Pilgrim’s Pride from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $46.33.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pilgrim’s Pride

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PPC. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in shares of Pilgrim’s Pride by 6.3% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 100,493 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,479,000 after acquiring an additional 5,950 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in Pilgrim’s Pride by 136.5% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 2,881 shares of the company’s stock valued at $157,000 after purchasing an additional 1,663 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in Pilgrim’s Pride by 180.7% in the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 342,774 shares of the company’s stock worth $18,685,000 after purchasing an additional 220,673 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Pilgrim’s Pride by 15.5% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,243,039 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,758,000 after purchasing an additional 166,967 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its holdings in shares of Pilgrim’s Pride by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 17,817 shares of the company’s stock valued at $801,000 after buying an additional 230 shares during the period. 16.64% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Pilgrim’s Pride

Here are the key news stories impacting Pilgrim’s Pride this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Large full‑year revenue and shareholder return — Pilgrim’s reported 2025 net sales of $18.5B, GAAP net income ~$1.1B for the year and returned $2B to shareholders via special dividends, which supports shareholder yield and capital-return thesis. Pilgrim’s Pride Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Brand and product growth in the U.S. — U.S. Prepared Foods grew >20% (Just Bare® reached >$1B in retail sales) and key U.S. franchises showed volume gains, supporting higher-margin branded mix over time. Quiver AI summary / press release
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed regional performance — Europe showed improvement (margin and sales gains), while Mexico experienced margin pressure from increased imports and weaker commodity fundamentals; this leaves overall near‑term outlook mixed by region. Pilgrim’s Pride Reports Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2025 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS missed estimates — Pilgrim reported adjusted Q4 EPS $0.68 vs. consensus ~$0.78 (GAAP EPS $0.37), a miss that directly pressures near‑term sentiment and multiple compression risk. Pilgrim’s Pride (PPC) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Margin and profitability pressures — Q4 adjusted EBITDA fell ~21% year‑over‑year and GAAP Q4 net income declined (Q4 GAAP net income ~$88M), reflecting commodity and cost headwinds that could keep margins constrained. WSJ: Pilgrim’s Pride Fourth-Quarter Profit Slides
• Negative Sentiment: Large litigation and restructuring items — The company recorded significant litigation‑related charges and restructuring costs that depress adjusted results and introduce earnings volatility until resolved. Pilgrim’s Pride press release with reconciliations

About Pilgrim’s Pride

Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation is a leading poultry producer in the United States and Mexico and a wholly owned subsidiary of JBS SA Headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, and Pittsburg, Texas, the company specializes in the production, processing and distribution of fresh, frozen and value-added chicken products. Pilgrim’s Pride serves a diverse customer base that includes retail grocery chains, foodservice distributors and restaurant operators across North America and in select international markets.

The company’s vertically integrated operations encompass breeding, hatching, feed milling, processing plants and cold storage facilities.