DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING

3 Months Ended

Jan. 27, 2013

DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING

DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING

NOTE I DERIVATIVES AND HEDGING

The Company uses hedging programs to manage price risk associated with commodity purchases.  These programs utilize futures contracts and swaps to manage the Company’s exposure to price fluctuations in the commodities markets.  The Company has determined that its programs which are designated as hedges are highly effective in offsetting the changes in fair value or cash flows generated by the items hedged.

Cash Flow Hedges:  The Company currently utilizes corn futures to offset the price fluctuation in the Company’s future direct grain purchases, and has historically entered into various swaps to hedge the purchases of grain and natural gas at certain plant locations.  The financial instruments are designated and accounted for as cash flow hedges, and the Company measures the effectiveness of the hedges on a regular basis.  Effective gains or losses related to these cash flow hedges are reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss (AOCL) and reclassified into earnings, through cost of products sold, in the period or periods in which the hedged transactions affect earnings.  Any gains or losses related to hedge ineffectiveness are recognized in the current period cost of products sold.  The Company typically does not hedge its grain or natural gas exposure beyond the next two upcoming fiscal years.  As of January 27, 2013, and October 28, 2012, the Company had the following outstanding commodity futures contracts that were entered into to hedge forecasted purchases:

	Volume
Commodity	January 27, 2013	October 28, 2012
Corn	12.9 million bushels	12.0 million bushels

As of January 27, 2013, the Company has included in AOCL, hedging gains of $4.3 million (before tax) relating to these positions, compared to gains of $15.2 million (before tax) as of October 28, 2012.  The Company expects to recognize the majority of these gains over the next 12 months.

Fair Value Hedges:  The Company utilizes futures to minimize the price risk assumed when forward priced contracts are offered to the Company’s commodity suppliers.  The intent of the program is to make the forward priced commodities cost nearly the same as cash market purchases at the date of delivery.  The futures contracts are designated and accounted for as fair value hedges, and the Company measures the effectiveness of the hedges on a regular basis.  Changes in the fair value of the futures contracts, along with the gain or loss on the hedged purchase commitment, are marked-to-market through earnings and are recorded on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as a current asset and liability, respectively.  Effective gains or losses related to these fair value hedges are recognized through cost of products sold in the period or periods in which the hedged transactions affect earnings.  Any gains or losses related to hedge ineffectiveness are recognized in the current period cost of products sold.  As of January 27, 2013, and October 28, 2012, the Company had the following outstanding commodity futures contracts designated as fair value hedges:

	Volume
Commodity	January 27, 2013	October 28, 2012
Corn	6.9 million bushels	8.0 million bushels
Lean hogs	0.8 million cwt	0.9 million cwt

Other Derivatives:  During fiscal years 2013 and 2012, the Company has held certain futures to manage the Company’s exposure to fluctuations in commodity markets.  The Company has not applied hedge accounting to these positions.  As of January 27, 2013, and October 28, 2012, the Company had the following outstanding futures related to other programs:

	Volume
Commodity	January 27, 2013	October 28, 2012
Soybean Meal	0.1 million tons	—

Fair Values:  The fair values of the Company’s derivative instruments (in thousands) as of January 27, 2013, and October 28, 2012, were as follows:

	Location on
	Consolidated	Fair Value (1)
	Statement of Financial	January 27,			October 28,
	Position	2013			2012
Asset Derivatives:
Derivatives Designated as Hedges:
Commodity contracts	Other current assets	$	(11,022	)	$	7,483
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedges:
Commodity contracts	Other current assets	(1,088		)	—
Total Asset Derivatives		$	(12,110	)	$	7,483

(1)  Amounts represent the gross fair value of derivative assets and liabilities.  The Company nets the derivative assets and liabilities for each of its hedging programs, including cash collateral, when a master netting arrangement exists between the Company and the counterparty to the derivative contract.  The amount or timing of cash collateral balances may impact the classification of the derivative in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.   See Note J - Fair Value Measurements for a discussion of these net amounts as reported in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

Derivative Gains and Losses:  Gains or losses (before tax, in thousands) related to the Company’s derivative instruments for the first quarter ended January 27, 2013, and January 29, 2012, were as follows:

	Gain/(Loss) Recognized in AOCL (Effective Portion) (1)						Location on	Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Earnings (Effective Portion) (1)				Gain/(Loss) Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion) (2) (3)
	Three Months Ended						Consolidated	Three Months Ended				Three Months Ended
Cash Flow Hedges:	January 27, 2013			January 29, 2012			Statement of Operations	January 27, 2013		January 29, 2012		January 27, 2013		January 29, 2012
Commodity contracts	$	(4,091	)	$	(7,242	)	Cost of products sold	$	6,830	$	10,890	$	166	$	—

	Location on	Gain/(Loss) Recognized in Earnings (Effective Portion) (4)					Gain/(Loss) Recognized in Earnings (Ineffective Portion) (2) (5)
	Consolidated	Three Months Ended					Three Months Ended
Fair Value Hedges:	Statement of Operations	January 27, 2013			January 29, 2012		January 27, 2013			January 29, 2012
Commodity contracts	Cost of products sold	$	(1,086	)	$	2,654	$	(30	)	$	(89	)

	Location on	Gain/(Loss) Recognized in Earnings
	Consolidated	Three Months Ended
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedges:	Statement of Operations	January 27, 2013			January 29, 2012
Commodity contracts	Cost of products sold	$	(1,084	)	$	(40	)

(1) Amounts represent gains or losses in AOCL before tax.  See the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the after tax impact of these gains or losses on net earnings.

(2) There were no gains or losses excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness during the quarter.

(3) There were no gains or losses resulting from the discontinuance of cash flow hedges during the quarter. 

(4) Amounts represent losses on commodity contracts designated as fair value hedges that were closed during the quarter, which were offset by a corresponding gain on the underlying hedged purchase commitment.  Additional gains or losses related to changes in the fair value of open commodity contracts, along with the offsetting gain or loss on the hedged purchase commitment, are also marked-to market through earnings with no impact on a net basis.

(5) There were no gains or losses recognized as a result of a hedged firm commitment no longer qualifying as a fair value hedge during the quarter.