QuickLinks-- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

OCTOBER 26, 200230, 2004




UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year EndedOCTOBER 26, 200230, 2004      Commission File No.1-24021-2402


HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATIONDELAWARE
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


DELAWARE
(State or other Jurisdictionjurisdiction of
Incorporationincorporation or organization)

41-0319970
41-0319970

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)


1 HORMEL PLACE AUSTIN, MINNESOTA
(Address of principal executive offices)

55912-3680
55912-3680

(Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code
(507) 437-5611
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 (b) of the Act:

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (507) 437-5611

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

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.0586 PER SHARE
Title of Each Class
each class

NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
Name of Each Exchange
On Which Registered
each exchange on which registered

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

NONE

(Title of Class)


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  X  xNoo

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant'sregistrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendments to this Form 10-K. (X)x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes  X  xNoo

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of April 26, 200224, 2004, (the last business day of the registrant'sregistrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), was $1,845,340,119,$2,289,051,474 based on the closing price of $24.99$31.04 per share on that date.

As of December 2, 2002,31, 2004, the number of shares outstanding of each of the Corporation'sregistrant’s classes of common stock was as follows:

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, are incorporated by reference into Part I and Part II Items 5-9,5-8, and included as a separate section in the electronic filing to the SEC.exhibit 13.1 filed herewith.

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders to be held January 28, 2003,25, 2005, are incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10-13.10-14.

1








PART I


Item 1.BUSINESS

(a)General Development of Business

Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), was founded by George A. Hormel in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota, as George A. Hormel & Company. The Company started as a processor of meat and food products and continues in this line of business. The Company name was changed to Hormel Foods Corporation on January 31, 1995. The Company is primarily engaged in the production of a variety of meat and food products and the marketing of those products throughout the United States. Although pork and turkey remain the major raw materials for Hormel products, the Company has emphasized for several years the manufacture and distribution of branded, consumer packaged items rather than the commodity fresh meat business. In recent years, the Company's emphasis on branded products has

The Company’s branding strategy led to the introductiondevelopment of a joint venture between Hormel Foods Corporation and growthCargill Meat Solutions Corporation (formerly Excel Corporation), a wholly owned subsidiary of ethnic product lines, such as Chi-Chi'sCargill Incorporated. This joint venture began marketing and Herdez (Mexican), House of Tsang (Asian), Marrakesh Expressselling nationally branded fresh case ready beef and Peloponnese (Mediterranean), Carapelli Olive Oil (Italian), and Patak's (Indian).pork under the existing HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER brand name in fiscal year 2003. This 51 percent owned joint venture, named Precept Foods, LLC, is based in Austin, Minn.

Fiscal 2002 wasIn fiscal 2001, the first full year of operations for the Company's Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. (JOTS) turkey business. The JOTS operationbusiness was createdformed as a result of merging the Company'sCompany’s existing Jennie-O Foods, Inc. andbusiness with the operations of The Turkey Store Company, which was acquired in the second quarter of fiscal 2001. The Turkey Store Company was a turkey processing business headquartered in Barron, Wisconsin. The merged JOTS operation is currently the largest turkey processor in the world. JOTS markets its turkey products through its own sales force and independent brokers.

The Company strengthened its presence in the nutritionally enhanced food products market with the second quarter fiscal 2001 acquisitionacquisitions of Diamond Crystal Brands Nutritional Products formerly headquartered in Savannah, Georgia.fiscal 2001 and the Century Foods International business in July of fiscal 2003 strengthened the Company’s presence in the nutritional food products and supplements market. The Company currently operates as one of the largest companies inproviding nutritional products to the U.S. nutritionally enhanced foodhealthcare industry.

The Company acquired the Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc. business from Imperial Sugar Co. in December of fiscal 2003. Diamond Crystal Brands packages and sells various sugar, sugar substitute, salt and pepper products, market.savory products, drink mixes, and dessert mixes to retail and foodservice customers.

During the fourththird quarter of fiscal year 2001,2004, the Company exitedcompleted the sale of Vista International Packaging, Inc., its food processing equipment business by selling its wholly ownedpackaging subsidiary Algona Fabricationin Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Company acquired the assets of Concept Foods Inc. (Concept) in October of fiscal 2004. Concept was renamed Alma Foods, LLC upon acquisition, and Equipment Co. (AFECO) in Algona, Iowa.manufactures a wide variety of fully cooked entrees.

On December 29, 2004, subsequent to the fiscal 2004 year end, the Company acquired all of the stock of Clougherty Packing Company (Clougherty). Clougherty is a privately held Southern California pork processor and creator of the “Farmer John” brand of pork products popular throughout the Southwestern United States.

Internationally, the Company markets its products through Hormel Foods International Corporation (HFIC), a wholly owned subsidiary. HFIC has a presence in the international marketplace through joint ventures and placement of personnel in strategic foreign locations such as China, Spain,Australia, and the Philippines. HFIC also has a global presence with minority positions in food companies in Spain (Campofrio Alimentacion S.A., 15%Mexico (Hormel Alimentos, 50% holding) and the Philippines (Purefoods-Hormel, 40% holding).


The Company has not been involved in any bankruptcy, receivership, or similar proceedings during its history. Substantially all of the assets of the Company have been acquired in the ordinary course of business. Financial resources and anticipated funds from operations are considered adequate to meet normal operating cash requirements.

The Company had no significant change in the type of products produced or services rendered, noror in the markets or methods of distribution since the beginning of the fiscal year.

(b)Industry Segment

The Company'sCompany’s business is reported in fourfive segments: Grocery Products, Refrigerated Foods, Grocery Products, Jennie-O Turkey Store, Specialty Foods, and All Other. The contributions of each segment to net sales to unaffiliated customers and operating profit, and the presentation of certain other financial information by segment are reported in Note K of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and in the Management's

2



Management’s Discussion and Analysis of the Annual Stockholder'sStockholder’s Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, incorporated herein by reference.

(c)Description of Business

Products and Distribution

The principalCompany’s products primarily consist of the Company are meat and other food products. The meat products which are sold fresh, frozen, cured, smoked, cooked, and canned. The percentages of total revenues contributed by classes of similar products for the last three fiscal years of the Company are as follows:


 Year Ended
 

 

Year Ended

 


 October 26,
2002

 October 27,
2001

 October 28,
2000

 

 

October 30, 2004

 

October 25, 2003

 

October 26, 2002

 

Perishable meat 53.0%54.7%51.9%

 

 

50.7

%

 

 

50.3

%

 

 

53.0

%

 

Nonperishable meat 19.8 21.0 27.2 

 

 

16.9

 

 

 

18.9

 

 

 

19.8

 

 

Poultry 22.6 20.3 17.5 

 

 

22.0

 

 

 

22.1

 

 

 

22.6

 

 

Other 4.6 4.0 3.4 

 

 

10.4

 

 

 

8.7

 

 

 

4.6

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 

100.0

%

 

 100.0%100.0%100.0%
 
 
 
 

Reporting of revenues from external customers is based on similarity of products, as the same or similar products are sold across multiple distribution channels such as retail, foodservice, or international. To more precisely reflect the sales of each category, some reclassification of products has occurred from the October 28, 2000, percentages presented above. This reclassification caused a shift in revenues from the Nonperishable meat to the Perishable meat category. Revenues reported are based on financial information used to produce the Company'sCompany’s general-purpose financial statements.

Perishable meat includes fresh meats, sausages, hams, wieners, and bacon.bacon (excluding JOTS products.)  Nonperishable meat includes canned luncheon meats, shelf stable microwaveable entrees, stews, chilies, hash, meat spreads and other items that do not require refrigeration, as well as frozen processed products. The Poultry category is composed primarily of JOTS products. The Other category primarily consists of nutritionally enhancednutritional food products food packaging (casings for dry sausage),and supplements, sugar and sugar substitutes, salt and pepper products, dessert mixes, and industrial gelatin products, and food manufacturing equipment.products. The food manufacturing equipment business was sold in fiscal 2001. The Poultry and Other categories havecategory has increased over the past two years primarily becausedue to the acquisitions of The Turkey StoreCentury Foods International (July 2003) and Diamond Crystal Brands Nutritional Products acquisitions(December 2002).

In fiscal 2004, the Company launched the Tetra Recart packaging design for its Hormel and Stagg chili brands. The launch included the national roll-out of Stagg chili, which had previously been sold only in markets west of the Mississippi River. The Company also introduced Jennie-O Turkey Store Oven Ready Turkey in the secondfourth quarter of fiscal 2001.2004. Additionally, the Company is currently marketing itsnew SPAM Singles product in four test markets. These three initiatives are proceeding on target with Company expectations.

No other new product in fiscal 20022004 required a material investment of the Company assets.


Domestically, the Company sells its products in all 50 states. Hormel products are sold through Company sales personnel, operating in assigned territories coordinated from district sales offices located in most of the larger U.S. cities, as well as independent brokers and distributors. During fiscal 2004, dedicated sales teams were also developed to serve major retail customers and coordinate sales of both Grocery Products and Refrigerated Foods products. As of October 26, 2002,30, 2004, the Company had approximately 600550 sales personnel engaged in selling its products. Distribution of products to customers is by common carrier.

Through HFIC, the Company markets its products in various locations throughout the world. Some of the larger markets include Australia, Canada, China, England, Japan, Mexico, and Micronesia. The

3



distribution of export sales to customers is by common carrier, while the China operations own and operate their own delivery system. The Company, through HFIC, has licensed companies to manufacture various Hormel products internationally on a royalty basis, with the primary licenseelicensees being Tulip International of Denmark.Denmark and CJ Corp. of South Korea.

Raw Materials

The Company has, for the past several years, been concentrating on processed branded products for consumers with year-round demand to minimize the seasonal variation experienced with commodity type products. Pork continues to be the primary raw material for Company products. Although hog producers are moving toward larger, more efficient year-round confinement operations and supply contracts are becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry, there is still a seasonal variation in the supply of fresh pork materials. The Company’s expanding line of processed items has reduced but not eliminated the sensitivity of Company results to raw material supply and price fluctuations.

Livestock slaughtered by the Company is purchased by Company buyers and commission dealers at sale barns and terminal markets or under long-term supply contracts at locations principally in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota. The cost of livestock and the utilization of the Company'sCompany’s facilities are affected by both the level and the methods of pork production in the United States. The hog production industry has been rapidly moving to very large, vertically integrated, year-round confinement operations operating under long-term supply agreements. This has resulted in fewer hogs being available on the spot cash market, which decreases the supply of hogs on the open market and can severely diminish the utilization of slaughter facilities and increase the cost of the raw materials they produce. The Company, along with others in the industry, uses long-term supply contracts to manage the effects of this trend and to assure a stable supply of raw materials while minimizing extreme fluctuations in costs over the long-term. This may result in costs for live hogs that are either higher or lower than the spot cash market depending on the relationship of the cash spot market to contract prices. Contract costs are fully reflected in the Company'sCompany’s reported financial results. In fiscal 2002,2004, the Company purchased 7567 percent of its hogs under long-term supply contracts.

In fiscal 2002,2004, JOTS raised approximately 5354 percent of the turkeys needed to meet its raw material requirements for whole bird and processed turkey products. Turkeys not sourced within the Company are contracted with independent turkey growers. JOTS'JOTS’ turkey-raising farms are located throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Production costs in raising turkeys are primarily subject to fluctuations in feed grain prices particularly corn. Inand to a lesser extent fuel costs. As part of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002,Company’s risk management program, the Company began hedgingperiodically hedges its corn needs by purchasing cornanticipated purchases of grain using futures contracts. The corn futures contracts offsetCompany measures the fluctuationeffectiveness of these hedges on a regular basis and has determined all such hedges to be highly effective in reducing the Company’s exposure to price fluctuations in the Company's future direct corn purchases.cash grain market.


Manufacturing

The Company has plants in Austin, Minnesota; Fremont, Nebraska; and Beijing, China; and Rochelle, Illinois (Rochelle converted to a 100 percent further processing facility effective January 6, 2003)China that slaughter livestock for processing. Quality Pork Processors of Dallas, Texas, operates the slaughter facility at Austin under a custom slaughter arrangement.

4


Facilities that produce manufactured items are located in Algona, Iowa; Alma, Kansas; Aurora, Illinois; Austin, Minnesota; Beloit, Wisconsin; Bondurant, Iowa; Browerville, Minnesota; Ft. Dodge, Iowa; Fremont, Nebraska; Houston, Texas; Knoxville, Iowa; Long Prairie, Minnesota; Mitchellville, Iowa; Osceola, Iowa; Perrysburg, Ohio; Quakertown, Pennsylvania; Rochelle, Illinois; Savannah, Georgia; Sparta, Wisconsin; Stockton, California; Tucker, Georgia; Visalia, California; Wichita, Kansas; Beijing, China; and Shanghai, China. Several companies performCompany products are also custom manufacturing for Hormel, including Owatonna Canning Company, Owatonna, Minnesota;manufactured by several other companies. The following are the Company’s larger custom manufacturers: Lakeside Packing Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Schroeder Milk, Maplewood, Minnesota; Steuben Foods, Jamaica, New York; Power Packaging, St. Charles, Illinois; Criders, Stilmore, Georgia; and Tony Downs, St. James, Minnesota; and Pierre Foods of Claremont, North Carolina.Minnesota. Power Logistics, Inc., based in St. Charles, Illinois, operates distribution centers for the Company in Dayton, Ohio, and Osceola, Iowa.

The Company'sCompany’s turkey slaughter and processing operations are located in Barron, Wisconsin; Faribault, Minnesota; Marshall, Minnesota; Melrose, Minnesota; Montevideo, Minnesota; Pelican Rapids, Minnesota; and Willmar, Minnesota.

Patents and Trademarks

There are numerous patents and trademarks that are important to the Company'sCompany’s business. The Company holds fiveseven foreign and 4048 U.S. issued patents. Some of the trademarks are registered and some are not. In recognition of the importance of these assets, the Company created a subsidiary, Hormel Foods, LLC, in 1998 to create, own, maintain and protect most of the Company'sCompany’s trademarks and patents. Some of the more significant owned or licensed trademarks used in the Company'sCompany’s segments are:

HORMEL, ALWAYS TENDER, AMERICAN CLASSICS, AUSTIN BLUES, BLACK LABEL, CARAPELLI, CHI-CHI'S,CHI-CHI’S, CURE 81, CUREMASTER, DAN'SDAN’S PRIZE, DI LUSSO, DINTY MOORE, DUBUQUE, EL TORITO, FAST 'N‘N EASY, HERB-OX, HERDEZ, HOMELAND, HOUSE OF TSANG, JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE, KID'SKID’S KITCHEN, LAYOUT, LITTLE SIZZLERS, MARRAKESH EXPRESS, MARY KITCHEN, OLD SMOKEHOUSE, PATAK'S,PATAK’S, PELOPONNESE, PILLOW PACK, QUICK MEAL, RANGE BRAND, ROSA, GRANDE, SANDWICH MAKER, SPAM, STAGG, SWEET THING, THICK & EASY and WRANGLERS.

Customers and Backlog Orders

During fiscal year 2002,2004, no customer accounted for more than 10 percent of total Company sales. The five largest customers in each segment make up approximately the following percentage of segment sales: 3833 percent of Grocery Products, 3935 percent of Refrigerated Foods, 3332 percent of JOTS, 37 percent of Specialty Foods, and 2340 percent of All Other. The Company believes the loss of one or more of the top customers in any single customer would notof these segments could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business.results of such segment. Backlog orders are not significant due to the perishable nature of a large portion of the products and ordersproducts. Orders are accepted and shipped on a current basis.

Competition

The production and sale of meat and food products in the United States and internationally are highly competitive. The Company competes with manufacturers of pork and turkey products, as well as national and regional producers of other meat and protein sources, such as beef, chicken, and fish. The Company


believes that its largest domestic competitors for its Refrigerated Foods segment in 20022004 were Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and ConAgra Foods; for its Grocery Products segment, ConAgra Foods, Dial Corp. and Campbell Soup Co.; and for JOTS, ConAgra Foods and Cargill, Inc.

5


All Hormel segments compete on the basis of price, product quality, brand identification, and customer service. Through aggressive marketing and strong quality assurance programs, the Company'sCompany’s strategy is to provide higher quality products that possess strong brand recognition, which would then support higher value perceptions from customers.

The Company competes using this same strategy in international markets around the world.

Research and Development

Research and development continues to be a vital part of the Company'sCompany’s strategy to extend existing brands and expand into new branded items. The expenditures for research and development for fiscal 2002, 20012004, 2003, and 2000,2002, respectively, were $12,097,000, $11,478,000approximately $15,944,000, $13,165,000, and $9,592,000.$12,097,000. There are 4051 professional employees engaged in full time research, 1823 in the area of improving existing products and 2228 in developing new products.

Employees

As of October 26, 2002,30, 2004, the Company had over 15,500approximately 15,600 active employees.

(d)   Geographic Areas

Total revenues attributed to the U.S. and all foreign countries in total for the last three fiscal years of the Company are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

October 30, 2004

 

October 25, 2003

 

October 26, 2002

 

United States

 

 

4,565,134

 

 

 

4,027,520

 

 

 

3,706,104

 

 

Foreign

 

 

214,741

 

 

 

172,808

 

 

 

204,210

 

 

 

 

 

4,779,875

 

 

 

4,200,328

 

 

 

3,910,314

 

 

Revenues from external customers are classified as domestic or foreign based on the final customer destination. No individual foreign country is material to the consolidated results. Additionally, the company’s long-lived assets located in foreign countries are not significant.

(d)(e)   Available Information

The Company makes available, free of charge on its website at www.hormel.com, its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These reports are accessible under the “Investor” caption of the Company’s website and are available as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is within 24 hours.

The Company has adopted a Code of Ethical Business Conduct that covers its officers and directors, which is available on the Company’s website, free of charge, under the caption “Corporate.”  The Company also adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines, which are available on the Company’s website, free of charge, under the caption “Investor.”

The Company’s Board of Directors conducts its business through meetings of the Board and the following standing committees:  Audit, Compensation, Contingency, Governance, Employee Benefits, and


Executive. Each of the Audit, Compensation, Governance, Employee Benefits, and Executive Committees has adopted and operates under a written charter. Charters for the Audit, Compensation, and Governance Committees are available on the Company’s website, free of charge, under the caption “Investor — Corporate Governance.”

The documents noted above are also available in print, free of charge, to any stockholder who requests them.

(f)Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First

 

 

 

Current Office and Previous

 

 

 

Elected

Name

 Age
 Current Office and Previous
Five Years Experience

 Dates
 Year
First
Elected
Officer

 

 

 

Age

 

Five Years Experience

 

Dates

 

Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joel W. Johnson 59 Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer
 12/08/95 to Present 1991

Joel W. Johnson

 

61

 

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

 

06/28/04 to Present

 

1991

 

 

 

Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer

 

12/08/95 to 06/27/04

 

 

Jeffrey M. Ettinger

Jeffrey M. Ettinger

 

46

 

President and Chief Operating Officer

 

06/28/04 to Present

 

1998

 

 

 

Group Vice President/President and

 

03/03/03 to 06/27/04

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Executive Officer Jennie-O Turkey Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group Vice President/President and

 

10/29/01 to 03/02/03

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Operating Officer Jennie-O Turkey Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President/President and Chief

 

4/30/01 to 10/28/01

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Officer Jennie-O Turkey Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President/President and Chief

 

01/31/00 to 04/29/01

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Officer Jennie-O Foods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President/Vice President Jennie-O Foods

 

11/01/99 to 01/30/00

 

 

 

 

 

Treasurer

 

04/27/98 to 10/31/99

 

 


Michael J. McCoy

 

55

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

1996

Michael J. McCoy

 

57

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

1996

   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 05/01/00 to 10/28/01  

 

 

 

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial

 

05/01/00 to 10/28/01

 

 

   Vice President and Controller 04/27/98 to 04/30/00  

 

 

 

Officer

 

 

 

 

   Vice President and Treasurer 01/27/97 to 04/26/98  

 

 

 

Vice President and Controller

 

04/27/98 to 04/30/00

 

 

   Treasurer 01/01/96 to 01/26/97  

 

 

 

Vice President and Treasurer

 

01/27/97 to 04/26/98

 

 


Gary J. Ray

 

56

 

Executive Vice President Refrigerated Foods

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1988

Gary J. Ray

 

58

 

Executive Vice President (Refrigerated Foods)

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1988

   Executive Vice President Operations 07/27/92 to 10/31/99  

 

 

 

Executive Vice President (Operations)

 

07/27/92 to 10/31/99

 

 


Eric A. Brown

 

56

 

Group Vice President Prepared Foods

 

12/02/96 to Present

 

1987

Steven G. Binder

 

45

 

Group Vice President Foodservice

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

1998

Steven G. Binder

 

47

 

Group Vice President (Foodservice)

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

1998

   Vice President Foodservice 11/02/98 to 10/29/00  
   Director Foodservice Sales 12/30/96 to 11/01/98  

 

 

 

Vice President (Foodservice)

 

11/02/98 to 10/29/00

 

 


Richard A. Bross

 

51

 

Group Vice President Hormel/President
      Hormel Foods International Corporation

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

1995

Richard A. Bross

 

53

 

Group Vice President/President

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

1995

   Vice President Hormel/President Hormel
      Foods International Corporation
 11/01/99 to 10/28/01  

 

 

 

Hormel Foods International Corporation

 

 

 

 

   Vice President Grocery Products 01/30/95 to 10/31/99  

 

 

 

Vice President/President Hormel

 

11/01/99 to 10/28/01

 

 

 

 

 

Foods International Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Grocery Products)

 

01/30/95 to 10/31/99

 

 

Ronald W. Fielding

Ronald W. Fielding

 

51

 

Group Vice President (Consumer Products Sales)

 

07/26/04 to Present

 

1997

 

 

 

Group Vice President (Sales Strategy)

 

06/02/03 to 07/25/04

 

 

 

 

 

Group Vice President (Meat Products)

 

11/01/99 to 06/01/03

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President/President Hormel

 

01/27/97 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

 

 

Foods International Corporation

 

 

 

 

James A. Jorgenson

James A. Jorgenson

 

60

 

Senior Vice President (Corporate Staff)

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1990

 

 

 

Vice President (Human Resources)

 

12/30/91 to 10/31/99

 

 

Mahlon C. Schneider

Mahlon C. Schneider

 

65

 

Senior Vice President External Affairs and

 

11/01/99 to 12/31/04

 

1990

 

 

 

General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President and General Counsel

 

11/19/90 to 10/31/99

 

 

Thomas R. Day

Thomas R. Day

 

46

 

Vice President (Foodservice Sales)

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

2000

 

 

 

Director (Foodservice Sales)

 

11/02/98 to 10/29/00

 

 

Forrest D. Dryden

Forrest D. Dryden

 

61

 

Vice President (Research and Development)

 

01/26/87 to Present

 

1987

Jody H. Feragen

Jody H. Feragen

 

48

 

Vice President and Treasurer

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

2000

 

 

 

Treasurer

 

10/30/00 to 10/28/01

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Treasurer, National Computer Systems
in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a data collection and software company

 

12/01/95 to 10/29/00

 

 


6



Jeffrey M. Ettinger

 

44

 

Group Vice President Hormel/President and
      Chief Operating Officer Jennie-O Turkey Store

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

1998
    Vice President Hormel/President and Chief
      Operating Officer Jennie-O Turkey Store
 04/30/01 to 10/28/01  
    Vice President Hormel/President and Chief
      Executive Officer Jennie-O Foods
 01/31/00 to 04/29/01  
    Vice President Hormel/Jennie-O Foods 11/01/99 to 01/30/00  
    Treasurer 04/27/98 to 10/31/99  
    Assistant Treasurer 11/24/97 to 04/26/98  
    Special Assignment 09/08/97 to 11/23/97  
    Grocery Products Product Manager 04/10/95 to 09/07/97  

Ronald W. Fielding

 

49

 

Group Vice President Meat Products

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1997
    Vice President Hormel/President Hormel
      Foods International Corporation
 01/27/97 to 10/31/99  
    President Hormel Foods International
      Corporation
 01/01/96 to 01/26/97  

James A. Jorgenson

 

58

 

Senior Vice President Corporate Staff

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1990
    Vice President Human Resources 12/30/91 to 10/31/99  

Mahlon C. Schneider

 

63

 

Senior Vice President External Affairs and
      General Counsel

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1990
    Vice President and General Counsel 11/19/90 to 10/31/99  

Thomas R. Day

 

44

 

Vice President Foodservice Sales

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

2000
    Director Foodservice Sales 11/02/98 to 10/29/00  
    Director Dubuque Foods Incorporated
      Foodservice Sales and Marketing
 03/07/94 to 11/01/98  

Forrest D. Dryden

 

59

 

Vice President Research and Development

 

01/26/87 to Present

 

1987

Jody H. Feragen

 

46

 

Vice President and Treasurer

 

10/29/01 to Present

 

2000
    Treasurer 10/30/00 to 10/28/01  
    Assistant Treasurer, National Computer Systems
      in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a data collection and
      software company
 12/01/95 to 10/30/00  

Dennis B. Goettsch

 

49

 

Vice President Foodservice Marketing

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

2000
    Director Foodservice Marketing 10/01/90 to 10/29/00  

Daniel A. Hartzog

 

51

 

Vice President Meat Products Sales

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

2000
    Director of Meat Products Business
      Development
 07/03/00 to 10/29/00  
    Meat Products Regional Sales Manager 09/19/88 to 07/02/00  

Kurt F. Mueller

 

46

 

Vice President Fresh Pork Sales and Marketing

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director Fresh Pork Sales and Marketing 02/03/97 to 10/31/99  
    Manager Logistics and Customer Service
      Refrigerated Products
 03/06/95 to 02/02/97  

Gary C. Paxton

 

57

 

Vice President Prepared Foods Operations

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1992
    Vice President Manufacturing 01/27/92 to 10/31/99  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First

 

 

 

 

Current Office and Previous

 

 

 

Elected

Name

 

 

 

Age

 

Five Years Experience

 

Dates

 

Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dennis B. Goettsch

 

51

 

Vice President (Foodservice Marketing)

 

10/30/00 to Present

 

2000

 

 

 

 

Director (Foodservice Marketing)

 

10/01/90 to 10/29/00

 

 

 

Daniel A. Hartzog

 

53

 

Vice President (Consumer Products Sales)

 

07/26/04 to Present

 

2000

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Meat Products Sales)

 

10/30/00 to 07/25/04

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Meat Products Business Development)

 

07/03/00 to 10/29/00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regional Sales Manager (Meat Products)

 

09/19/88 to 07/02/00

 

 

 

Kurt F. Mueller

 

48

 

Vice President (Consumer Products Sales)

 

07/26/04 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Fresh Pork Sales and Marketing)

 

11/01/99 to 07/25/04

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Fresh Pork Sales and Marketing)

 

02/03/97 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

Gary C. Paxton

 

59

 

Vice President (Specialty Foods Group)

 

09/29/03 to Present

 

1992

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Specialty Foods Group and Prepared

 

12/30/02 to 09/28/03

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foods Operations)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Prepared Foods Operations)

 

11/01/99 to 12/29/02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Manufacturing)

 

01/27/92 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

Larry J. Pfeil

 

55

 

Vice President (Engineering)

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

Director (Engineering)

 

01/04/99 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

Douglas R. Reetz

 

50

 

Vice President (Consumer Products Sales)

 

07/26/04 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Grocery Products Sales)

 

11/01/99 to 07/25/04

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Grocery Products Sales and Business

 

09/15/97 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development)

 

 

 

 

 

James N. Sheehan

 

49

 

Vice President and Controller

 

05/01/00 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

Treasurer

 

11/01/99 to 04/30/00

 

 

 

 

 

 

President Hormel Financial Services Corporation

 

09/21/98 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

William F. Snyder

 

47

 

Vice President (Refrigerated Foods Operations)

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Fresh Pork Operations)

 

09/27/99 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

James M. Splinter

 

42

 

Vice President (Marketing-Consumer Products-

 

06/02/03 to Present

 

2003

 

 

 

 

Refrigerated Foods)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Vice President Retail Division Jennie-O Turkey

 

04/30/01 to 06/01/03

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing Jennie-O

 

09/06/99 to 04/29/01

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Store

 

 

 

 

 

Joe C. Swedberg

 

49

 

Vice President (Legislative Affairs and Marketing

 

06/02/03 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

 

Services)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Meat Products Marketing)

 

11/01/99 to 06/01/03

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Meat Products Marketing)

 

01/04/93 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

Larry L. Vorpahl

 

41

 

Vice President and General Manager (Grocery

 

12/01/03 to Present

 

1999

 

 

 

 

Products)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vice President (Grocery Products Marketing)

 

11/01/99 to 11/30/03

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director (Grocery Products Marketing)

 

09/30/96 to 10/31/99

 

 

 

Michael D. Tolbert

 

48

 

Vice President/President Jennie-O Turkey Store

 

05/31/04 to Present

 

2004

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Information Officer

 

01/28/02 to 05/30/04

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director of Business Development (Grocery Products)

 

05/01/00 to 01/27/02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grocery Products National Manager Business

 

11/18/96 to 04/30/00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development

 

 

 

 

 

James W. Cavanaugh

 

56

 

Senior Vice President External Affairs and
General Counsel

 

01/01/05 to Present

 

2001

 

 

 

 

Corporate Secretary and Senior Attorney

 

01/29/01 to Present

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Secretary and Senior Attorney

 

01/29/90 to 01/28/01

 

 

 

7



Larry J. Pfeil

 

53

 

Vice President Engineering

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director of Engineering 01/04/99 to 10/31/99  
    Corporate Manager Engineering 01/13/97 to 01/03/99  
    Corporate Manager Plant Engineering 12/27/93 to 01/12/97  

Douglas R. Reetz

 

48

 

Vice President Grocery Products Sales

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director Grocery Products Sales and
      Business Development
 09/15/97 to 10/31/99  
    Director Grocery Products Sales 01/04/93 to 09/14/97  

James N. Sheehan

 

47

 

Vice President and Controller

 

05/01/00 to Present

 

1999
    Treasurer 11/01/99 to 04/30/00  
    President Hormel Financial Services
      Corporation
 09/21/98 to 10/31/99  
    Corporate Manager Credit/Claims Hormel
      Financial Services Corporation
 07/28/97 to 09/20/98  
    Corporate Manager Credit/Claims 09/02/96 to 07/27/97  

William F. Snyder

 

45

 

Vice President Refrigerated Foods Operations

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director Fresh Pork Operations 09/27/99 to 10/31/99  
    Fremont Plant Manager 12/25/95 to 09/26/99  

Joe C. Swedberg

 

47

 

Vice President Meat Products Marketing

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director Meat Products Marketing 01/04/93 to 10/31/99  

Larry L. Vorpahl

 

39

 

Vice President Grocery Products Marketing

 

11/01/99 to Present

 

1999
    Director Grocery Products Marketing 09/30/96 to 10/31/99  

James W. Cavanaugh

 

53

 

Corporate Secretary and Senior Attorney

 

01/29/01 to Present

 

2001
    Assistant Secretary and Senior Attorney 01/29/90 to 01/28/01  

No family relationship exists among the executive officers.

Executive officers are elected annually by the Board of Directors at the first meeting following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Vacancies may be filled and additional officers elected at any regular or special meeting.

89





Item 2.PROPERTIES

Approximate

Location


Approximate
Floor Space

Lease

(Square Feet)

Owned or

Expiration

Location

Unless Noted

Leased


Date

Owned or
Leased


Lease
Expiration
Date

Hormel Foods Corporation


Slaughtering and Processing Plants








Austin, Minnesota




1,292,000




Owned

Fremont, Nebraska

Slaughter

661,000

217,000

Owned

Owned

Processing Plants

Processing

1,075,000

Owned

Algona, Iowa

Fremont, Nebraska

153,000

655,000

Owned

Alma, Kansas


Processing Plants



70,000




Owned


Aurora, Illinois

Algona, Iowa

141,000

153,000

Owned

Beloit, Wisconsin

Aurora, Illinois

339,000

141,000

Owned

Beloit, Wisconsin339,000Owned

Ft. Dodge, Iowa

17,000

17,000

Owned

Owned

Houston, Texas

93,000

93,000

Owned

Owned

Knoxville, Iowa

130,000

130,000

Owned

Owned

Osceola, Iowa

334,000

334,000

Owned

Owned

Quakertown, Pennsylvania

13,000

13,000

Owned

Owned

Rochelle, Illinois

440,000

440,000

Owned

Owned

Sparta, Wisconsin

Stockton, California

385,000

139,000

Owned

Stockton, California

Tucker, Georgia

139,000

259,000

Owned

Tucker, Georgia

Wichita, Kansas

259,000

80,000

Owned

Wichita, Kansas


80,000

Owned

Warehouse/Distribution Centers







Austin, Minnesota—Annex


Austin, Minnesota-Annex


83,000


83,000



Owned



Dayton, Ohio

140,000

140,000

Owned

Owned

Eldridge, Iowa

280,000

280,000

Leased

October,

Leased

September, 2005

Osceola, Iowa

233,000

233,000

Owned

Owned

Stockton, California

232,000

232,000

Leased

Leased

July, 20042007

Tucker, Georgia

96,000

96,000

Leased

October, 2004

Leased

September, 2009


Research and Development Center








Austin, Minnesota



59,000


79,000


Owned



Owned


Corporate Offices








Austin, Minnesota



203,000


203,000


Owned



Owned


Dan'sDan’s Prize, Inc.







Browerville, Minnesota—Plant


Browerville, Minnesota-Plant


52,000


52,000



Owned



Long Prairie, Minnesota-PlantMinnesota—Plant

80,000

80,000

Owned

Owned


Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.







Plants


Plants








Barron, Wisconsin



372,000


372,000


Owned



Owned

Faribault, Minnesota

169,000

170,000

Owned

Owned

Melrose, Minnesota

Marshall, Minnesota

127,000

142,000

Owned

Melrose, Minnesota124,000Owned

9


Montevideo, Minnesota

85,000

85,000

Owned

Owned

Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

223,000

224,000

Owned

Owned

Willmar, Minnesota

Willmar, Minnesota-Airport Plant

508,000

334,000

Owned

Willmar, Minnesota-Benson Ave.79,000Owned

Feed Mills

Atwater, Minnesota


Feed Mills



19,000




Owned


Barron, Wisconsin


Atwater, Minnesota


26,000


19,000



Owned



Dawson, Minnesota

Barron, Wisconsin

37,000

26,000

Owned

Faribault, Minnesota

Dawson, Minnesota

21,000

37,000

Owned

Henning, Minnesota

Faribault, Minnesota

5,000

21,000

Owned

Northfield, Minnesota

Henning, Minnesota

17,000

5,000

Owned

Perham, Minnesota

Northfield, Minnesota

26,000

17,000

Owned

Swanville, Minnesota

Perham, Minnesota

29,000

26,000

Owned

Other

Swanville, Minnesota

29,000

Owned

Barron, Wisconsin—Hatchery


Other



37,000




Owned


Detroit Lakes, Minnesota—Hatchery


Barron, Wisconsin-Hatchery


31,000


37,000



Owned



Henning, Minnesota—Hatchery

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota-Hatchery

22,000

24,000

Owned

Melrose, Minnesota—Warehouse

Henning, Minnesota-Hatchery

9,000

22,000

Owned

Turkey Farms

Melrose, Minnesota-Warehouse

*14,500

10,000

Owned

Willmar, Minnesota—Warehouses

Turkey Farms

25,000

*14,600

Owned

Willmar, Minnesota-Gorton Ave.
    Warehouse
6,000Owned
Willmar, Minnesota-Pacific Ave.
    Warehouse
19,000Owned

Vista International Packaging, Inc.








Kenosha, Wisconsin-Plant


61,000


Owned


Kenosha, Wisconsin-Warehouse80,000LeasedApril, 2004

Mountain Prairie, LLC








Las Animas, Colorado-HogColorado—Hog Confinement
Buildings



707,000



66.7% Owned


Leased


Various:
September 2007 -
December 2008


Beijing Hormel Foods Co. Ltd.







Beijing, China—Plant


Beijing, China-Plant


68,000


68,000



76.4% Owned




Shanghai Hormel Foods Co. Ltd.







Shanghai, China—Plant


Shanghai, China-Plant


38,000


38,000



77.2%

80.7% Owned



Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc.

Bondurant, Iowa—Plant

68,000

Owned

Mitchellville, Iowa—Plants

81,000

Owned

Perrysburgh, Ohio

183,000

Owned

Savannah, Georgia

353,000

Owned

Visalia, California

107,000

Owned


*Acres

Many of these properties are not exclusive to any one of the Company'sCompany’s segments and a few of the properties are utilized in all fourfive segments of the Company. The Company has renovation or building projects in progress at Austin, Minnesota; Fremont, Nebraska; Rochelle, Illinois; Osceola, Iowa; Bondurant, Iowa; and at various JOTS locations. The Company believes its operating facilities are well maintained and suitable for current production volumes and all volumes anticipated in the foreseeable future.


Item 3.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company knows of no pending material legal proceedings.



Item 4.SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matters were submitted to shareholders during the fourth quarter of the 20022004 fiscal year.

10



PART II

Item 5.MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'SREGISTRANT’S COMMON STOCK ANDEQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

The high and low closing price of the Company'sCompany’s Common Stock and the dividends per share declared for each fiscal quarter of 20022004 and 2001,2003, respectively, are shown below:

2002

 High
 Low
 Dividend
Fourth Quarter $24.95 $20.95 $.0975
Third Quarter  24.99  20.50  .0975
Second Quarter  28.03  24.99  .0975
First Quarter  27.14  23.12  .0975

2001

 High
 Low
 Dividend

2004

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

Dividend

 

First Quarter

First Quarter

 

$

27.45

 

$

23.80

 

$

.1125

 

Second Quarter

Second Quarter

 

31.04

 

26.54

 

.1125

 

Third Quarter

Third Quarter

 

31.63

 

29.06

 

.1125

 

Fourth Quarter $26.39 $21.73 $.0925

Fourth Quarter

 

29.70

 

26.00

 

.1125

 

Third Quarter 25.25  19.52  .0925
Second Quarter 21.50  18.51  .0925
First Quarter 19.13  16.75  .0925

2003

 

 

 

High

 

Low

 

Dividend

 

First Quarter

 

$

24.30

 

$

21.76

 

$

.1050

 

Second Quarter

 

22.60

 

20.18

 

.1050

 

Third Quarter

 

24.98

 

22.41

 

.1050

 

Fourth Quarter

 

24.15

 

21.25

 

.1050

 

Additional information about dividends, principal market of trade and number of stockholders on page 4149 of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, is incorporated herein by reference. The Company'sCompany’s Common Stock has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since January 16, 1990.

Issuer purchases of equity securities in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2004 are shown below:

Period

 

 

 

Total Number
of Shares
Purchased
(1)

 

Average Price
Paid Per Share

 

Total Number of Shares
Purchased as Part of
Publicly Announced
Plans or Programs
(2)

 

Maximum Number of
Shares that May Yet Be
Purchased Under the
Plans or Programs
(2)

 

July 25, 2004 - August 28, 2004

 

 

261,700

 

 

 

$

28.39

 

 

 

261,700

 

 

 

9,029,072

 

 

August 29, 2004 - September 25, 2004

 

 

354,700

 

 

 

27.11

 

 

 

354,300

 

 

 

8,674,772

 

 

September 26, 2004 - October 30, 2004

 

 

276,400

 

 

 

26.62

 

 

 

276,400

 

 

 

8,398,372

 

 

Total

 

 

892,800

 

 

 

$

27.34

 

 

 

892,400

 

 

 

 

 

 


(
1)
Shares repurchased during the quarter, other than through publicly announced plans or programs, represent purchases for the Company’s employee awards program.

(2)In October 2002, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to10,000,000 shares of common stock with no expiration date.

Item 6.SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

Selected Financial Data for the five years ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, on page 1816 of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, is incorporated herein by reference.



Item 7.MANAGEMENT'SMANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
OPERATION

Management'sInformation in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations on pages 1916 through 2629 of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7A.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Information on the Company'sCompany’s exposure to market risk is included in the Management'sManagement’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations on page 2729 of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, and is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 8.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Consolidated Financial Statements, including unaudited quarterly data, on pages 2831 through 3946 and the Report of Independent AuditorsRegistered Public Accounting Firm on page 3930 of the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, are incorporated herein by reference.


Item 9.CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE

None.

12Item 9A.   CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES


(a)Disclosure Controls and Procedures.  As of the end of the period covered by this report (the “Evaluation Date”), we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the Evaluation Date, our disclosure controls and procedures were adequately designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in applicable rules and forms.

(b)Internal Controls.  During the last quarter of fiscal year 2004, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 9B.   OTHER INFORMATION

None.



PART III

Item 10.DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Information under "Election“Item 1—Election of Directors",Directors,” contained on pages 3 and 4 and 5under “Board of Director and Committee Meetings,” on pages 6 and 7, and the second sentence of the second paragraph under “Audit Committee Report,” contained on page 7 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 28, 2003,25, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.

Information concerning Executive Officers is set forth in Item 1(d)1(f) of Part I pursuant to Instruction 3, Paragraph (b) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K.


Item 11.EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information for the year ended October 26, 2002, under "Executive Compensation" on pages 12 through 18 and "Compensation of Directors" on page 6 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 28, 2003, is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 12.SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND
RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

“Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company by certain beneficial owners and management for the year ended October 26, 2002, as set forth on pages 10 and 11 and information under "Equity Compensation Plan Information"Reporting Compliance,” on page 18 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 28, 2003,25, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.


The Company has adopted a Code of Ethical Business Conduct in compliance with applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that applies to its principal executive officer, its principal financial officer, and its principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. A copy of the Code of Ethical Business Conduct is available on the Company’s website at www.hormel.com, free of charge, under the caption, “Corporate.”  The Company intends to satisfy any disclosure requirement under Item 13.CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
5.05 of Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of this Code of Ethical Business Conduct by posting such information on the Company’s website at the address and location specified above.

Item 11.   EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information under "Other Information Relating to Directors, Nominees, and Executive Officers" for the year ended October 26, 2002, as set forth30, 2004, commencing with “Summary Compensation Table” on page 2013 through page 16 and “Compensation of Directors” on page 7 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 28, 2003,25, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 12.   SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Information for the year ended October 30, 2004, under “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” and “Security Ownership of Management” on pages 9 and 10, and information under “Equity Compensation Plan Information” on page 17 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 25, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 13.   CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Information under “Related Party Transactions” for the year ended October 30, 2004, as set forth on page 18 of the definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held January 25, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 14.CONTROLSPRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND PROCEDURES
SERVICES

Within 90 days prior to the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company performed an evaluationThe information under the supervision and with the participation“Payment of Fees to Auditors” on page 8 of the Company's management, including its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"),Company’s definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of its "disclosure controls and procedures" (as defined in Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c)). The Company's disclosure controls and procedures are designedStockholders to ensure that the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries,be held January 25, 2005, is able to record, process, summarize and report financial data within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms. As a result of this evaluation, the Company's CEO and CFO have concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective for their intended purposes.incorporated herein by reference.

There were no significant changes in the Company's internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of their most recent evaluation.

13



PART IV

Item 15.EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

      (a)
      (1) and (2) 

      The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.

      (3)
      List of Exhibits—The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.

      (b)
      The following reports on Form 8-K were filed during the fourth quarter:

      Form 8-K was filed on July 29, 2002, announcing the election of Susan Marvin, President of Marvin Windows and Doors, to the Company's Board of Directors.

      Form 8-K was filed on August 2, 2002, reporting that the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") original sworn statements of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer as required by the SEC's Order 4-460 issued on June 27, 2002.

      Form 8-K was filed on October 9, 2002, announcing that the Company's Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 10 million shares of its common stock.

      (c)
      The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.

      (d)
      The response to this portion of Item 15 is submitted as a separate section of this report.

14




    SIGNATURES


    SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrantregistrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

    HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

    By /s/ Joel W. JohnsonJanuary 22, 2003

    HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION


    By:

    /s/ JOEL W. JOHNSON

    January 13, 2005

    Joel

    JOEL W. Johnson, JOHNSON,
    Chairman of the Board

    Date
    President
    and Chief Executive Officer

    Date

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrantregistrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature to this report on Form 10-K appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of Michael J. McCoy, Jody H. Feragen and Mark P. Kalvoda as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution, to sign on his or her behalf individually and in the capacity stated below and to perform any acts necessary to be done in order to file the Annual Report on Form 10-K and all amendments to this report on Form 10-K, and any and all instruments or documents filed as part of or in connection with this report on Form 10-K or the amendments hereto, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

    Name

    Date

    Title

    /s/ JoelJOEL W. Johnson      


    JoelJOHNSON

    1/13/05

    Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
    Director (Principal Executive Officer)

    JOEL W. JohnsonJOHNSON

    1/22/03
    Date

    /s/ JEFFREY M. ETTINGER

    Chairman of the Board,

    1/13/05

    President, Chief Operating Officer
    and Director

    JEFFREY M. ETTINGER

    /s/ MICHAEL J. McCOY

    1/13/05

    Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
    Officer and Director (Principal Financial
    (Principal Executiveand Accounting Officer)


    /s/  Michael

    MICHAEL J. McCoy      


    Michael J. McCoyMcCOY


    1/22/03

    Date



    Executive Vice President,
    Chief Financial Officer
    and Director
    (Principal Financial and
    Accounting Officer)


    /s/  Gary J. Ray*      

    Gary J. Ray


    1/22/03

    Date


    Executive Vice President
    Refrigerated Foods
    and Director


    /s/ Eric A. Brown*      


    Eric A. BrownGARY J. RAY*


    1/22/03

    Date


    1/13/05


    Group Vice President
    Prepared Foods
    and Director

    /s/  John W. Allen*      

    John W. Allen


    1/22/03

    Date


    Director




    15



    /s/  John R. Block*      

    John R. Block

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  William S. Davila*      

    William S. Davila

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  E. Peter Gillette Jr.*      

    E. Peter Gillette Jr.

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  Luella G. Goldberg*      

    Luella G. Goldberg

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  Susan I. Marvin*      

    Susan I. Marvin

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  Dakota A. Pippins*      

    Dakota A. Pippins

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  John G. Turner*      

    John G. Turner

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director

    /s/  Dr. Robert R. Waller*      

    Dr. Robert R. Waller

    1/22/03

    Date


    Director


    * /s/  Michael J. McCoy      

    Michael J. McCoy, as
    Attorney-In-Fact


    1/22/03

    Date




    16



    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

    I, Joel W. Johnson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hormel Foods Corporation, certify that:

    (1)
    I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Hormel Foods Corporation;

    (2)
    Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report; and

    (3)
    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report.

    (4)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

    designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the annual report is being prepared;

    evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

    presented in this annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

    (5)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons fulfilling the equivalent functions):

    all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal controls; and

    (6)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.







    Dated:January 22, 2003
    Signed:/s/  Joel W. Johnson      
    Joel W. Johnson
    Chairman, President and
    Chief Executive Officer

    17



    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

    I, Michael J. McCoy, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hormel Foods Corporation, certify that:

    (1)
    I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Hormel Foods Corporation;

    (2)
    Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report; and

    (3)
    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report.

    (4)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

    designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the annual report is being prepared;

    evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

    presented in this annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

    (5)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons fulfilling the equivalent functions):

    all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal controls; and

    (6)
    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.







    Dated:January 22, 2003
    Signed:/s/  Michael J. McCoy      
    Michael J. McCoy
    Executive Vice President Refrigerated
    Foods and
    Chief Financial Officer
    Director

    GARY J. RAY

    /s/ JOHN W. ALLEN*

    1/13/05

    Director

    JOHN W. ALLEN

    /s/ JOHN R. BLOCK*

    1/13/05

    Director

    JOHN R. BLOCK

    /s/ E. PETER GILLETTE JR.*

    1/13/05

    Director

    E. PETER GILLETTE JR.

    18



    Name

    Date

    Title

    /s/ LUELLA G. GOLDBERG*

    1/13/05

    Director

    LUELLA G. GOLDBERG

    /s/ SUSAN I. MARVIN*

    1/13/05

    Director

    SUSAN I. MARVIN

    /s/ JOHN L. MORRISON*

    1/13/05

    Director

    JOHN L. MORRISON

    /s/ DAKOTA A. PIPPINS*

    1/13/05

    Director

    DAKOTA A. PIPPINS

    /s/ JOHN G. TURNER*

    1/13/05

    Director

    JOHN G. TURNER

    /s/ DR. ROBERT R. WALLER*

    1/13/05

    Director

    DR. ROBERT R. WALLER

    *By:

    /s/ MICHAEL J. McCOY

    1/13/05

    MICHAEL J. McCOY,
    as Attorney-In-Fact

    F-1

    16




    F-1

    ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K



    ITEM 15 (a) (1), (2), AND (3) AND ITEM 15 (c) AND (d)


    LIST OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


    FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE


    LIST OF EXHIBITS



    YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 26, 200230, 2004

    HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

    Austin, Minnesota

    1917




    F-2


    Item 15(a) (1), (2) and (3) and Item 15 (c) and (d)

    LIST OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

    HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    The following consolidated financial statements of Hormel Foods Corporation included in the Annual Stockholders'Stockholders’ Report for the Registrant to its stockholders for the year ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, are incorporated herein by reference in Item 8 of Part II of this report:

    Consolidated Statements of Financial PositionOctober 26, 2002,30, 2004, and October 27, 2001.25, 2003.

    Consolidated Statements of Operations—Years Ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, October 27, 200125, 2003 and October 28, 2000.26, 2002.

    Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders'Shareholders’ Investment—Years Ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, October 27, 2001,25, 2003, and October 28, 2000.26, 2002.

    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows—Years Ended October 26, 2002,30, 2004, October 27, 2001,25, 2003, and October 28, 2000.26, 2002.

    Notes to Financial StatementsOctober 26, 2002.30, 2004.

    Report of Independent AuditorsRegistered Public Accounting Firm

    FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

    The following consolidated financial statement schedule of Hormel Foods Corporation required pursuant to Item 15(d)15(c) is submitted herewith:

    Schedule II—Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves...F-3

    All other schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission are not required under the related instructions or are inapplicable, and therefore have been omitted.

    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES OMITTED

    Condensed parent company financial statements of the registrant are omitted pursuant to Rule 5-04(c) of Article 5 of Regulation S-X.

