Cal-Maine Foods Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2027 Results
Future dividends require recovery of a $94.5 million cumulative loss under the company’s variable dividend policy.
Sentiment and the balance of points
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Rhea-AI Summary
Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) reported a first-quarter fiscal 2027 net loss attributable to the company of $58.615 million, reversing a year-earlier profit. For the quarter ended August 29, 2026, net sales fell 41.5% to $539.607 million. Diluted loss per share was $1.26 versus earnings of $4.12, and operating loss was $82.165 million versus operating income of $249.184 million.
Conventional Shell Eggs sales fell 59.5% as average prices declined 59.3%. Specialty Shell Eggs and Prepared Foods sales also declined, although their combined share of net sales rose to 54.1% from 37.1%. Cal-Maine acquired additional Eggland’s Best franchise territory in the Northeast and expects projects to expand Prepared Foods capacity more than 60% by the first half of fiscal 2028 versus fiscal 2026 year-end. Cash and short-term investments fell to $767.592 million from $924.057 million at May 30, 2026. No first-quarter cash dividend will be paid.
How this balance works
Rhea-AI gives every point it takes from this document a weight. Minor counts 1, Moderate 3 and Major 9, so one Major point outweighs several Minor ones. The bar adds up the weights on each side, and when neither side holds more than 65% of the total the balance reads Mixed.
It reads the document as published, with the same rules for every company, and it does not look at what the market expected or at how the stock traded, so a point can be objectively good on a day the stock falls.
Rhea-AI Sentiment measures something else, the tone of the wording.
Hollow bars mark forward-looking points. How the balance works
Positive
- Moderate point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Prepared Foods projects are expected to increase capacity more than 60% by first-half fiscal 2028 versus fiscal 2026 year-end.
- Minor pointAdditional Eggland’s Best franchise territory acquired in the Northeast expands distribution and Specialty Shell Eggs penetration.
- Minor pointSpecialty Shell Eggs and Prepared Foods reached 54.1% of net sales, versus 37.1% a year earlier.
- Minor pointPrepared Foods average selling price per pound rose 7.9% year over year.
- Minor pointConventional Shell Eggs benefited from lower outside egg purchase costs, partly offsetting lower prices.
4 minor points
- Minor pointHybrid and cost-plus customer pricing arrangements partially mitigated lower conventional egg market prices.
- Minor pointSpecialty Shell Eggs selling, general and administrative expense declined, partially offsetting pricing and production-cost pressures.
- Minor pointShare repurchases returned $5.0 million for 66,601 shares during first-quarter fiscal 2027.
- Minor pointSubsequent share repurchases returned $14.9 million for 204,888 shares after quarter-end.
Negative
- Major pointNet sales fell 41.5% to $539.607 million in first-quarter fiscal 2027 versus a year earlier.
- Major pointNet loss attributable to Cal-Maine was $58.615 million, versus net income of $199.340 million a year earlier.
- Moderate pointCash and short-term investments fell to $767.592 million at August 29, 2026, from $924.057 million at May 30.
- Minor pointDiluted results swung to a $1.26 loss per share, versus $4.12 earnings a year earlier.
- Minor pointGross profit fell 99.9% to $403,000 in first-quarter fiscal 2027 versus a year earlier.
16 minor points
- Minor pointOperating results swung to an $82.165 million loss, versus $249.184 million income a year earlier.
- Minor pointConventional Shell Eggs sales fell 59.5%; average prices declined 59.3% and volume declined 0.7% year over year.
- Minor pointConventional Shell Eggs posted a $71.045 million operating loss, versus $168.236 million income a year earlier.
- Minor pointSpecialty Shell Eggs sales fell 14.0%; average prices declined 10.7% and volume declined 3.8% year over year.
- Minor pointSpecialty Shell Eggs operating income fell to $14.937 million from $64.196 million a year earlier.
- Minor pointSpecialty Shell Eggs feed and production costs increased, raising cost per dozen.
- Minor pointPrepared Foods sales fell 13.0%, with pounds sold down 19.3% year over year.
