Tyson Beef Struggles While Other Segments Lift Second Quarter Results

Tyson is still reshaping its beef footprint.

The raw meat packer and the slaughterer work in the slaughterhouse. By EmmaStock.png

The raw meat packer and the slaughterer work in the slaughterhouse.

By EmmaStock

Photo by EmmaStock via Adobe Stock

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Tyson Foods posted stronger second-quarter results overall, but beef remained the company’s weak spot as tight cattle supplies and high livestock costs continued to pressure margins.

Tyson said second-quarter sales rose to $13.65 billion, while it still expects its beef segment to post an adjusted operating loss of $350 million to $500 million in fiscal 2026.

19297661-g.jpeg

Tyson Foods

The company’s better-performing protein businesses helped offset that drag. Tyson expects fiscal 2026 adjusted operating income of $250 million to $300 million in pork, $1.9 billion to $2.05 billion in chicken, and $1.25 billion to $1.35 billion in Prepared Foods.

Management credited chicken and prepared foods with driving momentum and market-share gains in the quarter.

Tyson is also still reshaping its beef footprint. In November, the company said it would close its Lexington, Nebraska, beef plant and convert its Amarillo, Texas, facility to a single full-capacity shift while increasing output at other plants.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Tyson’s second-quarter results showed how hard it is to process beef profitably — even as pork, chicken, and prepared foods perform better.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist

Related Stories
Reduced driver supply may increase freight costs this season.
Overall, the report suggests a shift toward more comfortable supply levels, with demand emerging as a key factor to watch in the months ahead.
Lower shipping costs favor corn, while soybeans face pressure.
During World War II, Augusta National Golf Club temporarily became a working farm, raising cattle and turkeys and harvesting pecans to support the war effort.
“Cow goggles” are helping farmers experience cattle vision in real time, offering new tools to reduce stress, improve movement, and enhance livestock management.
Cattle producers face mounting pressure as U.S.-Mexico trade talks resume, but expanding drought, rising input costs, and policy work to improve the long-term industry outlook.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Oklahoma livestock economist Dr. Derrell Peel helps us break down the April Cattle-on-Feed report and what it signals for herd rebuilding, supplies and prices moving forward.
Spring Weather Shapes Planting Pace Across U.S. Regions
Hemp growth is driven by floral demand, with mixed returns elsewhere.
Tight supply and logistics issues may raise input costs.
Farm programs remain small but politically easier to expand.
Export funding aims to strengthen global demand for U.S. commodities.