COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
6 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Apr. 26, 2026 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE M - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Commitments: During the quarter and six months ended April 26, 2026, there were no material changes outside the ordinary course of business to the purchase commitments and other commitments and guarantees last disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2025. Legal Proceedings: The Company is a party to various legal proceedings related to the ongoing operation of its business, including claims both by and against the Company. At any time, such proceedings typically involve claims related to product liability, labeling, contracts, antitrust regulations, intellectual property, competition laws, employment practices, or other actions brought by employees, customers, consumers, competitors, regulators, or suppliers. The Company establishes accruals for its potential exposure, as appropriate, for legal claims against the Company when losses become probable and reasonably estimable. The Company does not reduce these liabilities for potential insurance or third-party recoveries; the Company accrues for insurance or other third-party recoveries when applicable. Future developments or settlements are uncertain and may require the Company to change such accruals as proceedings progress. Turkey Antitrust Litigation: Beginning in December 2019, a series of class action complaints were filed against the Company, as well as several other turkey-processing companies and a benchmarking service called Agri Stats, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois styled In re Turkey Antitrust Litigation. The plaintiffs allege, among other things, that from at least 2010 to 2017, the defendants conspired and combined to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price of turkey products—including through the use of Agri Stats—in violation of federal antitrust laws. The complaints on behalf of the classes of indirect purchasers also include causes of action under various state unfair competition laws, consumer protection laws, and unjust enrichment common laws. The plaintiffs seek treble damages, injunctive relief, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees. Since the original filing, certain direct-action plaintiffs have opted out of class treatment and are proceeding with individual direct actions making similar claims, and others may do so in the future. The defendants' motions for summary judgment were submitted in January 2026. The summary judgment motions remain pending. On May 20, 2026, the court ordered that the first trial related to these matters (if required) will involve only the class of direct purchaser plaintiffs and commence on October 8, 2026. The Company has not recorded any liability for these matters as it does not believe a loss is probable. The Company cannot reasonably estimate any reasonably possible loss. The Company believes that it has valid and meritorious defenses against the allegations. Tax Proceedings: Two current Company subsidiaries organized in Brazil, Clean Field Comércio de Produtos de Alimentícios LTDA and Omamori Indústria de Alimentos LTDA, along with a former subsidiary, Talis Distribuidora de Alimentos LTDA, which are reported in the International segment, have received tax deficiency notices from the State of São Paulo Tax Authority Office alleging underpayment of ICMS and ICMS-ST taxes, which are similar to value added taxes, for multiple tax years. The subsidiaries have filed objections to appeal these notices, and the proceedings are in various stages of the administrative review process. Any adverse outcomes at the administrative level are expected to be eligible for further appeal through judicial processes. The Company has not recorded any liability relating to these assessments and cannot reasonably estimate any reasonably possible loss at this time. Other Proceedings: While we cannot predict with certainty the results of other currently known legal proceedings against the Company, resolution of such matters, either individually or in the aggregate, is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.
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