- Minor pointPrepared Foods temporary production reductions during capacity expansion and network optimization primarily drove lower volume.
- Minor pointPrepared Foods operating income fell to $7.842 million from $13.221 million a year earlier.
- Minor pointOther segment results swung to an $8.374 million loss, versus $12.219 million income a year earlier.
- Minor pointSelling, general and administrative expense rose to $81.652 million from $69.514 million a year earlier.
- Minor pointFixed-asset disposal losses rose to $916,000 from $104,000 a year earlier.
- Minor pointInvoluntary conversion gains were zero, versus $7.488 million a year earlier.
- Minor pointOther income, net declined to $7.969 million from $14.081 million a year earlier.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.First-quarter fiscal 2027 cash dividend will not be paid under the variable dividend policy.
- Minor pointFuture dividends require cumulative profitability; the loss to recover was $94.5 million at August 29, 2026.
News Explained
A profitable quarter alone cannot restart dividends; as of August 29, 2026, $94.5 million in cumulative losses remained to be recovered.
During the first quarter ended
After quarter-end, it repurchased 204,888 more shares for
Under the company’s variable dividend policy, a later profitable quarter alone does not trigger a payment: the company must first be profitable cumulatively from the last quarter in which it paid a dividend. As of
Details
Market move: CALM -6.64% vs previous close. 1Q FY2027 earnings report
On Sep 30, the day this news came out, the latest delayed price for CALM is 6.64% below the previous close. Our momentum scanner has recorded 3 alerts for this stock so far that day. The latest delayed price is $64.00.
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Key Figures
- Net sales
- $539.607 million, down 41.5%
- First quarter fiscal 2027 versus the comparable fiscal 2026 period
- Net loss attributable to Cal-Maine Foods
- $(58.615) million
- First quarter fiscal 2027; prior-year period reported $199.340 million net income
- Diluted loss per share
- $(1.26)
- First quarter fiscal 2027; prior-year period reported $4.12 diluted EPS
- Specialty Shell Eggs and Prepared Foods share of net sales
- 54.1%
- First quarter fiscal 2027, compared with 37.1% in the prior-year period
- Planned Prepared Foods capacity growth
- More than 60%
- By the first half of fiscal 2028, compared with fiscal 2026 year-end
- First-quarter share repurchases
- 66,601 shares for $5.0 million
- Under the current share repurchase authorization during the first quarter of fiscal 2027
- Subsequent share repurchases
- 204,888 shares for $14.9 million
- Repurchased after the end of the first quarter
- Cumulative loss to recover before future dividends
- $94.5 million
- As of August 29, 2026, under the variable dividend policy
Historical Context
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Prior-quarter oversupply accompanied a net loss and sharply lower sales and diluted EPS.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
cost-plus pricing arrangements financial
operating margin financial
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
RIDGELAND, Miss., Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALM) (“Cal-Maine Foods,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “company”), the largest egg company in the United States and a leading player in the egg-based food industry, today reported results for its first quarter ended August 29, 2026. Unless otherwise indicated, all comparisons are to the comparable period of fiscal 2026.
Financial Highlights
| (in thousands except per share amounts and percentages) | ||||||||||||||
| First Quarter | ||||||||||||||
| 2027 | 2026 | $ Change | % Change | |||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 539,607 | $ | 922,602 | $ | (382,995 | ) | (41.5 | ) | % | ||||
| Gross profit | $ | 403 | $ | 311,314 | $ | (310,911 | ) | (99.9 | ) | % | ||||
| Operating income (loss) | $ | (82,165 | ) | $ | 249,184 | $ | (331,349 | ) | (133.0 | ) | % | |||
| Net income (loss) attributable to Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. | $ | (58,615 | ) | $ | 199,340 | $ | (257,955 | ) | (129.4 | ) | % | |||
| Income (loss) per share - diluted | $ | (1.26 | ) | $ | 4.12 | $ | (5.38 | ) | (130.6 | ) | % | |||
Strategic Execution Highlights
- Continued focus on sales diversification and mix shift, expected to strengthen earnings durability and predictability over time
- In the first quarter of fiscal 2027:
- Prepared Foods accounted for
11.7% of net sales compared to7.8% - Combined, Specialty Shell Eggs and Prepared Foods increased to
54.1% of net sales compared to37.1%
- Prepared Foods accounted for
- In the first quarter of fiscal 2027:
- Acquired additional Eggland’s Best® franchise territory in Northeast, expanding the company's distribution footprint and increasing its Specialty Shell Eggs category penetration across one of the nation’s largest, highest-income consumer markets
- Continued progress on previously announced projects to increase efficiency and production capacity, which are expected to increase Prepared Foods production capacity more than
60% by the first half of fiscal 2028, compared to fiscal 2026 year-end
Commentary
Sherman Miller, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods, said, “Our first-quarter results reflect both the current point in the conventional shell egg cycle and the continued evolution of Cal-Maine Foods’ earnings model. Conventional Shell Egg pricing remains under pressure from an industry supply imbalance, while underlying demand remains healthy. At the same time, Specialty Shell Eggs and Prepared Foods now represent approximately
Segment Results Summary
| Segment Net Sales | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands except percentages) | |||||||||||||||
| First Quarter | |||||||||||||||
| 2027 | 2026 | Volume Change | Avg. Price Change | ||||||||||||
| Conventional Shell Eggs | $ | 201,683 | $ | 498,433 | (0.7 | ) | % | (59.3 | ) | % | |||||
| Specialty Shell Eggs | 236,932 | 275,590 | (3.8 | ) | % | (10.7 | ) | % | |||||||
| Prepared Foods | 62,995 | 72,368 | (19.3 | ) | % | 7.9 | % | ||||||||
| Total Reportable Segments | $ | 501,610 | $ | 846,391 | |||||||||||
| Operating Income (Loss) | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands except percentages) | |||||||||||||||
| First Quarter | |||||||||||||||
| Operating Margin | |||||||||||||||
| 2027 | 2026 | 2027 | 2026 | ||||||||||||
| Conventional Shell Eggs | $ | (71,045 | ) | $ | 168,236 | (35.2 | ) | % | 33.8 | % | |||||
| Specialty Shell Eggs | 14,937 | 64,196 | 6.3 | % | 23.3 | % | |||||||||
| Prepared Foods | 7,842 | 13,221 | 12.4 | % | 18.3 | % | |||||||||
| Total Reportable Segments | $ | (48,266 | ) | $ | 245,653 | (9.6 | ) | % | 29.0 | % | |||||
| Other - Segment Income (Loss) | (8,374 | ) | 12,219 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||
| Unallocated Corporate SG&A | (24,609 | ) | (16,072 | ) | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
| Gain on Involuntary Conversion | — | 7,488 | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||
| Loss on Disposal of Fixed Assets | (916 | ) | (104 | ) | N/A | N/A | |||||||||
| Operating Income (Loss) | $ | (82,165 | ) | $ | 249,184 | (15.2 | ) | % | 27.0 | % | |||||
N/A – Not Applicable
Conventional Shell Eggs
First-quarter performance reflected an abundantly supplied egg market following industry layer flock repopulation during fiscal 2026. The increase in egg supply, together with the first quarter’s historically softer seasonal pricing, resulted in substantially lower conventional shell egg prices compared with the prior-year period.
