hrl-20261023

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): October 23, 2026

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware	1-2402	41-0319970
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)


1 Hormel Place, Austin, Minnesota						55912-3680
(Address of principal executive offices)						(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock $0.01465 par value

HRL

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Hormel Foods Corporation (the “Company”) previously announced that, effective October 26, 2026, John F. Ghingo would commence service as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (and would continue serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company). The Company also previously disclosed that, since June 2025, Mr. Ghingo had been a party to an Employment Agreement with the Company (the “Ghingo Employment Agreement”) related specifically to his service as the Company’s President. By its terms, the Ghingo Employment Agreement was scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026. On October 23, 2026, Mr. Ghingo and the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) pursuant to which the Ghingo Employment Agreement terminated as of October 26, 2026, in connection with Mr. Ghingo’s assumption of the additional role of Chief Executive Officer. Accordingly, Mr. Ghingo has no specified term as President and Chief Executive Officer. The foregoing description of the Letter Agreement does not purport to be complete, and is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Letter Agreement, a copy of which is expected to be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 25, 2026.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


	HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION


Dated: October 29, 2026	By:	/s/ Colleen Batcheler
		Name: Colleen Batcheler
		Title: Senior Vice President, External Affairs, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary