A doubling of its pork profits has boosted third-quarter earnings at US meat processor Smithfield Foods.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The company today (28 February) posted a 34% jump in operating profit to US$166.3m for the three months to 27 January. Revenue climbed 15.6% to $3.8bn.


Underlying net income reached $59.1m, down from $62.1m a year ago, due to changes in Smithfield’s tax rate.


The rise in operating profit came despite a fall in earnings from Smithfield’s international business. Groupe Smithfield, the company’s European business, saw sales and margins slide due to fierce competition in France and the Netherlands.


In the US, the company said last year’s acquisition of Premium Standard Farms had led to its pork profits more than doubling.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

“We enjoyed very strong fresh pork margins that were much higher than historical levels as a result of lower hog costs and strong industry exports,” said president and CEO Larry Pope.


However, margins from Smithfield’s beef business were hit due to a weak sector, while it incurred a loss from its hog operations.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact