<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> Hormel Foods Corporation 3rd Quarter 10-Q </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000048465 <NAME> HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> U.S. Dollars <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-mos <FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-30-1999 <PERIOD-START> NOV-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUL-31-1999 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 189,622 <SECURITIES> 46,411 <RECEIVABLES> 221,680 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 262,182 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 734,346 <PP&E> 981,873 <DEPRECIATION> (485,992) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,611,140 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 294,118 <BONDS> 209,208 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 8,492 <OTHER-SE> 0 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 1,611,140 <SALES> 2,406,918 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 2,406,918 <CGS> 1,717,125 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,717,125 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,222 <INCOME-PRETAX> 159,560 <INCOME-TAX> 55,796 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 103,764 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 103,764 <EPS-BASIC> 1.42 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.41