Well, you know, we're in the fresh food business, basically. And, you know, it ebbs and flows all the time, you know. It could be bad weather in some places.There could be a drought out in the Midwest, and that all affects food prices. So one of the things, look, we operate on very thin margins in the food business of supermarket food. And, you know, when something like this comes up, like the tariffs, when they hit us, now we got the fuel surcharges that are hitting us right now.We try to just eat it for a ...

Workers at a critical beef-processing plant owned by JBS went on strike, stifling production at a time when prices for the protein are at record highs https://t.co/meoaCzfYRY ...

All right, the moment of truth. That is so good. Only one thing missing.A napkin. ...

Industry Overview - The Zacks Food – Meat Products industry is facing challenges such as elevated input costs, persistent inflation, cautious consumer spending, trade uncertainties, and export volatility, creating a difficult operating environment [1][4][5]. Key Trends - Cost-related pressures are significant, with higher feed, livestock, labor, and transportation expenses increasing production costs, leading to strained margins and altered consumer purchasing behavior [4]. - Export markets are challenged by trade policy uncertainties, biosecurity concerns, and logistical disruptions, affecting shipment volumes and pricing dynamics [5]. - There is an increasing demand for high-protein diets and plant-based alternatives, with consumers showing interest in diversified protein sources aligned with sustainability trends [6]. Industry Performance - The Zacks Food – Meat Products industry is ranked 203, placing it in the bottom 16% of over 243 Zacks industries, indicating dull near-term prospects [7][8]. - The industry has underperformed compared to the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500, declining 23.5% over the past year, while the sector grew by 6.9% and the S&P 500 rose by 18.2% [11]. Current Valuation - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.32X, compared to the S&P 500's 22.69X and the sector's 18.2X, with historical trading ranges between 11.95X and 21.75X over the past five years [14]. Company Highlights - **Tyson Foods**: A major player in the global protein market with a diversified portfolio, facing a slight earnings estimate decline from $3.94 to $3.88 [18][19]. - **Hormel Foods**: Maintains a strong presence in retail and foodservice, with an unchanged earnings estimate of $1.43 and a 13.9% decline in shares over the past year [22][23]. - **Smithfield Foods**: A vertically integrated pork producer with a stable earnings estimate of $2.39 and an 18.1% increase in shares over the past year [26][27]. - **Beyond Meat**: Focuses on plant-based protein, with an unchanged loss estimate of $1.12 per share and a significant 82.1% decline in shares over the past year [30][31].

Core Insights - JBS N.V. is recognized as one of the newly-listed stocks on NYSE that presents a buying opportunity [1] Investment Agreement - JBS N.V. has reached an agreement to invest $150 million for an 80% ownership interest in a food business based in Oman, in partnership with the Oman Investment Authority [3] - This investment aims to establish fresh meat production in Oman, sourcing supplies from local producers [3] Analyst Coverage - UBS analyst Matheus Enfeldt initiated coverage of JBS N.V. with a Buy rating and a price target of $19.50, indicating a potential upside of 23% [4] - The analyst noted that the stock could re-rate following its U.S. listing and inclusion in domestic indices, a process that typically takes about two years [4] - UBS believes that the returns from JBS's $1 billion in annual expansion capital expenditures are not yet reflected in the current stock price [4] Company Overview - JBS N.V. operates globally as a protein and food company, offering a diverse range of products including beef, poultry, pork, plant-based items, and leather products, along with related services [5]

High prices are the new normal in the U.S. beef market. https://t.co/FmTC1V7ivM https://t.co/rw6Ry7OQgS ...

And you dig through the the economic data, certainly inflation data, see all of these, look at all of these these tables, different parts of the economy. What can we learn from from the fact that beef prices have risen as much as they have over the last year. >> I think it's a reminder, David, that the inflation story hasn't fully gone away.that even though we hear headline numbers about inflation in the US has slowed down over the past few years, which it clearly has, there are still areas of the consumer ...

High prices are the new normal in the U.S. beef market.A tight cattle supply and continued robust demand for the protein are expected to keep costs elevated for consumers and others throughout the supply chain over the next few years. https://t.co/gduPgDcRQT ...

The price of many grocery staples is falling. So why are beef prices on the rise? Bloomberg reporter Enda Curran and Big Take host @davidgura take a peek into the American consumer’s grocery basket to understand the perfect storm of factors that’s setting beef apart. Listen to the Big Take podcast https://t.co/FD8qhqOO6V ...

Core Insights - Inflation remained elevated in January, with consumer price growth exceeding the Federal Reserve's target rate, raising affordability concerns among policymakers [1] CPI Data Summary - The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.2% month-over-month in January and 2.4% year-over-year, down from 2.7% in December [2] - Core prices, excluding volatile items like gasoline and food, increased by 0.3% from the previous month and slowed to 2.5% year-over-year from 2.6% last month, aligning with economists' expectations [3] Data Collection Impact - Inflation data from December 2025 to April 2026 will be influenced by data collection interruptions due to a 43-day government shutdown [4] - The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) utilized a carry-forward methodology to compensate for missing data, which may introduce a downward bias in inflation data until fresh data is available in spring [5] Cost of Living Breakdown - High inflation has significantly impacted U.S. households, particularly lower-income Americans who spend a larger portion of their income on necessities [6] - Food prices increased by 0.2% in January and are 2.9% higher year-over-year, with the food at home index up 2.1% and food away from home index up 4% [7] - Energy prices decreased by 1.5% month-over-month and are down 0.1% year-over-year, with gasoline prices falling 3.2% for the month and 7.5% year-over-year [9] - Housing prices rose 0.2% in January and are up 3% annually, with the shelter index being the largest contributor to the overall CPI increase [10] Sector-Specific Price Changes - Transportation services costs increased by 1.4% in January and are 1.3% higher than a year ago, with airline fares jumping 6.5% for the month [11] - Medical care costs rose by 0.3% in January and have increased by 3.9% over the past year [11]