Cal-Maine profits slump as egg prices fall from record highs
Cal-Maine posts $50m net income as normalising supply hits revenues
9 April 2026
1 minute read
By: Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg company in the United States, has reported a sharp drop in third-quarter earnings as wholesale egg prices retreated from the historic highs seen during last year's avian influenza crisis, according to a company-issued press release.
Net sales for the 13 weeks ended 28 February 2026 fell 53% year on year to $667 million, with conventional egg sales down 72.1% on prices that were 70.1% lower than the prior-year period. