Clipped Wings: US Poultry Industry Falls
US - Poultry industries across the US took a big fall yesterday, with stocks in Pigrim's Pride, currently the largest US poultry industry, taking a fall of 12.4 per cent.The sudden fall has been attributed as a reaction to higher corn prices and weak chicken prices, analysts said.
Kenneth Zaslow, a food analyst at BMO Capital Markets, predicted that Pilgrim's Pride would post a fiscal year loss of $3.53 per share, higher than his previous forecast for a loss of $2.72, reports Reuters India.
According to Reuters India Zaslow said in a note to clients that the chicken industry had not done enough to cut production at a time when feed costs were increasing.
Pilgrim's Pride shares fell to $18.99 early on Monday, their lowest in two months. In late afternoon trading they were down 9.94 percent at $19.49.
Shares of No. 2 producer Tyson Foods Inc were down 3.6 percent and No. 4 Sanderson Farms Inc shares were down 5 percent. No. 3 producer Perdue Farms Inc is privately held.