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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
 6 Months Ended
Apr. 26, 2026
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
NOTE L - FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy which requires assets and liabilities measured at fair value to be categorized into one of three levels based on the inputs used in the valuation. The three levels are defined as follows:

Level 1    Observable inputs based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2    Observable inputs, other than those included in Level 1, based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in inactive markets.

Level 3    Unobservable inputs that reflect an entity’s own assumptions about what inputs a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability based on the best information available in the circumstances.
The Company’s financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value on a recurring basis and their level within the fair value hierarchy are presented in the tables below.
 Fair Value Measurements at April 26, 2026
In thousands
Total Fair
Value		Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
Assets at Fair Value    
Short-term Marketable Securities
$33,107 $7,411 $25,696 $— 
Other Trading Securities
224,374 — 224,374 — 
Commodity Derivatives
22,516 15,188 7,328 — 
Total Assets at Fair Value$279,997 $22,599 $257,398 $— 
Liabilities at Fair Value
Deferred Compensation
$62,734 $— $62,734 $— 
Commodity Derivatives
3,410 1,398 2,012 — 
Total Liabilities at Fair Value$66,144 $1,398 $64,746 $— 

 Fair Value Measurements at October 26, 2025
In thousands
Total Fair
Value		Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)		Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)		Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
Assets at Fair Value    
Short-term Marketable Securities
$32,909 $6,944 $25,965 $— 
Other Trading Securities
219,197 — 219,197 — 
Commodity Derivatives
9,888 9,212 676 — 
Total Assets at Fair Value$261,994 $16,156 $245,838 $— 
Liabilities at Fair Value
Deferred Compensation
$63,582 $— $63,582 $— 
Commodity Derivatives4,291 3,436 855 — 
Total Liabilities at Fair Value$67,873 $3,436 $64,437 $— 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of the financial assets and liabilities above:

Short-term Marketable Securities: The Company holds securities as part of a portfolio maintained to generate investment income and to provide cash for operations of the Company, if necessary. The portfolio is managed by a third party who is responsible for daily trading activities, and all assets within the portfolio are highly liquid. The equities, U.S. government securities, and money market funds held by the portfolio are classified as Level 1. The current investment portfolio also includes corporate bonds and other asset-backed securities for which there is an active, quoted market. Market prices are obtained from a variety of industry providers, large financial institutions, and other third-party sources to calculate a representative daily market value, and therefore, these securities are classified as Level 2.

Other Trading Securities and Deferred Compensation: Other trading securities includes life insurance policies held in a rabbi trust maintained by the Company to fund certain supplemental executive retirement plans and deferred compensation plans. The rabbi trust is valued based on the insurance policies' cash surrender value and the fair value of the underlying investments. These policies are classified as Level 2. The majority of the policies held in the rabbi trust relate to supplemental executive retirement plans and are invested in fixed income investments. The declared rate on these investments is set based on a formula using the yield of the general account investment portfolio supporting the fund, as adjusted for expenses and other charges. The rate is guaranteed for one year at issue and may be reset annually on the policy anniversary, subject to a guaranteed minimum rate. During the quarter and six months ended April 26, 2026, investments held by the rabbi trust generated gains of $2.0 million and $5.2 million, respectively, compared to losses of $3.7 million and $1.1 million, respectively, for the quarter and six months ended April 27, 2025.

Under the Company’s deferred compensation plans, participants can defer certain types of compensation and elect to receive a return based on the changes in fair value of various investment options, which include equity securities, money market accounts, bond funds, or other portfolios for which there is an active quoted market. The Company also offers a fixed rate investment option to participants. The rate earned on these investments is adjusted annually based on a specified percent of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) applicable federal rates. These liabilities are classified as Level 2. The portion of the
Company's funding in the rabbi trust related to deferred compensation plans generally mirrors the investment selections within the plans.

Commodity Derivatives: The Company’s commodity derivatives represent futures, swaps, and options contracts used in its hedging or other programs to offset price fluctuations associated with purchases of grain, natural gas, diesel fuel, lean hogs, and pork, and to minimize the price risk assumed when forward-priced contracts are offered to the Company’s commodity suppliers. The Company’s futures and options contracts for corn are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade, while futures contracts for lean hogs are traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. These are active markets with quoted prices available, and these contracts are classified as Level 1. The Company holds natural gas, diesel fuel, and pork swap contracts that are over-the-counter instruments classified as Level 2. The value of the natural gas and diesel fuel swap contracts is calculated using quoted prices from the New York Mercantile Exchange, and the value of the pork swap contracts are calculated using a futures implied U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated pork cut-out value. All derivatives are reviewed for potential credit risk and risk of nonperformance.

The Company’s financial assets and liabilities also include cash and cash equivalents, accounts and other receivables, accounts payable, and other liabilities, for which carrying value approximates fair value as they are generally short‑term in nature or otherwise expected to be settled at amounts that would not differ materially from fair value. The Company does not carry its long-term debt at fair value on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The fair value of long-term debt, utilizing discounted cash flows (Level 2), was $2.5 billion as of April 26, 2026, and $2.6 billion as of October 26, 2025. See Note N - Long-term Debt and Other Borrowing Arrangements for additional information.

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements: The Company may be required to measure certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities including goodwill, intangible assets, equity method investments, and property, plant, and equipment at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.

During the quarter ended April 26, 2026, the Company recorded a $40.0 million secured promissory note receivable associated with the sale of the whole-bird turkey business. The Company determined the fair value of the note approximated face value at inception. Fair value was determined using discounted cash flows (Level 2).

There were no other material remeasurements of assets or liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring basis subsequent to their initial recognition during the quarter and six months ended April 26, 2026, and April 27, 2025.