Conventional Shell Eggs sales decreased
Specialty Shell Eggs
Specialty Shell Eggs sales decreased
Segment income was
Prepared Foods
Prepared Foods sales decreased
Outlook
Mr. Miller commented, “Looking ahead, there are two important timing dynamics: when the conventional shell egg market begins to rebalance and when our investments in Prepared Foods translate into greater earnings contribution. We cannot precisely predict the first, but we have considerably greater visibility into the second. Current earnings reflect a difficult point in the commodity cycle while we are simultaneously investing ahead of growth, and we do not believe that fully reflects the through-cycle earnings power we are building. With a strong balance sheet, more than
Share Repurchase Update
Cal-Maine Foods repurchased 66,601 shares of its common stock under the company’s current share repurchase authorization during the first quarter of fiscal 2027 for a total of
Dividend Payment
Pursuant to the company’s variable dividend policy, Cal-Maine Foods will not pay a cash dividend with respect to the first quarter of fiscal 2027. The company will not pay a dividend for a subsequent profitable quarter until it is profitable on a cumulative basis computed from the date of the last quarter in which a dividend was paid. As of August 29, 2026, the cumulative loss to be recovered before payment of any future dividend under the variable dividend policy was
Conference Call and Webcast
Management will host a conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET on September 30, 2026. Participants can access the live webcast on the Investor Relations page of the Cal-Maine Foods website at https://www.calmainefoods.com/events-presentations. To join by telephone, participants can register here. Upon registration, participants will receive a confirmation email with detailed instructions, including a dial-in number, unique passcode, and registrant ID. A replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the call on the Investor Relations page of the Cal-Maine Foods website at https://www.calmainefoods.com/events-presentations.
About Cal-Maine Foods
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALM) is the largest egg company in the United States and a leading player in the egg-based food industry. With a strong national footprint, Cal-Maine Foods provides nutritious, affordable, and sustainable protein to millions of households every day.
The company’s portfolio spans the full egg value ladder—from conventional to specialty, including cage-free, nutritionally enhanced, organic, brown, pasture-raised, and free-range eggs—serving retail, foodservice and industrial customers nationwide. Cal-Maine Foods also participates in the growing prepared foods sector, with offerings such as pre-cooked egg patties, omelets, folded and scrambled egg formats, hard-cooked eggs, pancakes, waffles, and specialty wraps. Its branded portfolio includes Eggland’s Best®, Land O’Lakes®, Farmhouse Eggs®, 4Grain®, Sunups®, Sunny Meadow®, MeadowCreek Foods®, Van’s®, and Crepini®.
Headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, Cal-Maine’s strategy combines scale, operational excellence, and financial discipline with a commitment to innovation and sustainability, to enable the company to deliver trusted nutrition, enduring partnerships, and long-term value for its stakeholders.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s current intent, belief, expectations, estimates and projections regarding our Company and our industry. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that are difficult to predict and may be beyond our control. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements include, among others, (i) changes in wholesale shell egg market prices, (ii) changes in the demand for shell eggs and our prepared foods offerings, (iii) increases in feed costs for our shell egg operations as well as increases in input costs for prepared foods, (iv) our ability to predict and meet demand for cage-free and other specialty shell eggs, (v) the risks and hazards inherent in shell egg, egg products and prepared foods operations (including, as applicable, disease, pests, weather conditions, and potential for product recall), including but not limited to the current outbreak of HPAI affecting poultry in the U.S., Canada and other countries that was first detected in commercial flocks in the U.S. in February 2022 and that impacted our flocks in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2024 and again in March 2026, (vi) risks, changes, or obligations that could result from our recent or future acquisition of new flocks or businesses, such as our acquisition of Echo Lake Foods completed June 2, 2025, and risks or changes that may cause conditions to completing a pending acquisition not to be met, (vii) our ability to successfully integrate and manage recently acquired businesses, like Echo Lake Foods, and realize the expected benefits of such acquisitions, including synergies, cost savings, reduction in earnings volatility, margin expansion, financial returns, expanded customer relationships, or sales or growth opportunities, (viii) our ability to produce, supply and distribute shell eggs and prepared foods efficiently and reliably, (ix) our ability to compete effectively with existing competitors and new market entrants, retain existing customers, acquire new customers and grow our product mix including our prepared foods product offerings, (x) the impacts of government, customer and consumer reactions to high market prices for eggs, including, without limitation, potential new or expanded government regulations, (xi) risks relating to potential changes in inflation, interest rates and trade and tariff policies, (xii) the loss or expiration of any registered trademarks or other intellectual property that we use in our business, (xiii) adverse results in pending litigation and other legal matters, (xiv) global instability, including as a result of geopolitical conflicts and other uncertainties and (xv) the risk factors set forth the company’s SEC Filings (including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, as may be updated by the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K). The Company’s SEC filings may be obtained from the SEC or the company’s website, www.calmainefoods.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because, while we believe the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Further, forward-looking statements included herein are made only as of the respective dates thereof, or if no date is stated, as of the date hereof. Except as otherwise required by law, we disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.