    2018




    F-3


    SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS AND RESERVES

    HORMEL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION

    (Dollars inIn Thousands)

    COLUMN A

    COLUMN A

     COLUMN B

     COLUMN C

     COLUMN D

     COLUMN E

     

    COLUMN B

     

    COLUMN C

     

    COLUMN D

     

    COLUMN E

     

     

     

     

    Additions

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Balance at

     

    Charged to

     

    Charged to

     

     

     

    Balance at

     

                        Additions                      

     

    Beginning

     

    Costs and

     

    Other Accounts—

     

    Deductions—

     

    End of

     

    Classification

    Classification

     Balance at
    Beginning
    of Period

     (1)
    Charged to
    Costs and
    Expenses

     (2)
    Charged to
    Other
    Accounts-
    Describe

     Deductions-
    Describe

     Balance at
    End of
    Period

     

    of Period

     

    Expenses

     

    Describe

     

    Describe

     

    Period

     

    Valuation reserve deduction from assets account:Valuation reserve deduction from assets account:             

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Fiscal year ended October 30, 2004

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Allowance for doubtful

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    $

    560

     (1)

     

     

     

     

     

    accounts receivable

     

     

    $

    2,880

     

     

     

    $

    1,285

     

     

     

    $

    120

    (4)

     

     

    (875

    )(2)

     

     

    $

    4,600

     

     

    Fiscal year ended October 25, 2003

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Allowance for doubtful

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    $

    6,644

     (1)

     

     

     

     

     

    accounts receivable

     

     

    $

    1,393

     

     

     

    $

    7,474

     

     

     

    $

    431

    (3)

     

     

    (226

    )(2)

     

     

    $

    2,880

     

     


    Fiscal year ended October 26, 2002

    Fiscal year ended October 26, 2002

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable $1,393 $1,638 $0 $
    $
    1,674
    (36
      (1)
    ) (2)
    $1,393

    Fiscal year ended October 27, 2001

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable $1,273 $1,041 $120  (3)$
    $
    1,112
    (71
      (1)
    ) (2)
    $1,393

    Fiscal year ended October 28, 2000

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable $1,273 $1,809 $-0- $
    $
    1,994
    (185
      (1)
    ) (2)
    $1,273

    Allowance for doubtful

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    $

    1,674

     (1)

     

     

     

     

     

    accounts receivable

     

     

    $

    1,393

     

     

     

    $

    1,638

     

     

     

    $

    0

     

     

     

    (36

    )(2)

     

     

    $

    1,393

     

     


    Note (1) - Uncollectible accounts written off.

    Note (2) - Recoveries on accounts previously written off.

    Note (3) - Increase in the reserve due to the inclusion of The Turkey Store CompanyDiamond Crystal Brands accounts receivable.

    21



    Note (4)Increase in the reserve due to the inclusion of Century Foods International accounts receivable.

    19




    LIST OF EXHIBITS

    HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

    NUMBER

    DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT

    Number


    Description of Document

    2.1(1)

    *

    Agreement and Plan of Merger and Plan of Reorganization dated January 22, 2001, by and among Hormel, Badger Acquisition Corporation, Jerome Foods, Inc. and Jerome K. Jerome. (Incorporated by reference to Hormel'sHormel’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 9, 2001, File No. 001-02402.)


    3.1

    2.2(2)


    *


    Clougherty Packing Company Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 29, 2004, between Hormel Foods Corporation, as Buyer, the Sellers (as identified in the Agreement), and Sellers’ Representative.

    3.1(1)

    Certificate of Incorporation as amended to date. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3A-1 to Hormel'sHormel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended October 28, 2000, File No. 001-02402.)


    3.2(2)


    *


    Bylaws as amended to date. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Hormel's Amendment No. 3 to Registration Statement on Form S-4, dated November 29, 2001, File No. 333-68498.)


    4.1(1)


    *


    Indenture dated as of June 1, 2001, between Hormel and U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee relating to certain outstanding debt securities. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Hormel'sHormel’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 dated, August 28, 2001, File No. 333-68498.)


    4.2(1)


    *


    Supplemental Indenture No. 1 dated as of June 4, 2001, to Indenture dated as of June 1, 2001, between Hormel and U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee, relating to certain outstanding debt securities. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Hormel'sHormel’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 dated August 28, 2001, File No. 333-68498.)


    4.3(1)


    *


    Letter of Representations dated June 5, 2001, among Hormel, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee, and The Depository Trust Company relating to certain outstanding debt securities of Hormel. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Hormel'sHormel’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 dated August 28, 2001, File No. 333-68498.)


    4.4(1)


    *


    Pursuant to Item 601 (b)601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, copies of instruments defining the rights of holders of certain long-term debt are not filed. Hormel agrees to furnish copies thereof to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.


    10.1(1)


    *


    U.S. $150,000,000 Credit Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2001,20, 2003, between Hormel, the banks identified on the signature pages thereof, and Citicorp U.S.A. Inc., as Administrative Agent. (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Hormel'sHormel’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 6, 2001.October 23, 2003.)


    10.2(1)(3)


    *


    Hormel Foods Corporation Operators'Operators’ Shares Incentive Compensation Plan. (Incorporated by Reference to Appendix A to Hormel'sHormel’s definitive Proxy Statement filed on December 30,23, 1997, File No. 001-02402.)


    10.3(1)(3)


    **


    Hormel Foods Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (2002 Restatement.) (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Hormel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2002, File No. 001-02402.)


    10.4(1)(3)


    *


    Hormel Foods Corporation 2000 Stock Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit A to Hormel'sHormel’s definitive Proxy Statement filed on December 30,29, 1999, File No. 001-02402.)


    NUMBER

    DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT


    10.5(1)(3)


    *


    Hormel Foods Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan. (Incorporated by Reference to Appendix B to Hormel'sHormel’s definitive Proxy Statement filed on December 30,23, 1997, File No. 001-02402.)


    10.6(1)(3)


    **


    Hormel Foods Corporation Supplemental Retirement Benefits Plan for the Benefit of Joel W. Johnson (1999 Restatement.) (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Hormel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2002, File No. 001-02402.)


    10.7(1)(3)


    **


    Hormel Foods Corporation Executive Deferred Income Plan II (2002 Restatement.) (Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit 10.7 to Hormel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2002, File No. 001-02402.)


    10.8(1)


    **


    Form of Indemnification Agreement for Directors and Officers.




    22



    11.1

    *

    Statement re computation of per share earnings. (Incorporated by referenceReference to Consolidated Statements of Operations and Note A of the NotesExhibit 10.8 to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Exhibit 13.1 to theHormel’s Annual Report to Stockholderson Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2002, dated October 26, 2002, File No. 001-02402.)


    13.1

    10.9(2)


    **


    Pages 18 through 41

    Hormel Foods Corporation Non Employee Director Deferred Stock Plan (Plan Adopted October 4, 1999; Amended and Restated November 24, 2003.)

    11.1(1)

    Statement re: computation of theper share earnings. (Included in Exhibit 13.1 filed with this Annual Report to Stockholderson Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 26, 2002.30, 2004.)


    21.1

    13.1(2)


    **


    Pages 16 through 49 of the Annual Stockholders’ Report for the fiscal year ended October 30, 2004.

    21.1(2)

    Subsidiaries of the Registrant.


    23.1(2)


    **


    Consent of Independent Auditors.Registered Public Accounting Firm.


    24.1(2)


    **


    Power of Attorney.


    99.1

    31.1(2)


    **


    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors.

    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.


    99.2

    31.2(2)


    **


    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

    32.1(2)

    Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.


    99.3

    99.1(2)


    **


    Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors.

    *


    (1)Document has previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated herein by reference.

    **

    (2)These Exhibits transmitted via EDGAR.

    23(3)                 Management compensatory plan.

    21





    QuickLinks

    PART I
    PART II
    PART III
    PART IV
    SIGNATURES
    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
    Certification Required Under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
    SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS AND RESERVES HORMEL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION (Dollars in Thousands)
    LIST OF EXHIBITS HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION