GENERAL	9 Months Ended
Jul. 26, 2015
GENERAL
GENERAL	NOTE AGENERAL Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Hormel Foods Corporation (the Company) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information, and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. The balance sheet at October 26, 2014, has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2014. Investments The Company maintains a rabbi trust to fund certain supplemental executive retirement plans and deferred income plans, which is included in other assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The securities held by the trust are classified as trading securities. Therefore, unrealized gains and losses associated with these investments are included in the Company’s earnings. Securities held by the trust generated losses of $0.6 million and gains of $2.4 million for the third quarter and nine months ended July 26, 2015, respectively, compared to gains of $1.6 million and $3.0 million for the third quarter and nine months ended July 27, 2014. The Company has transitioned the majority of this portfolio to more fixed return investments to reduce the exposure to volatility in equity markets. Supplemental Cash Flow Information Non-cash investment activities presented on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows generally consist of unrealized gains or losses on the Company’s rabbi trust, amortization of affordable housing investments, and amortization of bond financing costs. The noted investments are included in other assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Changes in the value of these investments are included in the Company’s net earnings and are presented in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as either interest and investment income (loss) or interest expense, as appropriate. On March 16, 2015, the Company purchased the remaining 19.29% ownership interest in its Shanghai Hormel Foods Corporation joint venture from the minority partner Shanghai Shangshi Meat Products Co. Ltd., resulting in 100.0% ownership of that business at the end of the second quarter. The interest was purchased with $11.7 million in cash, along with the transfer of land use rights and buildings held by the joint venture. The difference between the fair value of the consideration given and the reduction in the noncontrolling interest was recognized as an $11.9 million reduction in additional paid-in capital attributable to the Company. The Company will continue to manufacture at the Shanghai facility by leasing the land use rights and buildings from the previous minority partner. Guarantees The Company enters into various agreements guaranteeing specified obligations of affiliated parties. The Company’s guarantees either terminate in one year or remain in place until such time as the Company revokes the agreement. The Company currently provides revocable standby letters of credit totaling $3.5 million to guarantee obligations that may arise under workers compensation claims of an affiliated party. This potential obligation is not reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. New Accounting Pronouncements In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) updated the guidance within Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 323, Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures. The update provides guidance on accounting for investments by a reporting entity in flow-through limited liability entities that manage or invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for the low-income housing tax credit. The amendments modify the conditions that a reporting entity must meet to be eligible to use a method other than the equity or cost methods to account for qualified affordable housing project investments. If the modified conditions are met, the amendments permit an entity to make an accounting policy election to amortize the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the amount of tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). Additionally, the amendments introduce new recurring disclosures about all investments in qualified affordable housing projects irrespective of the method used to account for the investments. The updated guidance is to be applied retrospectively, and is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2016, and adoption is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This topic converges the guidance within U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and international financial reporting standards and supersedes ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. The new standard requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will also result in enhanced disclosures about revenue, provide guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively, and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. On July 8, 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period, and early application is not permitted. Accordingly, the Company expects to adopt the provisions of this new accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2019, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 835, Interest. The update provides guidance on simplifying the presentation of debt issuance cost. The amendments require debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 715, Compensation – Retirement Benefits. The update provides guidance on simplifying the measurement date for defined benefit plan assets and obligations. The amendments allow employers with fiscal year ends that do not coincide with a calendar month end to make an accounting policy election to measure defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the month closest to their fiscal year ends. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and adoption is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The update provides guidance on the disclosures for investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value (NAV) per share (or its equivalent). The amendments remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient. The updated guidance is to be applied retrospectively and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application permitted. The Company expects to adopt the provisions of this new accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements.

NOTE AGENERAL

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Hormel Foods Corporation (the Company) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information, and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. The balance sheet at October 26, 2014, has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2014.

Investments

The Company maintains a rabbi trust to fund certain supplemental executive retirement plans and deferred income plans, which is included in other assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The securities held by the trust are classified as trading securities. Therefore, unrealized gains and losses associated with these investments are included in the Company’s earnings. Securities held by the trust generated losses of $0.6 million and gains of $2.4 million for the third quarter and nine months ended July 26, 2015, respectively, compared to gains of $1.6 million and $3.0 million for the third quarter and nine months ended July 27, 2014. The Company has transitioned the majority of this portfolio to more fixed return investments to reduce the exposure to volatility in equity markets.

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Non-cash investment activities presented on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows generally consist of unrealized gains or losses on the Company’s rabbi trust, amortization of affordable housing investments, and amortization of bond financing costs. The noted investments are included in other assets on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Changes in the value of these investments are included in the Company’s net earnings and are presented in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as either interest and investment income (loss) or interest expense, as appropriate.

On March 16, 2015, the Company purchased the remaining 19.29% ownership interest in its Shanghai Hormel Foods Corporation joint venture from the minority partner Shanghai Shangshi Meat Products Co. Ltd., resulting in 100.0% ownership of that business at the end of the second quarter. The interest was purchased with $11.7 million in cash, along with the transfer of land use rights and buildings held by the joint venture. The difference between the fair value of the consideration given and the reduction in the noncontrolling interest was recognized as an $11.9 million reduction in additional paid-in capital attributable to the Company. The Company will continue to manufacture at the Shanghai facility by leasing the land use rights and buildings from the previous minority partner.

Guarantees

The Company enters into various agreements guaranteeing specified obligations of affiliated parties. The Company’s guarantees either terminate in one year or remain in place until such time as the Company revokes the agreement. The Company currently provides revocable standby letters of credit totaling $3.5 million to guarantee obligations that may arise under workers compensation claims of an affiliated party. This potential obligation is not reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) updated the guidance within Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 323, Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures. The update provides guidance on accounting for investments by a reporting entity in flow-through limited liability entities that manage or invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for the low-income housing tax credit. The amendments modify the conditions that a reporting entity must meet to be eligible to use a method other than the equity or cost methods to account for qualified affordable housing project investments. If the modified conditions are met, the amendments permit an entity to make an accounting policy election to amortize the initial cost of the investment in proportion to the amount of tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the income statement as a component of income tax expense (benefit). Additionally, the amendments introduce new recurring disclosures about all investments in qualified affordable housing projects irrespective of the method used to account for the investments. The updated guidance is to be applied retrospectively, and is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2016, and adoption is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This topic converges the guidance within U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and international financial reporting standards and supersedes ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. The new standard requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will also result in enhanced disclosures about revenue, provide guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively, and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. On July 8, 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period, and early application is not permitted. Accordingly, the Company expects to adopt the provisions of this new accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2019, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 835, Interest. The update provides guidance on simplifying the presentation of debt issuance cost. The amendments require debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 715, Compensation – Retirement Benefits. The update provides guidance on simplifying the measurement date for defined benefit plan assets and obligations. The amendments allow employers with fiscal year ends that do not coincide with a calendar month end to make an accounting policy election to measure defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the month closest to their fiscal year ends. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt the new provisions of this accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and adoption is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2015, the FASB updated the guidance within ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The update provides guidance on the disclosures for investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value (NAV) per share (or its equivalent). The amendments remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient. The updated guidance is to be applied retrospectively and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application permitted. The Company expects to adopt the provisions of this new accounting standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2017, and is currently assessing the impact on its consolidated financial statements.