| CAL-MAINE FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share amounts) | ||||||||
| SUMMARY STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS | ||||||||
| 13 Weeks Ended | ||||||||
| August 29, 2026 | August 30, 2025 | |||||||
| Net sales | $ | 539,607 | $ | 922,602 | ||||
| Cost of sales | 539,204 | 611,288 | ||||||
| Gross profit | 403 | 311,314 | ||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 81,652 | 69,514 | ||||||
| Gain on involuntary conversions | — | (7,488 | ) | |||||
| Loss on disposal of fixed assets | 916 | 104 | ||||||
| Operating income (loss) | (82,165 | ) | 249,184 | |||||
| Other income, net | 7,969 | 14,081 | ||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | (74,196 | ) | 263,265 | |||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | (17,992 | ) | 64,158 | |||||
| Net income (loss) | (56,204 | ) | 199,107 | |||||
| Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest | 2,411 | (233 | ) | |||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. | $ | (58,615 | ) | $ | 199,340 | |||
| Net income (loss) per common share: | ||||||||
| Basic | $ | (1.26 | ) | $ | 4.13 | |||
| Diluted | $ | (1.26 | ) | $ | 4.12 | |||
| Weighted average shares outstanding: | ||||||||
| Basic | 46,703 | 48,281 | ||||||
| Diluted | 46,703 | 48,424 | ||||||
| CAL-MAINE FOODS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Unaudited) (In thousands) | ||||||
| SUMMARY BALANCE SHEETS | ||||||
| August 29, 2026 | May 30, 2026 | |||||
| Assets | ||||||
| Cash and short-term investments | $ | 767,592 | $ | 924,057 | ||
| Receivables, net | 285,232 | 264,431 | ||||
| Inventories, net | 394,690 | 375,265 | ||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 24,379 | 17,789 | ||||
| Current assets | 1,471,893 | 1,581,542 | ||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 1,312,285 | 1,318,335 | ||||
| Other noncurrent assets | 229,201 | 207,693 | ||||
| Total assets | $ | 3,013,379 | $ | 3,107,570 | ||
| Liabilities and stockholders' equity | ||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 191,127 | $ | 205,516 | ||
| Current liabilities | 191,127 | 205,516 | ||||
| Deferred income taxes and other liabilities | 242,305 | 261,522 | ||||
| Stockholders' equity | 2,579,947 | 2,640,532 | ||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 3,013,379 | $ | 3,107,570 | ||
Contacts
Investors: ir@cmfoods.com
Media: media@cmfoods.com
Telephone: (601) 948-6813
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What were Cal-Maine Foods’ first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings?
Cal-Maine Foods reported a $58.615 million net loss attributable to the company, or $1.26 per diluted share, for the quarter ended August 29, 2026. A year earlier, it earned $199.340 million, or $4.12 per diluted share. Net sales declined 41.5% to $539.607 million.
When can Cal-Maine Foods resume dividends after its first-quarter fiscal 2027 loss?
Cal-Maine Foods will not pay a dividend for a subsequent profitable quarter until it is profitable on a cumulative basis, measured from the last quarter for which a dividend was paid. At August 29, 2026, the cumulative loss requiring recovery before future dividend payments was $94.5 million.
Why did Cal-Maine Foods’ conventional egg prices decline in first-quarter fiscal 2027?
Cal-Maine Foods attributed lower conventional egg prices to increased industry supply following layer flock repopulation during fiscal 2026, together with historically softer first-quarter seasonal pricing. Average selling prices per dozen declined 59.3% year over year, while volume declined 0.7%.