Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

The Company's business, operations, and financial condition are subject to various risks and uncertainties. There have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, except as follows:

BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL RISKS

Deterioration of economic conditions could harm the Company’s business. The Company's business may be adversely affected by changes in national or global economic conditions, including inflation, interest rates, tax rates, availability of capital, energy availability and costs (including fuel surcharges), political developments, civil unrest, and the effects of governmental initiatives to manage economic conditions. Decreases in consumer spending rates and shifts in consumer product preferences could also negatively impact the Company.

Volatility in financial markets and the deterioration of national and global economic conditions could impact the Company’s operations as follows:

▪The financial stability of our customers and suppliers may be compromised, which could result in additional bad debts for the Company or non-performance by suppliers.

▪The value of our investments in debt and equity securities may decline, including most significantly the Company’s trading securities held as part of a rabbi trust to fund supplemental executive retirement plans and deferred income plans, and the Company’s assets held in pension plans.

▪Future volatility or disruption in the capital and credit markets could impair the Company's liquidity or increase costs of borrowing.

▪The Company may be required to redirect cash flow from operations or explore alternative strategies, such as disposing of assets, to fulfill the payment of principal and interest on its indebtedness.

Although the Company has no operations in Russia or Ukraine, inflated fuel costs and supply chain shortages and delays have been experienced due to the impact of the conflict on the global economy. Further escalation related to the military conflict, including increased trade barriers or restrictions on global trade, could result in, among other things, additional supply chain disruptions, rising prices for oil and other commodities, volatility in capital markets and foreign exchange rates, rising interest rates or heightened cybersecurity risks, any of which may adversely affect the Company's business. In addition, the effects of the ongoing conflict could heighten many of the Company's other risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021.

The Company utilizes hedging programs to manage its exposure to various market risks, such as commodity prices and interest rates, which qualify for hedge accounting for financial reporting purposes. Volatile fluctuations in market conditions could cause these instruments to become ineffective, which could require any gains or losses associated with these instruments to be reported in the Company’s earnings each period. These instruments may limit the Company’s ability to benefit from market gains if commodity prices and/or interest rates become more favorable than those secured under the Company’s hedging programs.

The Company's goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and are not amortized, but are reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. Impairment testing requires judgement around estimates and assumptions and is impacted by factors such as revenue growth rates, operating margins, tax rates, royalty rates, and discount rates. An unfavorable change in these factors may lead to the impairment of goodwill and/or intangible assets.

Additionally, if another highly pathogenic human disease outbreak developed in the United States, it may negatively impact the national economy, demand for Company products, and/or the Company’s workforce availability, and the Company’s financial results could suffer. The Company has developed contingency plans to address infectious disease scenarios and the potential impact on its operations, and will continue to update these plans as necessary. There can be no assurance given, however, these plans will be effective in eliminating the negative effects of any such diseases on the Company’s operating results.

Deterioration of labor relations, labor availability or increases in labor costs could harm the Company’s business. As of May 1, 2022, the Company employed more than 20,000 people worldwide, of which approximately 20 percent were represented by labor unions, principally the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. A significant increase in labor costs or a deterioration of labor relations at any of the Company’s facilities or co-manufacturing facilities resulting in work slowdowns or stoppages could harm the Company’s financial results. Labor and skilled labor availability challenges could continue to have an adverse effect on the Company's business. All union contracts are currently effective with none set to expire during the remainder of fiscal 2022.

INDUSTRY RISKS

Outbreaks of disease among livestock and poultry flocks could harm the Company’s revenues and operating margins.

The Company is subject to risks associated with the outbreak of disease in pork and beef livestock, and poultry flocks, including African swine fever (ASF), Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), pneumo-virus, Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV2), Porcine Reproduction & Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv), and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The outbreak of such diseases could adversely affect the Company’s supply of raw materials, increase the cost of production, reduce utilization of the Company’s harvest facilities, and reduce operating margins. Additionally, the outbreak of disease may hinder the Company’s ability to market and sell products both domestically and internationally.

In recent years, the outbreak of ASF has impacted hog herds in China, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. If an outbreak of ASF were to occur in the United States, the Company's supply of hogs and pork could be materially impacted.

HPAI was detected within the United States in 2022 and was confirmed within the Company's Jennie-O Turkey Store supply chain. The impact of HPAI will reduce production volume in the Company's turkey facilities through the end of the fiscal year. The Company is continuing to monitor the situation and will take the appropriate actions to protect the health of the turkeys across the supply chain.

The Company has developed business continuity plans for various disease scenarios and will continue to update these plans as necessary. There can be no assurance given, however, that these plans will be effective in eliminating the negative effects of any such diseases on the Company’s operating results.

Item 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

There were no issuer purchases of equity securities in the quarter ended May 1, 2022. The maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs as of May 1, 2022 is 3,987,494. On January 29, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 10,000,000 shares of its common stock with no expiration date. On January 26, 2016, the Board of Directors approved a two-for-one split of the Company’s common stock to be effective January 27, 2016. As part of the stock split resolution, the number of shares remaining to be repurchased was adjusted proportionately.