Cal-Maine Foods(CALM) ZACKS·2025-04-09 18:05Core Viewpoint Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (CALM) has reported significant financial improvements in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, driven by high demand and elevated egg prices, despite challenges posed by avian influenza outbreaks affecting supply. Financial Performance - Earnings per share (EPS) reached 3.00 in the same quarter last year [1] - Total sales surged to 716 million, marking a 228% increase from the previous year, with a gross margin of 50.5%, up from 31.1% [7] Pricing and Sales Volume - The net average selling price per dozen eggs was 4.766 per dozen [4] - Cal-Maine sold a record 331.4 million dozen shell eggs, a 10% increase from the previous year, with conventional egg sales up 11% and specialty egg sales up 9% [5] Cost and Margin Analysis - Farm production costs per dozen decreased by 5.7% year-over-year, while feed costs per dozen fell by 9.6% [6] - Operating profit was reported at 163 million in the prior year, with an operating margin of 44.8% [8] Cash Position and Shareholder Returns - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of 812 million at the end of fiscal 2024 [9] - A 3.46 per share was declared [9][10] Industry Challenges - Ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have led to significant depopulation of commercial laying hens, impacting overall supply [12] - The USDA reported the table-egg layer flock at approximately 285 million as of March 1, 2025, the lowest level since September 2015 [12] Growth Initiatives - Cal-Maine is investing 258 million, which is expected to enhance its presence in the value-added food segment [16][17] Stock Performance - Cal-Maine shares have increased by 44.7% over the past year, contrasting with a 19.8% decline in the industry [18]