ITEM 7.                 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis is intended to provide a summary of significant factors relevant to the Company’s financial performance and condition. The discussion should be read together with the Company’s financial statements and related notes in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. Results for the fiscal year ended May 28, 2006 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be attained in the future.

Executive Overview

ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America’s largest packaged food companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include: Banquet ® , Chef Boyardee ® , Egg Beaters ® , Healthy Choice ® , Hebrew National ® , Hunt’s ® , Marie Callender’s ® , Orville Redenbacher’s ® , Reddi-wip ® , PAM ® , and many others.

Fiscal 2006 diluted earnings per share were $1.03, including $1.15 per diluted share of income from continuing operations and a loss of $0.12 per diluted share from discontinued operations. Fiscal 2005 diluted earnings per share were $1.23, with continuing operations contributing $1.09 per diluted share, and discontinued operations contributing $0.14 per diluted share. Several items affect the comparability of results of continuing operations, as discussed in “Other Significant Items of Note—Items Impacting Comparability,” below.

Operating Initiatives

ConAgra Foods is in the process of implementing operational improvement initiatives that are intended to generate profitable sales growth, improve profit margins, and expand returns on capital over time. Various improvement initiatives focused on marketing, operating efficiency, and business processes have been underway for several years. Senior leadership changes during fiscal 2006 resulted in new priorities and increased focus on execution.

The Company currently has the following strategies and action plans:

·        Reducing costs throughout the supply chain and the general and administrative functions:  These initiatives are focused on cost savings opportunities in procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and customer service as well as general overhead levels. The Company expects to reduce the number of manufacturing plants and number of employees over time as it implements these initiatives to be more efficient.

·        Increased and more focused marketing and innovation investments:  The Company is allocating its marketing resources differently by concentrating its investment behind the brands with the most significant opportunities and by utilizing more appropriate go-to-market strategies for all brands. The Company also expects to significantly improve its innovation pipeline by significantly reducing innovation cycle time and focusing on larger, more profitable opportunities. These types of actions are expected to improve marketing effectiveness and help improve product mix.

·        Sales growth initiatives:  The Company also has sales improvement initiatives focused on penetrating the fastest growing channels, better return on customer trade arrangements, and optimal shelf placement for the Company’s most profitable products. These, along with the marketing initiatives, are intended to generate profitable sales growth.

·        Portfolio changes:  The Company is divesting non-core operations that have limited the Company’s ability to achieve its efficiency targets. During fiscal 2006, the Company identified several operations as non-core, including Cook’s Ham, seafood, packaged meats and cheese; divesting

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these will simplify the Company’s operations and enhance efficiency initiatives. During 2006, the Company completed the divestitures of its Cook’s Ham and its seafood operations and expects to complete its divestitures of the packaged meats and cheese businesses in the first half of fiscal 2007.

            Changes to the Company’s portfolio have been ongoing for several years in an effort to focus on higher-margin, branded and value-added businesses. For example, during fiscal 2005, the Company completed the divestitures of its:

·         UAP International business,

·         minority equity investment in Swift Foods and cattle feeding assets,

·         specialty meats foodservice business, and

·         Portuguese poultry business.

            These followed other divestitures prior to fiscal 2005, including the Company’s chicken business, UAP North America business, Spanish feed business, fresh beef and pork operations, canned seafood operations, and specialty cheese operations.

Discontinued Operations.    The results of operations for Cook’s Ham, seafood, packaged meats, packaged cheese, and chicken operations, as well as UAP North America, UAP International, the Spanish feed business, Portuguese poultry business, and specialty meats foodservice business, are reflected in discontinued operations for all periods presented. Beginning September 24, 2004, the results of operations of the cattle feeding business are presented in discontinued operations.

Capital Allocation

In fiscal 2006, the Company repaid almost $900 million of debt and repurchased $197 million (approximately 8.7 million shares) of common stock using divestiture proceeds and cash generated from working capital improvements. At the end of fiscal 2006, the Company’s debt-to-total-capital ratio was approximately 44%, down from 48% in the prior year (total capital is defined as the sum of notes payable, current installments of long-term debt, senior long-term debt, subordinated debt and common stockholders’ equity). At May 28, 2006, the Company had approximately $203 million remaining under the existing share repurchase authorization.

During fiscal 2006, the Company reduced its quarterly dividend to $0.18 per share from $0.2725 per share. The Company believes this represents a more sustainable dividend level and gives the Company more flexibility to pursue its growth objectives. The first dividend payment at the new rate was June 1, 2006, which was subsequent to fiscal 2006 year-end. Dividends paid during fiscal 2006 were $565 million, slightly ahead of $550 million paid in fiscal 2005.

The Company continues to assess its allocation of capital and periodically reviews the appropriateness and timing with respect to the continuation of the share repurchase program.

Other Significant Items of Note—Items Impacting Comparability

As the Company implements operating improvement initiatives, it occasionally incurs costs related to changes that are intended to make a more efficient cost structure, for example: reducing headcount and closing facilities. The Company also incurs costs to dispose of businesses, revalue assets, retire debt, resolve legal disputes, and in connection with other items that impact the comparability of operating results.

The Company’s plans over the next several years include an estimate of at least $238 million of pretax restructuring costs, $130 million of which were incurred in fiscal 2006. The Company estimates that these

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restructuring plans will result in cost savings of approximately $85 million in fiscal 2007 and significant cost savings and cost avoidance each year thereafter.

Items of note impacting comparability for fiscal 2006 include:

Reported within Continuing Operations

·        a gain of approximately $329 million, $209 million after tax, from the sale of 15.4 million shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock in August 2005,

·        charges totaling $130 million, $81 million after tax, for restructuring charges related to programs designed to reduce the Company’s ongoing operating costs,

·        impairment charges totaling $83 million, $51 million after tax, related to a note receivable,

·        impairment charges totaling $76 million, $73 million after tax, related to two equity method investments,

·        charges totaling $30 million, $19 million after tax, related to early retirement of debt,

·        a charge of $19 million, $12 million after tax, related to accelerated recognition of benefits in connection with departure of key executives,

·        a charge of $17 million, $11 million after tax, reflecting the adjustment of a litigation reserve,

·        a charge of $6 million, $4 million after tax, related to a plant closure in the Company’s International Foods segment, and

·        a favorable effective tax rate of 34%, versus the Company’s expected effective tax rate of 36%, principally resulting from the implementation of state tax planning strategies and changes in estimates of state tax rates, and foreign and other tax credits, partially offset by the absence of income tax benefits for the impairments of equity method investments (noted above).

Reported within Discontinued Operations

·        charges of approximately $241 million, $209 million after tax, primarily related to a goodwill impairment charge, and

·        gains of approximately $116 million, $37 million after tax, from the divestiture of businesses.

Opportunities and Challenges

The Company believes that its initiatives will favorably impact future sales, profits, profit margins, and returns on capital. Because of the scope of change underway, there is risk that these broad change initiatives will not be successfully implemented. Competitive pressures, input costs and the execution of the operational changes, among other factors, will affect the timing and impact of these initiatives.

The Company has faced increased costs for many of its significant raw materials, packaging, and energy inputs. Inflationary pressures negatively impacted fiscal 2006 results, but to a lesser extent in fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004. The Company’s productivity and pricing initiatives are intended to mitigate the impact of inflation. When appropriate, the Company uses long-term purchase contracts, futures and options to reduce the volatility of certain raw materials costs.

Changing consumer preferences may impact sales of certain of the Company’s products. The Company offers a variety of food products which appeal to a range of consumer preferences and utilizes innovation and marketing programs to develop products that fit with changing consumer trends. As part of these programs, the Company introduces new products and product extensions.

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Consolidation of many of the Company’s customers continues to result in increased buying power, negotiating strength and complex service requirements for those customers. This trend, which is expected to continue, may negatively impact gross margins, particularly in the Consumer Foods segment. In order to effectively respond to this customer consolidation, the Company is continually evaluating its go to market strategies and its customer service costs. The Company is implementing improved trade promotion programs to drive improved return on investment, and pursuing shelf placement and customer service improvement initiatives.

SEGMENT REVIEW

Historically, the Company reported its results of operations in three segments: the Retail Products segment, the Foodservice Products segment, and the Food Ingredients segment. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, due to changes in its management structure, the Company began reporting its operations in four reporting segments : Consumer Foods, Food and Ingredients, Trading and Merchandising, and International Foods. Fiscal 2005 and 2004 financial information has been conformed to reflect the segment change.

Consumer Foods

The Consumer Foods reporting segment includes branded, private label and customized food products which are sold in various retail and foodservice channels. The products include a variety of categories (meals, entrees, condiments, sides, snacks and desserts) across frozen, refrigerated and shelf-stable temperature classes.

Food and Ingredients

The Food and Ingredients reporting segment includes commercially branded foods and ingredients, which are sold principally to foodservice, food manufacturing and industrial customers. The segment’s primary products include specialty potato products, milled grain ingredients, dehydrated vegetables and seasonings, blends and flavors.

Trading and Merchandising

The Trading and Merchandising reporting segment includes the sourcing, merchandising, trading, marketing and distribution of agricultural and energy commodities.

International Foods

The International Foods reporting segment includes branded food products which are sold in retail channels principally in North America, Europe and Asia. The products include a variety of categories (meals, entrees, condiments, sides, snacks and desserts) across frozen, refrigerated and shelf-stable temperature classes.

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2006 vs. 2005

Net Sales

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2006 Net Sales					Fiscal 2005 Net Sales					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	6,600				$	6,716				(2	)%
Food and Ingredients					3,189					2,986					7	%
Trading and Merchandising					1,186					1,224					(3	)%
International Foods					604					578					4	%
Total					$	11,579				$	11,504				1	%

 

Overall, Company net sales increased $76 million to $11.6 billion in fiscal 2006, primarily reflecting favorable results in the Food and Ingredients and International Foods segments.  Price increases driven by higher input costs for potatoes, wheat milling and dehydrated vegetables within the Food and Ingredients segment, coupled with the strength of foreign currencies within the International Foods segment enhanced net sales. These increases were partially offset by volume declines in the Consumer Foods segment, principally related to certain shelf stable brands and declines in the Trading and Merchandising segment related to decreased volumes and certain divestitures and closures.

Consumer Foods net sales decreased $116 million for the year to $6.6 billion. Sales volume declined by 2% in fiscal 2006, principally due to declines in certain shelf stable brands. Sales of the Company’s top thirty brands, which represented approximately 84% of total segment sales during fiscal 2006, were flat as a group, as sales of some of the Company’s most significant brands, including Chef Boyardee ® , Marie Callender’s ® , Orville Redenbacher ® , Slim Jim ® , Hebrew National ® , Kid Cuisine ® , Reddi-Wip ® , VanCamp ® , Libby’s ® , LaChoy ® , The Max ® , Manwich ® , David’s ® , Ro*Tel ® , Angela Mia ®  and Mama Rosa ®  grew in fiscal 2006, but were largely offset by sales declines for the year for Hunt’s ® , Wesson ® , Act II ® , Snack Pack ® , Swiss Miss ® , Pam ® , Egg Beaters ® , Blue Bonnet ® , Parkay ® , and Rosarita ® .

Food and Ingredients net sales increased $203 million to $3.2 billion, primarily reflecting price increases driven by higher input costs for potato, wheat milling and dehydrated vegetable operations.   Net sales were also impacted, to a lesser degree, by a 4% increase in potato products volume compared to the prior year.

Trading and Merchandising net sales decreased $38 million to $1.2 billion. The decrease resulted principally from lower grain and edible bean merchandising volume resulting from the divestment or closure of various locations.

International Foods net sales increased $26 million to $604 million. The strengthening of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar accounted for $24 million of the increase. Overall volume growth was modest as the 10% volume growth from the top six International brands (Orville Redenbacher ® , Act II ® , Snack Pack ® , Chef Boyardee ® , Hunt’s ® , and Pam ® ), which account for 55% of total segment sales, was offset by sales declines related to the discontinuance of a number of low margin products.

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Gross Profit
(Net Sales less Cost of Goods Sold)

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2006 Gross Profit					Fiscal 2005 Gross Profit					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	1,854				$	1,903				(3	)%
Food and Ingredients					533					508					5	%
Trading and Merchandising					258					267					(4	)%
International Foods					165					150					10	%
Total					$	2,810				$	2,828				(1	)%

 

The Company’s gross profit for fiscal 2006 was $2.8 billion, a decrease of $18 million, or 1%, from the prior year as improvements in the Foods and Ingredients and International Foods segments were more than offset by declines in the Consumer Foods and Trading and Merchandising segments. Gross profit includes $20 million of costs associated with the Company’s restructuring plans in fiscal 2006, and $17 million of costs incurred to implement the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives in fiscal 2005.

Consumer Foods gross profit for fiscal 2006 was $1.9 billion, a decrease of $49 million from fiscal 2005, driven principally by a 2% decline in sales volumes. Fiscal 2006 gross profit includes $20 million of costs related to the Company’s restructuring plan, and fiscal 2005 gross profit includes $16 million of costs related to implementing the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives. Gross profit was negatively impacted by increased costs of fuel and energy, transportation and warehousing, steel and other packaging materials in both fiscal 2006 and 2005.

Food and Ingredients gross profit for fiscal 2006 was $533 million, an increase of $25 million over the prior year. The gross profit improvement was driven almost entirely by the vegetable processing and dehydration businesses (including potatoes, garlic, onions and chili peppers) as a result of higher volume (both domestic and export), increased value-added sales mix and pricing improvements partially offset by higher raw product and conversion costs.

Trading and Merchandising gross profit for fiscal 2006 was $258 million, a decrease of $9 million over the prior year. Gross profit declined $28 million in the trading businesses driven almost entirely by a difficult fertilizer market. Gross profit for the agricultural businesses increased $19 million driven by stronger trading gains in livestock and stronger margins in merchandising grain and animal by-products.

International Foods gross profit for fiscal 2006 was $165 million, an increase of $15 million over the prior fiscal year. The increase was driven by the impact of stronger foreign currencies and improvements in pricing, product mix management and cost reduction initiatives.

Gross Margin

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2006 Gross Margin				Fiscal 2005 Gross Margin
Consumer Foods					28	%			28	%
Food and Ingredients					17	%			17	%
Trading and Merchandising					22	%			22	%
International Foods					27	%			26	%
Total Company					24	%			25	%

 

The Company’s gross margin (gross profit as a percentage of net sales) for fiscal 2006 was down one percentage point compared to fiscal 2005, which reflects the costs incurred to implement the Company’s restructuring plan, coupled with lower volumes and fewer opportunities in the energy markets. These

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effects were partially offset by a favorable commodity trading environment within the Trading and Merchandising agricultural markets as well as improvements due to pricing and favorable foreign currency impacts within the International Foods segment.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (includes General Corporate Expense) (“SG&A”)

SG&A expenses totaled $1.9 billion for fiscal 2006, an increase of $217 million over the prior fiscal year. Included in SG&A expenses for fiscal 2006 are the following items:

·        charges of $109 million related to the Company’s restructuring plan,

·        charges of $83 million on the Swift & Company note impairment,

·        charges of $30 million on the early retirement of debt,

·        a charge of $19 million for severance of key executives,

·        a charge of $17 million for patent-related litigation expense, and

·        a charge of $6 million for the impairment of an international manufacturing facility.

Included in SG&A expenses for fiscal 2005 are the following items:

·        a charge of $15 million for an impairment of a facility in the Food and Ingredients segment,

·        a charge of $22 million on the early redemption of $600 million of 7.5% senior debt,

·        a charge of $21.5 million in connection with matters related to an ongoing SEC investigation,

·        a $10 million charge to reflect an impairment of a brand within the Consumer Foods segment,

·        a benefit of $17 million for legal settlements in the Consumer Foods segment,

·        a fire loss at a Food and Ingredients plant of $10 million, and

·        a charge of $43 million for severance expense in connection with the Company’s salaried headcount reduction actions.

Higher incentive compensation in fiscal 2006 was partially offset by operating cost efficiencies. Fiscal 2006 included a $6 million benefit from a reduction of estimated severance liabilities for the Company’s salaried headcount reduction.

Operating Profit
(Earnings before general corporate expense, interest expense, net, gain on the sale of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock, income taxes, and equity method investment earnings)

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2006 Operating Profit					Fiscal 2005 Operating Profit					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	839				$	944				(11	)%
Food and Ingredients					358					306					17	%
Trading and Merchandising					169					197					(14	)%
International Foods					62					63					(1	)%

 

Consumer Foods operating profit decreased $105 million for the fiscal year to $839 million. The decline resulted principally from lower gross profit, as discussed above, as well as $64 million of fiscal 2006 restructuring costs related to reducing SG&A. Costs of implementing the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives related to SG&A reduced operating profit by $4 million in fiscal 2005. In addition, the

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segment recognized $28 million of severance expense during fiscal 2005 and recognized a benefit of $6 million during fiscal 2006 due to reductions of estimated severance liabilities. Fiscal 2006 also reflects additional costs associated with the Company’s information technology initiatives, partially offset by lower SG&A costs due to efficiency initiatives previously implemented.

Food and Ingredients operating profit increased $52 million to $358 million in fiscal 2006. Results for fiscal 2006 include $6 million of charges related to an asset impairment, facility exit costs and additional headcount reduction initiatives within the Company’s restructuring plan. Exclusive of these items, operating profit improvement was principally driven by the improved gross margins as discussed above. Fiscal 2005 results included a charge of $15 million for a facility closure, a $10 million charge related to a fire at a Canadian production facility and a $4 million charge related to operational efficiency and salaried headcount reduction initiatives.

Trading and Merchandising operating profit decreased $28 million to $169 million in fiscal 2006, resulting from lower gross profit. Fertilizer merchandising profits declined due to difficult market conditions in fiscal 2006, offset in part by better results in merchandising of animal and grain by-products.

International Foods operating profit declined $1 million to $62 million in fiscal 2006, as the increase in gross profit was offset by costs associated with the closure of a production facility and additional advertising and promotion to drive growth within major global brands.

Interest Expense, Net

In fiscal 2006, net interest expense was $247 million, a decrease of $48 million, or 16%, over the prior fiscal year. Decreased interest expense reflects the Company’s retirement of nearly $900 million of debt during fiscal 2006. Fiscal 2006 also benefited from the redemption of preferred securities of a subsidiary company in the third quarter of 2005, resulting in decreased interest expense of $8 million. These factors were partially offset by a reduced benefit from the interest rate swap agreements terminated in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. These interest rate swap agreements were put in place as a strategy to hedge interest costs associated with long-term debt and were closed out in fiscal 2004 in order to lock-in existing favorable interest rates. For financial statement purposes, the benefit associated with the termination of the interest rate swap agreements continues to be recognized over the term of the debt instruments originally hedged. As a result, the Company’s net interest expense was reduced by $12 million during fiscal 2006 and $41 million during fiscal 2005. In addition, during the second quarter of fiscal 2005, the Company recognized approximately $14 million of additional interest expense associated with a previously terminated interest rate swap.

Gain on Sale of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation Common Stock

During fiscal 2006, the Company sold its remaining 15.4 million shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock for $482 million, resulting in a pre-tax gain of $329 million. During fiscal 2005, the Company sold ten million shares of the Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock for $283 million, resulting in a pre-tax gain of approximately $186 million.

Equity Method Investment Earnings (Loss)

Equity method investment losses of $50 million and $25 million were recognized in fiscal 2006 and 2005, respectively.

During fiscal 2005, the Company determined that the carrying values of its investments in two unrelated equity method investments were other-than-temporarily impaired and therefore recognized pre-tax impairment charges totaling $71 million ($66 million after tax). During fiscal 2006, the Company determined that the fair value of one of these equity method investments had declined further and

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recorded additional impairment charges. The Company also determined that the carrying value of a third equity method investment was impaired and recorded an impairment charge to reduce that investment to its estimated fair value. These impairment charges totaled $76 million ($73 million after tax) in fiscal 2006. The extent of the impairments was determined based upon the Company’s assessment of the recoverability of its investments based primarily upon the expected proceeds of planned dispositions of the investments.

The Company’s share of earnings from the Company’s remaining equity method investments, which include potato processing and grain merchandising businesses, declined by approximately $13 million from the comparable amount in fiscal 2005. Equity method investment earnings included income of approximately $7 million in fiscal 2005 from the fresh beef and pork investment which was divested during fiscal 2005.

Results of Discontinued Operations

Loss from discontinued operations was $62 million, net of tax, in fiscal 2006. In fiscal 2005, the Company recognized income from discontinued operations of $76 million, net of tax. Included in these amounts are:

·        impairment charges of $241 million recorded in fiscal 2006 to reduce the carrying value of assets held for sale from the Company’s discontinued packaged meats business to their estimated fair value less costs to sell,

·        a gain on the disposition of the Company’s Cook Ham business of $110 million in fiscal 2006,

·        pre-tax earnings of $169 million from operations of discontinued businesses in fiscal 2006,

·        income tax expense of $106 million in fiscal 2006,

·        impairment charges of $59 million recorded in fiscal 2005 to reduce the carrying values of assets held for sale to their estimated fair values less costs to sell,

·        net gains on the disposition of discontinued businesses of $26 million in fiscal 2005,

·        pre-tax earnings of $147 million from operations of the discontinued business in fiscal 2005, and

·        income tax expense of $38 million in fiscal 2005.

Income Taxes and Net Income

The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to pre-tax income from continuing operations, inclusive of equity method investment earnings) was 34% for fiscal 2006. In 2006, state income taxes included approximately $26 million of benefits related to the implementation of tax planning strategies and changes in estimates, principally related to deferred state tax rates. This was largely offset by the tax impact of impairments of equity method investments for which the Company does not expect to receive a significant tax benefit.

The effective tax rate was 42% in fiscal 2005. During fiscal 2005, the Company increased its estimate of the effective tax rate for state income taxes, resulting in an overall effective tax rate in excess of the statutory rate. The Company reached an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) with respect to the IRS’s examination of the Company’s tax returns for fiscal years 2000 through 2002. As a result of the resolution of these matters, the Company reduced income tax expense and the related provision for income taxes payable by $5 million during fiscal 2005.

The Company expects its effective tax rate in fiscal 2007, exclusive of any unusual transactions or tax events, to be approximately 36%.

Net income was $534 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, in fiscal 2006, compared to $642 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, in fiscal 2005.

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Certain Legal Matters

On June 22, 2001, the Company filed an amended annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 28, 2000. The filing included restated financial information for fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. The restatement, due to accounting and conduct matters at United Agri Products, Inc. (“UAP”), a former subsidiary, was based upon an investigation undertaken by the company and the Audit Committee of its Board of Directors. The restatement was principally related to revenue recognition for deferred delivery sales and vendor rebates, advance vendor rebates, and bad debt reserves. The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a formal order of nonpublic investigation dated September 28, 2001. The Company is cooperating with the SEC investigation, which relates to the UAP matters described above, as well as other aspects of the Company’s financial statements, including the level and application of certain of the Company’s reserves.

On April 29, 2005, the Company filed an amended annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 30, 2004 and amended quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended August 29, 2004 and November 28, 2004. The filings included restated financial information for fiscal years 2002, 2003, 2004 and the first two quarters of fiscal 2005. The restatement related to tax matters. The Company provided information to the SEC Staff relating to the facts and circumstances surrounding the restatement.

On July 28, 2006, the Company filed an amendment to its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 29, 2005. The filing amended to Item 6. Selected Financial Data and Exhibit 12, Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges, for fiscal year 2001, and certain restated financial information for fiscal years 1999 and 2000, all related to the application of certain of the Company’s reserves for the three years and fiscal year 1999 income tax expense. The Company has provided information to the SEC Staff relating to the facts and circumstances surrounding the amended filing.

The Company is currently conducting discussions with the SEC Staff regarding a possible settlement of these matters. Based on discussions to date, the Company estimates the amount of such settlement and related payments to be approximately $46.5 million. The Company recorded charges of $25 million and $21.5 million in fiscal 2004 and the third quarter of fiscal 2005, respectively, in connection with the expected settlement of these matters. There can be no assurance that the negotiations with the SEC Staff will ultimately be successful or that the SEC will accept the terms of any settlement that is negotiated with the SEC Staff.

Three purported class actions have been consolidated in the United States District Court for Nebraska, Berlien v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al. Case No. 805CV292 filed on June 21, 2005, Calvacca v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al. Case No. 805CV00318 filed on June 30, 2005, and Woods v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al. Case No. 805CV493 filed on July 26, 2005. Each lawsuit is against the company and its former chief executive officer. The lawsuits allege violations of the federal securities laws in connection with the events resulting in the Company’s April 2005 restatement of its financial statements and related matters. Each complaint seeks a declaration that the action is maintainable as a class action and that the plaintiff is a proper class representative, unspecified compensatory damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees and any other relief deemed proper by the court. The Company believes the lawsuits are without merit and intends to vigorously defend the actions.

Four derivative actions were filed by shareholder plaintiffs, purportedly on behalf of the Company, three of the actions were filed in the in United States District Court for Nebraska, Case No. 805CV342 and Case No. 805CV343 filed on July 15, 2005, and Case No. 405CV3183 filed on July 26, 2005 and the fourth action was filed on December 12, 2005 in the District Court for Douglas County, Nebraska, Case No. 1056-745. The complaints alleged that the defendants, directors and certain executive officers of the Company during the relevant times, breached fiduciary duties in connection with events resulting in the Company’s April 2005 restatement of its financial statements and related matters. The actions seek, inter alia, recovery to the Company, which was named as a nominal defendant in the action, of damages

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allegedly sustained by the Company and for reimbursement and restitution. Additionally, a derivative action was filed by a shareholder plaintiff, purportedly on behalf of the Company, in the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware in New Castle County on April 18, 2006. The complaint contains allegations of breach of fiduciary duties, waste, unjust enrichment, and false and misleading proxy statements against the defendants, directors of the company at the relevant times and the current and former chief executive officers, in the compensation awarded to the former chief executive officer since 2002. The complaint seeks an unspecified amount of damages alleged to have been sustained by the Company, attorneys’ fees and any other relief deemed proper by the court. The individuals named as defendants in the action believe the actions are without merit and intend to vigorously defend the allegations.

Three purported class actions were filed in United States District Court for Nebraska, Rantala v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al. Case No. 805CV349, and Bright v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al., Case No. 805CV348 on July 18, 2005 and Boyd v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., et. al., Case No. 805CV386 on August 8, 2005. The lawsuits are against the Company and its directors and its employee benefits committee on behalf of participants in the Company’s employee retirement income savings plans. The lawsuits allege violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in connection with the events resulting in the Company’s April 2005 restatement of its financial statements and related matters. Each complaint seeks an unspecified amount of damages, injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees and other equitable monetary relief. The Company believes the lawsuits are without merit and intends to vigorously defend the actions.

2005 vs. 2004

Net Sales

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2005 Net Sales					Fiscal 2004 Net Sales					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	6,716				$	6,554				2	%
Food and Ingredients					2,986					2,898					3	%
Trading and Merchandising					1,224					907					35	%
International Foods					578					567					2	%
Total					$	11,504				$	10,926				5	%

 

Overall Company net sales increased $578 million to $11.5 billion in fiscal 2005, primarily reflecting favorable results in the Trading and Merchandising segment and a 4% increase in the top thirty brands of the Consumer Foods segment. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $214 million of incremental net sales due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Consumer Foods net sales increased $161 million for the year to $6.7 billion. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $120 million of incremental net sales due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations. Sales of the Company’s top thirty brands, which represented approximately 84% of total segment sales during fiscal 2005, grew 4% as a group, as sales of some of the Company’s most significant brands, including Banquet ® , Chef Boyardee ® , Marie Callender’s ® , ACT II ® , Kid Cuisine ® , Libby’s ® , Blue Bonnet ® , PAM ® , Parkay ® , Egg Beaters ® , Swiss Miss ® , Snack Pack ® , Hunt’s ®  and Manwich ® , grew in fiscal 2005, despite the additional week included in results for fiscal 2004. Major brands posting sales declines for fiscal 2005 included Healthy Choice ® , Slim Jim ® , Hebrew National ® , and LaChoy ® . Although prior years sales and marketing initiatives positively impacted the Consumer Foods segment net sales for fiscal 2005, manufacturing challenges resulting from installation of new equipment, consolidation of plant locations and transfer of production across plant locations, and temporary disruptions from the implementation of Project Nucleus , the Company’s information-based business process initiative, resulted in the disruption of the Company’s ability to fill customer orders for certain products, primarily in the third quarter of fiscal 2005.

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Food and Ingredients net sales increased $88 million to $3.0 billion in fiscal 2005 driven primarily by increased volume for potato and milled wheat products, with comparability impacted by an estimated $55 million of incremental sales in fiscal 2004 due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Trading and Merchandising net sales increased $317 million to $1.2 billion in fiscal 2005. The increase is due largely to higher market prices and increased volume in the fertilizer and grain merchandising operations and the inclusion of sales to United Agri Products, Inc. and Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation subsequent to the Company’s divestitures of UAP North America and the chicken business in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Stronger energy-related trading results in fiscal 2005 also contributed to the increase. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $28 million of incremental sales due to an additional week of operations.

International Foods net sales increased $11 million to $578 million in fiscal 2005. The improvement was driven by the strengthening of foreign currencies coupled with volume growth and improved pricing. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $11 million of incremental sales due to an additional week of operations and $10 million in sales from a Puerto Rican dairy business sold at the end of fiscal 2004.

Gross Profit
(Net Sales less Cost of Goods Sold)

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2005 Gross Profit					Fiscal 2004 Gross Profit					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	1,903				$	1,979				(4	)%
Food and Ingredients					508					503					1	%
Trading and Merchandising					267					174					53	%
International Foods					150					134					12	%
Total					$	2,828				$	2,790				1	%

 

The Company’s gross profit for fiscal 2005 was $2.8 billion, an increase of $38 million from the prior year. Fiscal 2005 gross profits were positively impacted by improved energy-related trading results, volume and margin improvements in the fertilizer merchandising operations and foreign currency hedging. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $52 million of incremental gross profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations. Gross profit was reduced by $17 million and $13 million in fiscal 2005 and 2004, respectively, due to costs incurred to implement the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives.

Consumer Foods gross profit for fiscal 2005 was $1.9 billion, a decrease of $76 million from fiscal 2004. Fiscal 2005 was impacted negatively by higher production costs related to installation of new equipment, consolidation of plant locations and transfer of production across plant locations. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $37 million of incremental gross profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations. Costs of implementing the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives reduced gross profit by $16 million and $11 million in fiscal 2005 and 2004, respectively.

The Food and Ingredients segment generated gross profit of $508 million in fiscal 2005, an increase of $5 million over the prior fiscal year. Improved gross profit was driven by increased volumes in the Company’s potato products operations offset by lower results in the dehydrated vegetable business, which operated in a difficult cost and competitive environment. Fiscal 2004 results included an estimated $9 million of incremental gross profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Trading and Merchandising gross profit for fiscal 2005 was $267 million, an increase of $93 million over the prior fiscal year. The performance improvement was driven by stronger energy-related trading results as well as volume and margin improvements in the fertilizer merchandising operations. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $4 million of incremental gross profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

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International Foods gross profit for fiscal 2005 was $150 million, an increase of $16 million over the prior fiscal year driven by pricing improvements, currency hedging and volume growth. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $3 million of incremental gross profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Gross Margin

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2005 Gross Margin				Fiscal 2004 Gross Margin
Consumer Foods					28	%			30	%
Food and Ingredients					17	%			17	%
Trading and Merchandising					22	%			19	%
International Foods					26	%			24	%
Total Company					25	%			26	%

 

The Company’s gross margin (gross profit as a percentage of net sales) for fiscal 2005 decreased one percentage point as compared to fiscal 2004, which reflects the impact of higher input costs and costs associated with the installation of new equipment, consolidation of plant locations and transfer of production across plant locations, combined with the resulting disruption of the Company’s ability to fill customer orders for certain higher-margin products in the third quarter of fiscal 2005.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses (includes General Corporate Expense) (“SG&A”)

SG&A expenses totaled $1.7 billion in each of fiscal 2005 and 2004. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $34 million in SG&A expense for the inclusion of an additional week of operations. Costs of implementing the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives increased SG&A expenses by $4 million and $27 million in fiscal 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Company spent significantly less on advertising and promotion in fiscal 2005 than in the prior year. The Company also incurred lower incentive compensation expense in fiscal 2005 than in the prior year. Included in fiscal 2005 SG&A expenses are:

·        a charge of $15 million for an impairment of a facility in the Food and Ingredients segment,

·        a charge of $22 million on the early redemption of $600 million of 7.5% senior debt,

·        a charge of $21.5 million in connection with matters related to an ongoing SEC investigation,

·        a $10 million charge to reflect an impairment of a brand within the Consumer Foods segment,

·        a benefit of $17 million for legal settlements in the Consumer Foods segment,

·        a fire loss at a Food and Ingredients plant of $10 million, and

·        a charge of $43 million for severance expense in connection with the Company’s salaried headcount reduction actions.

The results for fiscal 2004 include $25 million of litigation expense related to a former choline chloride joint venture with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. that was sold in 1997, partially offset by a gain of $21 million recognized upon the sale of the Company’s cost-method investment in a venture. In fiscal 2004, the Company established reserves of $25 million in connection with matters related to an SEC investigation (see “Certain Legal Matters” discussion).

Advertising and promotion expense was $321 million in fiscal 2005, below the $368 million spent in the prior year. The decline reflected the Company’s implementation of disciplined analyses to evaluate marketing investments as well as overall cost control. The Company’s marketing activities also included more than $2 billion spent with customers in the form of trade merchandising and trade promotions in fiscal 2005. Those amounts are reflected as a reduction of net sales in the Company’s consolidated statements of earnings.

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Operating Profit
(Earnings before general corporate expense, interest expense, net, gain on the sale of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock, income taxes, and equity method investment earnings)

Reporting Segment				Fiscal 2005 Operating Profit					Fiscal 2004 Operating Profit					% Increase/ (Decrease)
				($ in millions)
Consumer Foods					$	944				$	956				(1	)%
Food and Ingredients					306					332					(8	)%
Trading and Merchandising					197					103					91	%
International Foods					63					51					24	%

 

Consumer Foods operating profit decreased $12 million for the 2005 fiscal year to $944 million. The decline in operating profit is reflective of reduced gross profit, as discussed above, partially offset by reduced expenditures for advertising and promotion. Costs of implementing the Company’s operational efficiency initiatives reduced operating profit by $20 million and $31 million in fiscal 2005 and 2004, respectively. Fiscal 2005 results reflect a $28 million charge in relation to the Company’s salaried headcount reduction, a benefit of $17 million for favorable legal settlements, and a $10 million charge for an impairment of a brand and related assets. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $21 million of incremental operating profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Food and Ingredients operating profit declined $26 million to $306 million in fiscal 2005. The modest gross profit improvement and other operating cost efficiencies in fiscal 2005 were more than offset by the following charges: a $15 million charge for the impairment of a facility, a $10 million charge for a fire loss at a Canadian production facility, and a $4 million charge for operational efficiency and salaried headcount reduction initiatives. Also, fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $9 million of incremental operating profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Trading and Merchandising operating profit in fiscal 2005 increased $94 million to $197 million, primarily reflecting improved gross profit from energy-related trading results and volume and margin improvements in the fertilizer merchandising operations. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $4 million of incremental operating profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

International Foods operating profit increased $12 million to $63 million in fiscal 2005. The increase in operating profit is reflective of the improved gross profit, as discussed above, partially offset by one-time costs associated with a plant closure. Fiscal 2004 results include an estimated $2 million of incremental operating profit due to the inclusion of an additional week of operations.

Interest Expense, Net

In fiscal 2005, net interest expense was $295 million, an increase of $20 million, or 7%, over the prior fiscal year. Increased interest expense reflects a reduced benefit from the interest rate swap agreements terminated in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. These interest rate swap agreements were previously put in place as a strategy to hedge interest costs associated with long-term debt and were closed out in fiscal 2004 in order to lock-in existing favorable interest rates. For financial statement purposes, the benefit associated with the termination of the interest rate swap agreements continues to be recognized over the term of the debt instruments originally hedged. As a result, the Company’s net interest expense was reduced by $41 million during fiscal 2005 and $76 million during fiscal 2004. In addition, during the second quarter of fiscal 2005, the Company recognized approximately $14 million of additional interest expense associated with a previously terminated interest rate swap. The Company had previously deferred this amount in accumulated other comprehensive income as the interest rate swap was being used to hedge the interest payments associated with the forecasted issuance of debt. During the second quarter of fiscal 2005, the

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Company determined it was no longer probable such debt would be issued and immediately recognized the entire deferred amount within interest expense. The Company also earned less interest income in fiscal 2005 due to the transaction with Swift Foods in the second quarter of fiscal 2005 in which the Company took control and ownership of the net assets of the cattle feeding business, thereby terminating the line of credit provided by the Company to Swift Foods. These factors were partially offset by the Company’s retirement of nearly $1.2 billion of debt during fiscal 2005.

Gain on Sale of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation Common Stock

During fiscal 2005, the Company sold ten million shares of the Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock for $283 million, resulting in a pre-tax gain of approximately $186 million.

Equity Method Investment Earnings (Loss)

Equity method investment earnings (loss) decreased to a $25 million loss in fiscal 2005 as compared to earnings of $44 million in fiscal 2004.  During fiscal 2005, the Company determined that the carrying value of its investments in two unrelated joint ventures were other-than-temporarily impaired and, therefore, recognized pre-tax impairment charges totaling $71 million ($66 million after tax). The extent of the impairments was determined based upon the Company’s assessment of the recoverability of its investments, including an assessment of the investees’ ability to sustain earnings which would justify the carrying amount of the investments. In September 2004, the Company sold its minority interest equity investment in Swift Foods. Prior year results include approximately $16 million from the Company’s investment in that joint venture. Income from the Company’s other equity method investments, which include potato processing and grain merchandising businesses, did not substantially change from their fiscal 2004 amounts.

Results of Discontinued Operations

Earnings from discontinued operations were $76 million, net of tax, in fiscal 2005 and $285 million, net of tax, in fiscal 2004. The year-over-year change primarily resulted from:

·        impairment charges of $59 million recorded in fiscal 2005 to reduce the carrying values of assets held for sale to their estimated fair values less costs to sell,

·        net gains on the disposition of discontinued businesses of $26 million in fiscal 2005,

·        pre-tax earnings of $147 million from operations of the discontinued business in fiscal 2005,

·        income tax expense of $38 million in fiscal 2005,

·        fiscal 2004 pre-tax impairment charges of $27 million recognized to write-down the long-lived assets of the UAP International and Portuguese poultry operations to net realizable value,

·        net pre-tax income of $51 million recognized on the sales of the chicken business, UAP North America and the Spanish feed business in fiscal 2004, and

·        profitable operations at the chicken business and UAP North America during the six-month period of fiscal 2004 prior to the divestitures, versus net operating losses incurred at the UAP International, cattle feeding and specialty meats businesses in fiscal 2005.

The Company’s UAP North America and UAP International operations had a fiscal year-end of February, while the Company’s consolidated year-end is May. Historically, the results of UAP North America and UAP International have been reflected in the Company’s consolidated results on a three-month “lag” (e.g., UAP’s results for December through February are included in the Company’s consolidated results for the period March through May). Due to the disposition of UAP North America in

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November 2003, a $24 million net-of-tax loss, representing the results for the three months ending November 2003, was recorded directly to retained earnings. If this business had not been divested, this net-of-tax loss would have been recognized in the Company’s fiscal 2004 consolidated statement of earnings. Due to the disposition of UAP International in April 2005, $2 million net-of-tax income, representing the results for the three months ending April 2005, was recorded directly to retained earnings. If this business had not been divested, this net-of-tax income would have been recognized in the Company’s fiscal 2005 and 2006 consolidated statements of earnings.

Income Taxes and Net Income

The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to pre-tax income from continuing operations, inclusive of equity method investment earnings) was 42% for fiscal 2005 and 37% in fiscal 2004. During fiscal 2005, the Company increased its estimate of the effective tax rate for state income taxes, resulting in an overall effective tax rate in excess of the statutory rate. The Company reached an agreement with the IRS with respect to the IRS’s examination of the Company’s tax returns for fiscal years 2000 through 2002. As a result of the resolution of these matters, the Company reduced income tax expense and the related provision for income taxes payable by $5 million during fiscal 2005. During fiscal 2004, the Company reached an agreement with the IRS with respect to the IRS’s examination of the Company’s tax returns for fiscal years 1996 through 1999. As a result of the resolution of these matters, the Company reduced income tax expense by $27 million in fiscal 2004. This was partially offset by the net tax impact related to the divestiture of certain foreign entities which increased income tax expense by approximately $21 million during fiscal 2004.

Net income was $642 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, in fiscal 2005, compared to $811 million, or $1.53 per diluted share, in fiscal 2004.

LIQUDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Sources of Liquidity and Capital

The Company’s primary financing objective is to maintain a prudent capital structure while providing the flexibility to pursue its growth objectives. The Company currently uses short-term debt principally to finance ongoing operations, including its seasonal trade working capital (accounts receivable plus inventory, less accounts payable, accrued expenses and advances on sales) needs and a combination of equity and long-term debt to finance both its base trade working capital needs and its noncurrent assets.

Commercial paper borrowings (usually less than 30 days maturity) are reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets within notes payable.

At May 28, 2006, the Company had credit lines from banks that totaled approximately $2.2 billion. These lines are comprised of a $1.5 billion five-year revolving credit facility with a syndicate of financial institutions entered into in December 2005 and short-term facilities approximating $682 million. This new five-year credit facility replaced the Company’s $1.05 billion revolving credit facility, which was terminated upon the closing of the new facility. The new five-year facility contains provisions substantially identical to those in the facility it replaced. The terms of the new five-year facility provide that the Company may request that the commitments available under the facility be extended for additional one-year periods on an annual basis. Borrowings under the new five-year facility bear interest at or below prime rate and may be prepaid without penalty. These rates are approximately .30 to .35 percentage points higher than the interest rates for commercial paper. The Company has not drawn upon the new five-year facility. As of May 28, 2006, the Company had $10 million drawn under the short-term loan facilities. The long and short-term facilities require the Company to repay borrowings if the Company’s consolidated funded debt exceeds 65% of the consolidated capital base, as defined, or if fixed charges coverage, as defined, is less than 1.75 to 1.0, as such terms are defined in applicable agreements. As of the end of fiscal 2006, the

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Company’s consolidated funded debt was approximately 39% of its consolidated capital base and the fixed charges ratio was approximately 3.8 to 1.0.

The Company finances its short-term liquidity needs with bank borrowings, commercial paper borrowings and bankers’ acceptances. The average consolidated short-term borrowings outstanding under these facilities were $14 million and $119 million for fiscal years 2006 and 2005, respectively. The highest period-end, short-term indebtedness during fiscal 2006 and 2005 was $73 million and $271 million, respectively.

The Company’s overall level of interest-bearing debt totaled $3.6 billion at the end of fiscal 2006, compared to $4.5 billion as of the end of fiscal 2005. During fiscal 2006, the Company redeemed $500.0 million of 6% senior debt due in September 2006 and $250 million of 7.875% senior debt due in September 2010. In addition to these early retirements of debt, the Company made scheduled principal payments of debt and payments of lease financing obligations during fiscal 2006, reducing long-term debt by $149.0 million.

As of the end of both fiscal 2006 and 2005, the Company’s senior long-term debt ratings were all investment grade ratings. A significant downgrade in the Company’s credit ratings would not affect the Company’s ability to borrow amounts under the revolving credit facilities, although borrowing costs would increase. A ratings downgrade would also impact the Company’s ability to borrow under its commercial paper program by causing increased borrowing costs and shorter durations and could result in possible access limitations.

The Company also has a shelf registration under which it could issue from time to time up to $4 billion in debt securities.

In March 2006, the Company completed the divestitures of its Cook’s Ham and its seafood businesses for cash proceeds of approximately $442 million. Subsequent to year end, the Company has entered into further negotiations with various potential purchasers of the packaged meats business. The Company has also entered into a formal agreement, subject to certain conditions, for the sale of the Company’s packaged cheese business.  Based on the most current negotiations, the Company expects to receive proceeds for these businesses with a value in the range of $650 million to $700 million. The Company expects to close these transactions during the first half of fiscal 2007.

The Company held, at May 28, 2006, subordinated notes in the original principal amount of $150 million plus accrued interest of $50.4 million from Swift Foods. Subsequent to year end, the Company reached an agreement to sell these notes for approximately $117.5 million, net of transaction expenses. The Company had recognized interest income of approximately $15 million from these notes in fiscal 2006.

Cash Flows

In fiscal 2006, the Company generated $124 million of cash, which was the net result of $1.1 billion generated from operating activities, $697 million generated from investing activities and $1.6 billion used in financing activities.

Cash generated from operating activities of continuing operations totaled $921 million for fiscal 2006 as compared to $794 million generated in fiscal 2005. The increased cash flow was primarily due to a decrease in working capital in fiscal 2006, partially offset by lower operating profits from the Company’s continuing operations. Cash generated from operating activities of discontinued operations was approximately $147 million in fiscal 2006, as compared to $320 million in fiscal 2005. The decreased cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations primarily reflect the liquidation of the discontinued cattle feeding business in fiscal 2005. Cash flow from operating activities is one of the Company’s primary sources of liquidity.

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Cash generated from investing activities totaled $697 million for fiscal 2006, versus cash generated from investing activities of $296 million in fiscal 2005. Investing activities for fiscal 2006 include proceeds from the sale of the 15.4 million shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock for $482 million, proceeds from the sale of the Company’s Cook’s Ham and seafood businesses for approximately $442 million, offset by capital expenditures of continuing operations of $263 million. Investing activities for fiscal 2005 include proceeds from the sale of ten million shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation common stock for $282 million, proceeds of $194 million from the sale of the Company’s remaining interest in Swift Foods, and proceeds from other asset divestitures, offset by capital expenditures of continuing operations of $382 million.

Cash used in financing activities totaled $1.6 billion in fiscal 2006, as compared to cash used of $1.8 billion in fiscal 2005. During fiscal 2006, the Company redeemed $500 million of 6% senior debt due in September 2006 and $250 million of 7.875% senior debt due in September 2010. In addition to these early retirements of debt, the Company made scheduled principal payments of debt and payments of lease financing obligations during fiscal 2006, reducing long-term debt by $149 million. The Company also paid dividends of $565 million and repurchased $197 million of its common stock as part of its share repurchase program. During fiscal 2005, the Company retired $600 million of 7.5% senior debt and $175 million of preferred securities of a subsidiary company in advance of their respective dates of maturity. The Company also made scheduled payments of maturing long-term debt of $385 million. During fiscal 2005, the Company paid dividends of $550 million and repurchased shares of its outstanding common stock for $181 million.

The Company estimates its capital expenditures in fiscal 2007 will be approximately $450 million. Management believes that existing cash balances, cash flows from operations, divestiture proceeds, existing credit facilities, and access to capital markets will provide sufficient liquidity to meet its working capital needs, planned capital expenditures, additional share repurchases, and payment of anticipated quarterly dividends.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

The Company uses off-balance sheet arrangements (e.g., operating leases) where the economics and sound business principles warrant their use. The Company periodically enters into guarantees and other similar arrangements as part of transactions in the ordinary course of business. These are described further in “Obligations and Commitments” below.

During fiscal 2005, the Company terminated its accounts receivable securitization program. As of the end of fiscal 2005, the Company did not have any outstanding accounts receivable sold.

As a result of adopting FIN 46R Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities , the Company has consolidated the assets and liabilities of several entities from which it leases property, plant and equipment. Certain of the entities from which the Company leases various buildings are partnerships (the “partnerships”), the beneficial owners of which are Opus Corporation or its affiliates. A member of the Company’s board of directors is a beneficial owner, officer and director of Opus Corporation. Financing costs related to these leases were previously included in selling, general and administrative expenses. Effective with the adoption of FIN 46R, these financing costs are included in interest expense, net. As a result of adopting FIN 46R, the Company has also consolidated the assets and liabilities of several entities from which it leases corporate aircraft. Due to the adoption of FIN 46R, the Company reflects in its balance sheet as of May 28, 2006: property, plant and equipment of $183 million, long-term debt of $192 million (including current maturities of $8 million), other assets of $12 million, and other noncurrent liabilities of $6 million. The Company has no other material obligations arising out of variable interests with unconsolidated entities.

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OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS

As part of its ongoing operations, the Company enters into arrangements that obligate the Company to make future payments under contracts such as debt agreements, lease agreements, and unconditional purchase obligations (i.e., obligations to transfer funds in the future for fixed or minimum quantities of goods or services at fixed or minimum prices, such as “take-or-pay” contracts). The unconditional purchase obligation arrangements are entered into by the Company in its normal course of business in order to ensure adequate levels of sourced product are available to the Company. Capital lease and debt obligations, which total $3.6 billion at May 28, 2006, are currently recognized as liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Operating lease obligations and unconditional purchase obligations, which total $832 million at May 28, 2006, are not recognized as liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

A summary of the Company’s contractual obligations at the end of fiscal 2006 is as follows (including obligations of discontinued operations):

				Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations				Total			Less than 1 Year					2-3 Years					4-5 Years					After 5 Years
				($ in millions)
Long-Term Debt				$	3,626.0			$	421.1				$	39.4				$	550.3			$	2,615.2
Lease Obligations				680.4				103.6					189.8					114.2				272.8
Purchase Obligations				151.3				41.4					53.2					38.4				18.3
Total				$	4,457.7			$	566.1				$	282.4				$	702.9			$	2,906.3

 

The Company’s total obligations of approximately $4.5 billion reflect a decrease of approximately $1.1 billion from the Company’s 2005 fiscal year-end. The decrease was primarily a result of the repayment of certain long-term debt during fiscal 2006.

The Company is also contractually obligated to pay interest on its long-term debt obligations. The weighted average interest rate of the long-term debt obligations outstanding as of May 28, 2006 was approximately 7.5%.

Included in current installments of long-term debt (payments due in less than one year) is $400 million of 7.125% senior debt maturing October 2026 due to the existence of a put option that is exercisable by the holders of the debt from August 1, 2006 to September 1, 2006. Based on current market conditions, the Company does not expect the holders to exercise the put option, and therefore expects to reclassify the $400 million balance to senior long-term debt (payments due after 5 years) in the second quarter of fiscal 2007, once the put option has expired.

As part of its ongoing operations, the Company also enters into arrangements that obligate the Company to make future cash payments only upon the occurrence of a future event (e.g., guarantee debt or lease payments of a third party should the third party be unable to perform). In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, the following commercial commitments are not recognized as liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. A summary of the Company’s commitments, including commitments associated with equity method investments, as of the end of fiscal 2006, is as follows (including commitments of discontinued operations):

				Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period
Other Commercial Commitments				Total			Less than 1 Year					2-3 Years					4-5 Years					After 5 Years
				($ in millions)
Guarantees				$	48.0			$	7.9				$	19.1				$	7.5				$	13.5
Other Commitments				1.5				1.4					0.1					—					—
Total				$	49.5			$	9.3				$	19.2				$	7.5				$	13.5

 

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The Company’s total commitments of approximately $50 million include approximately $33 million in guarantees and other commitments the Company has made on behalf of the Company’s divested fresh beef and pork business.

As part of the fresh beef and pork transaction, the Company has guaranteed the performance of the divested fresh beef and pork business with respect to a hog purchase contract. The hog purchase contract requires the divested fresh beef and pork business to purchase a minimum of approximately 1.2 million hogs annually through 2014. The contract stipulates minimum price commitments, based in part on market prices, and in certain circumstances also includes price adjustments based on certain inputs.

TRADING ACTIVITIES

The Company accounts for certain contracts (e.g., “physical” commodity purchase/sale contracts and derivative contracts) at fair value. The Company considers a portion of these contracts to be its “trading” activities; specifically, those contracts that do not qualify for hedge accounting under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities , and its related amendment, SFAS No. 138, Accounting for Certain Derivative Instruments and Certain Hedging Activities (collectively “SFAS No. 133”). The following table represents the fair value and scheduled maturity dates of contracts outstanding as of May 28, 2006:

Fair Value of Contracts as of May 28, 2006

				Gross Asset								Gross Liability								Net Asset										Total Fair Value
Source of Fair Value				Maturity less than 1 year			Maturity 1-3 years					Maturity less than 1 year			Maturity 1-3 years					Maturity less than 1 year					Maturity 1-3 years
				($ in millions)
Prices actively quoted (i.e., exchange-traded contracts)				$	1,102.8			$	38.1			$	(1,066.8	)		$	(18.4	)			$	36.0				$	19.7			$	55.7
Prices provided by other external sources (i.e., non-exchange-traded contracts)				88.2				0.3				(60.8		)		(3.4		)			27.4					(3.1		)		24.3
Prices based on other valuation models (i.e., non-exchange-traded contracts)				—				—				—				—					—					—				—
Total fair value				$	1,191.0			$	38.4			$	(1,127.6	)		$	(21.8	)			$	63.4				$	16.6			$	80.0

 

In order to minimize the risk of loss associated with non-exchange-traded transactions with counterparties, the Company utilizes established credit limits and performs ongoing counterparty credit evaluations.

The above tables exclude commodity-based contracts entered into in the normal course of business, including “physical” contracts to buy or sell commodities at agreed-upon fixed prices, as well as derivative contracts (e.g., futures and options) used primarily to hedge an existing asset or liability (e.g., inventory) or an anticipated transaction (e.g., purchase of inventory). The use of such contracts is not considered by the Company to be “trading” activities as these contracts are considered either normal purchase and sale contracts or hedging contracts. The asset and liability amounts in this table reflect gross positions and are not reduced for offsetting positions with a counterparty when a legal right of offset exists.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The process of preparing financial statements requires the use of estimates on the part of management. The estimates used by management are based on the Company’s historical experiences combined with management’s understanding of current facts and circumstances. Certain of the Company’s

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accounting estimates are considered critical as they are both important to the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results and require significant or complex judgment on the part of management. The following is a summary of certain accounting estimates considered critical by management of the Company.

The Company’s Audit Committee has reviewed management’s development, selection and disclosure of the critical accounting estimates.

Marketing Costs— The Company incurs certain costs to promote its products through marketing programs which include advertising, retailer incentives and consumer incentives. The Company expenses each of these types of marketing costs in accordance with applicable authoritative accounting literature. The judgment required in determining when marketing costs are incurred can be significant. For volume-based incentives provided to retailers, management must continually assess the likelihood of the retailer achieving the specified targets. Similarly, for consumer coupons, management must estimate the level at which coupons will be redeemed by consumers in the future. Estimates made by management in accounting for marketing costs are based primarily on the Company’s historical experience with marketing programs with consideration given to current circumstances and industry trends. As these factors change, management’s estimates could change and the Company could recognize different amounts of marketing costs over different periods of time.

Advertising and promotion expenses of continuing operations totaled $337 million, $321 million, and $368 million in fiscal 2006, 2005, and 2004, respectively.

Historically, the Company has entered into over 150,000 individual marketing programs resulting in annual costs in excess of $2 billion, which are reflected as a reduction of net sales. Changes in the assumptions used in estimating the cost of any of the individual marketing programs would not result in a material change in the Company’s results of operations or cash flows.

Income Taxes— The Company recognizes current tax liabilities and assets based on an estimate of taxes payable or refundable in the current year for each of the jurisdictions in which the Company transacts business. As part of the determination of its current tax liability, management exercises considerable judgment in evaluating positions taken by the Company in its tax returns. The Company has established reserves for probable tax exposures. These reserves, included in current tax liabilities, represent the Company’s estimate of amounts expected to be paid, which the Company adjusts over time as more information becomes available.

The Company also recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the estimated future tax effects attributable to temporary differences (e.g., the difference in book basis versus tax basis of fixed assets resulting from differing depreciation methods). If appropriate, the Company recognizes valuation allowances to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts that are more likely than not to be ultimately realized, based on the Company’s assessment of estimated future taxable income, including the consideration of available tax planning strategies.

The calculation of current and deferred tax assets (including valuation allowances) and liabilities requires management to apply significant judgment related to the application of complex tax laws, changes in tax laws or related interpretations, uncertainties related to the outcomes of tax audits and changes in the Company’s operations or other facts and circumstances. Further, management must continually monitor changes in these factors. Changes in such factors may result in changes to management estimates and could require the Company to adjust its tax assets and liabilities and record additional income tax expense or benefits.

Environmental Liabilities— Environmental liabilities are accrued when it is probable that obligations have been incurred and the associated amounts can be reasonably estimated. Management works with independent third-party specialists in order to effectively assess the Company’s environmental liabilities.

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Management estimates the Company’s environmental liabilities based on evaluation of investigatory studies, extent of required cleanup, the known volumetric contribution of the Company and other potentially responsible parties and its experience in remediating sites. Environmental liability estimates may be affected by changing governmental or other external determinations of what constitutes an environmental liability or an acceptable level of cleanup. Management’s estimate as to its potential liability is independent of any potential recovery of insurance proceeds or indemnification arrangements. Insurance companies and other indemnitors are notified of any potential claims and periodically updated as to the general status of known claims. The Company does not discount its environmental liabilities as the timing of the anticipated cash payments is not fixed or readily determinable. To the extent that there are changes in the evaluation factors identified above, management’s estimate of environmental liabilities may also change.

The Company has recognized a reserve of approximately $107 million for environmental liabilities as of May 28, 2006. Historically, the underlying assumptions utilized by the Company in estimating this reserve have been appropriate as actual payments have neither differed materially from the previously estimated reserve balances, nor have significant adjustments to this reserve balance been necessary. The reserve for each site is determined based on an assessment of the most likely required remedy and a related estimate of the costs required to affect such remedy.

Employment-Related Benefits— The Company incurs certain employment-related expenses associated with pensions, postretirement health care benefits and workers’ compensation. In order to measure the expense associated with these employment-related benefits, management must make a variety of estimates including discount rates used to measure the present value of certain liabilities, assumed rates of return on assets set aside to fund these expenses, compensation increases, employee turnover rates, anticipated mortality rates, anticipated health care costs and employee accidents incurred but not yet reported to the Company. The estimates used by management are based on the Company’s historical experience as well as current facts and circumstances. The Company uses third-party specialists to assist management in appropriately measuring the expense associated with these employment-related benefits. Different estimates used by management could result in the Company recognizing different amounts of expense over different periods of time.

The Company recognized pension expense of $96 million, $71 million and $76 million in fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively, which reflected expected returns on plan assets of $130 million, $131 million and $127 million, respectively. The Company contributed $36 million, $9 million and $66 million to the Company’s pension plans in fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Company anticipates contributing approximately $70 million to its pension plans in fiscal 2007.

One significant assumption for pension plan accounting is the discount rate. The Company selects a discount rate each year (as of its February 28 measurement date) for its plans based upon a hypothetical bond portfolio for which the cash flows from coupons and maturities match the year-by-year, projected benefit cash flows for the Company’s pension plans. The hypothetical bond portfolio is comprised of high-quality fixed income debt instruments (usually Moody’s Aa) available at the measurement date. Based on this information, the discount rates selected by the Company for determination of pension expense for fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004 were 5.75%, 6.0% and 6.5%, respectively. The Company selected a discount rate of 5.75% for determination of pension expense for fiscal 2007. A 25 basis point increase in the Company’s discount rate assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2006 would decrease pension expense for the Company’s pension plans by $8.8 million for the year. A 25 basis point decrease in the Company’s discount rate assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2006 would increase pension expense for the Company’s pension plans by $9.3 million for the year. A 25 basis point increase in the discount rate would decrease pension expense by approximately $9.2 million for fiscal 2007. A 25 basis point decrease in the discount rate would increase pension expense by approximately $9.7 million for fiscal 2007. For its year-end pension obligation determination, the Company selected 5.75% for fiscal year 2006 and 2005.

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Another significant assumption used to account for the Company’s pension plans is the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets. In developing the assumed long-term rate of return on plan assets for determining pension expense, the Company considers long-term historical returns (arithmetic average) of the plan’s investments, the asset allocation among types of investments, estimated long-term returns by investment type from external sources, and the current economic environment. Based on this information, the Company selected 7.75% for the long-term rate of return on plan assets for determining its fiscal 2006 pension expense. A 25 basis point increase/decrease in the Company’s expected long-term rate of return assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2006 would decrease/increase annual pension expense for the Company’s pension plans by approximately $4.2 million. The Company selected an expected rate of return on plan assets of 7.75% to be used to determine its pension expense for fiscal 2007.

When calculating expected return on plan assets for pension plans, the Company uses a market-related value of assets that spreads asset gains and losses (differences between actual return and expected return) over five years. As of May 28, 2006, the amount of unrecognized losses in Company pension plans was $182 million. The amount of net unrecognized losses will change each year as the actual return on plan assets varies from the expected rate of return and as other factors vary from actuarial assumptions used to estimate the expense. Assuming no further unrecognized gains or losses in future periods, these losses would be recognized in future years resulting in an increase in pension expense of $18 million in fiscal 2007.

The rate of compensation increase is another significant assumption used in the development of accounting information for pension plans. The Company determines this assumption based on its long-term plans for compensation increases and current economic conditions. Based on this information, the Company selected 4.25% for fiscal year 2006 and 2005 as the rate of compensation increase for determining its year-end pension obligation. The Company selected 4.25%, 4.5% and 4.5% for the rate of compensation increase for determination of pension expense for fiscal 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. A 25 basis point increase in the Company’s rate of compensation increase assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2006 would increase pension expense for the Company’s pension plans by approximately $2.1 million for the year.  A 25 basis point decrease in the Company’s rate of compensation increase assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2006 would decrease pension expense for the Company’s pension plans by approximately $2.1 million for the year. The Company selected a rate of 4.25% for the rate of compensation increase to be used to determine its pension expense for fiscal 2007.

The Company also provides certain postretirement health care benefits. The Company recognized postretirement benefit expense of $18 million, $27 million, and $34 million in fiscal 2006, 2005, and 2004, respectively. The Company reflects liabilities of $340 million and $369 million in its balance sheets as of May 28, 2006 and May 29, 2005, respectively. The postretirement benefit expense and obligation are also dependent on the Company’s assumptions used for the actuarially determined amounts. These assumptions include discount rates (discussed above), health care cost trend rates, inflation rates, retirement rates, mortality rates and other factors. The health care cost trend assumptions are developed based on historical cost data, the near-term outlook and an assessment of likely long-term trends. Assumed inflation rates are based on an evaluation of external market indicators. Retirement and mortality rates are based primarily on actual plan experience. The discount rate selected by the Company for determination of postretirement expense for fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004 was 5.5%, 6.0% and 6.5%, respectively. The Company has selected a discount rate of 5.5% for determination of postretirement expense for fiscal 2007. A 25 basis point increase/decrease in the Company’s discount rate assumption as of the beginning of fiscal 2007 would decrease/increase postretirement expense for the Company’s plans by $0.7 million. The Company has assumed the initial year increase in cost of health care to be 9.5%, with the trend rate

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decreasing to 5.0% by 2012. A one percentage point change in the assumed health care cost trend rate would have the following effect:

		One Percent Increase					One Percent Decrease
		($ in millions)
Effect on total service and interest cost			$	2.1				$	(1.9	)
Effect on postretirement benefit obligation			32.0					(27.7		)

 

The Company provides workers’ compensation benefits to its employees. The measurement of the liability for the Company’s cost of providing these benefits is largely based upon actuarial analysis of costs. One significant assumption made by the Company is the discount rate used to calculate the present value of its obligation. The discount rate used at May 28, 2006 was 5.0%. A 25 basis point increase/decrease in the discount rate assumption would not have a material impact on workers’ compensation expense.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (including property, plant and equipment), Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets— The Company reduces the carrying amounts of long-lived assets, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets to their fair values when the fair value of such assets is determined to be less than their carrying amounts (i.e., assets are deemed to be impaired). Fair value is typically estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis, which requires the Company to estimate the future cash flows anticipated to be generated by the particular asset(s) being tested for impairment as well as to select a discount rate to measure the present value of the anticipated cash flows. When determining future cash flow estimates, the Company considers historical results adjusted to reflect current and anticipated operating conditions. Estimating future cash flows requires significant judgment by the Company in such areas as future economic conditions, industry-specific conditions, product pricing and necessary capital expenditures. The use of different assumptions or estimates for future cash flows could produce different impairment amounts (or none at all) for long-lived assets, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets.

The Company utilizes a “relief from royalty” methodology in evaluating impairment of its brands/trademarks. The methodology determines the fair value of each brand through use of a discounted cash flow model that incorporates an estimated “royalty rate” the Company would be able to charge a third party for the use of the particular brand. As the calculated fair value of the Company’s goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets significantly exceeds the carrying amount of these assets, a one percentage point increase in the discount rate assumptions used to estimate the fair values of the Company’s goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets would not result in a material impairment charge.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

On December 16, 2004, the FASB issued Statement No. 123 (revised 2004) (“SFAS No. 123R”), Share-Based Payment . SFAS No. 123R will require the Company to measure the cost of all employee stock-based compensation awards based on the grant date fair value of those awards and to record that cost as compensation expense over the period during which the employee is required to perform service in exchange for the award (generally over the vesting period of the award). Accordingly, the adoption of SFAS No. 123R will have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, although it will have no impact on the Company’s overall financial position. SFAS No. 123R is effective beginning in the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2007. Management is in the process of implementing the provisions of this statement and estimates that the adoption will reduce diluted earnings per share by $0.02 to $0.04 in fiscal 2007.

In November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, Inventory Costs, an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4 . SFAS No. 151 amends the guidance in ARB No. 43, Inventory Pricing , for abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight, handling costs, and wasted material (spoilage), requiring that those items be recognized as current-period expenses. This statement also requires that allocation of fixed production

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overheads to the costs of conversion be based on the normal capacity of the production facilities. The statement is effective for inventory costs incurred beginning in the Company’s fiscal 2007. Management does not expect this statement to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In June 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections , which changes the requirements for the accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. Previously, most voluntary changes in accounting principles required recognition via a cumulative effect adjustment within net income of the period of the change. SFAS No. 154 requires retrospective application to prior periods’ financial statements, unless it is impracticable to determine either the period-specific effects or the cumulative effect of the change. SFAS No. 154 is effective for accounting changes made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005; however, SFAS No. 154 does not change the transition provisions of any existing accounting pronouncements.

In July 2006, the FASB issued FIN 48, Accounting for Income Tax Uncertainties , which defines the threshold for recognizing the benefits of tax-return positions in the financial statements as “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the taxing authority. This interpretation is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006, the Company’s fiscal 2008. Management is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this interpretation will have on the Company’s results of operations.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company enters into many lease agreements for land, buildings and equipment at competitive market rates, and some of the lease arrangements are with Opus Corporation or its affiliates. A director of the Company is a beneficial owner, officer and director of Opus Corporation. The agreements relate to the leasing of land, buildings and equipment for the Company in Omaha, Nebraska. The Company occupies the buildings pursuant to long term leases with Opus Corporation and other investors, which leases contain various termination rights and purchase options. Leases commencing in 1989, 1990, 2000, 2001 and 2002 required annual lease payments by the Company of $15.8 million for fiscal year 2006. As a result of adopting FIN 46R, the Company has consolidated certain of the Opus affiliates from which it leases property, plant and equipment. These leases were previously accounted for as operating leases. The Company has entered into construction contracts with Opus Corporation or its affiliates, which relate to the construction of improvements to various properties occupied by the Company; payments made by the Company to Opus Corporation or its affiliates with respect to these agreements  totaled $1.6 million for fiscal 2006 and $52.9 million for fiscal 2005. The Company purchases property management services from Opus Corporation; payments made by the Company to Opus Corporation or its affiliates for these services totaled $1.4 million for fiscal year 2006. Opus Corporation had revenues in excess of $1.25 billion in 2005.

Sales to affiliates (equity method investees) of $2.6 million, $1.7 million, and $2.2 million for fiscal 2006, 2005, and 2004, respectively are included in net sales. The Company received management fees from affiliates of $13.5 million in fiscal 2006 and $14.1 million in both fiscal 2005 and 2004. Accounts receivable from affiliates of $5.5 million and $7.1 million are included in receivables at May 28, 2006 and May 29, 2005, respectively.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report, including Management’s Discussion & Analysis, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s current views and assumptions of future events and financial performance and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Readers of this report should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Many factors could affect the Company’s actual financial results and cause them to vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking

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statements, including those set forth in Item 1A of this report. These factors include, among other things, future economic circumstances, industry conditions, Company performance and financial results, availability and prices of raw materials, product pricing, competitive environment and related market conditions, operating efficiencies, access to capital, actions of governments and regulatory factors affecting the Company’s businesses and other risks described in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included in this report which speak only as of the date of this report.

ITEM 7A.         QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

The principal market risks affecting the Company are exposures to price fluctuations of commodity and energy inputs, interest rates and foreign currencies. These fluctuations impact raw material costs of all reporting segments, as well as the Company’s trading activities.

Commodities— The Company purchases commodity inputs such as wheat, corn, oats, soybean meal, soybean oil, meat, dairy products, sugar, energy, and packaging materials to be used in its operations. These commodities are subject to price fluctuations that may create gross margin risk. The Company enters into commodity hedges to manage this price risk using physical forward contracts or derivative instruments. The Company has policies governing the hedging instruments its businesses may use. These policies include limiting the dollar risk exposure for each of its businesses. The Company also monitors the amount of associated counter-party credit risk for all non-exchange-traded transactions. In addition, the Company purchases and sells certain commodities, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, oats and energy, in its Trading and Merchandising segment. The Company’s trading activities are limited in terms of maximum dollar exposure, as measured by a dollar-at-risk methodology and monitored to ensure compliance.

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The following table presents one measure of market risk exposure using sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis is the measurement of potential loss of fair value resulting from a hypothetical change of 10% in market prices. Actual changes in market prices may differ from hypothetical changes. In practice, as markets move, the Company actively manages its risk and adjusts hedging strategies as appropriate. Fair value was determined using quoted market prices and was based on the Company’s net derivative position by commodity at each quarter-end during the fiscal year. The market risk exposure analysis excludes the underlying commodity positions that are being hedged. The commodities hedged have a high inverse correlation to price changes of the derivative commodity instrument.

Effect of 10% change in market prices (based upon positions at the end of each fiscal quarter):

		2006			2005
		($ in millions)
Processing Activities
Grains
High		$	11.7		$	16.3
Low		—			9.5
Average		6.1			12.3
Meats
High		0.6			22.8
Low		0.3			0.3
Average		0.5			7.2
Energy
High		42.8			32.3
Low		1.5			18.6
Average		18.1			24.8
Packaging
High		0.5			—
Low		0.1			—
Average		0.3			—
Trading Activities
Grains
High		45.4			22.6
Low		15.0			14.8
Average		28.1			17.5
Meats
High		6.0			16.3
Low		-			0.9
Average		3.8			5.4
Energy
High		16.5			9.0
Low		4.1			—
Average		8.0			2.6

 

Interest Rates —The Company may use interest rate swaps to manage the effect of interest rate changes on its existing debt as well as the anticipated issuance of debt. At the end of fiscal 2006 and 2005, the Company did not have any interest rate swap agreements outstanding, as all of the Company’s interest rate swap agreements were terminated in the second quarter of fiscal 2004.

As of May 28, 2006 and May 29, 2005, the fair value of the Company’s fixed rate debt was estimated at $3.8 billion and $5.2 billion, respectively, based on current market rates primarily provided by outside

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investment advisors. As of May 28, 2006 and May 29, 2005, a one percentage point increase in interest rates would decrease the fair value of the Company’s fixed rate debt by approximately $257 million and $344 million, respectively, while a one percentage point decrease in interest rates would increase the fair value of the Company’s fixed rate debt by approximately $293 million and $394 million, respectively. With respect to floating rate debt, a one percentage point change in interest rates would not have a material impact on the Company’s reported interest expense.

Foreign Operations —In order to reduce exposures related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, the Company may enter into forward exchange or option contracts for transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency for certain of its processing and trading operations. This activity primarily relates to hedging against foreign currency risk in purchasing inventory, capital equipment, sales of finished goods and future settlement of foreign denominated assets and liabilities.

The following table presents one measure of market risk exposure using sensitivity analysis for the Company’s processing and trading operations. Sensitivity analysis is the measurement of potential loss of fair value resulting from a hypothetical change of 10% in exchange rates. Actual changes in exchange rates may differ from hypothetical changes. Fair value was determined using quoted exchange rates and was based on the Company’s net foreign currency position at each quarter-end during the fiscal year. The market risk exposure analysis excludes the underlying foreign denominated transactions that are being hedged. The currencies hedged have a high inverse correlation to exchange rate changes of the foreign currency derivative instrument.

Effect of 10% change in exchange rates:

		2006			2005
		($ in millions)
Processing Businesses
High		$	18.0		$	24.3
Low		12.9			16.8
Average		16.7			20.1
Trading Businesses
High		0.6			0.4
Low		—			—
Average		0.2			0.2

 

 

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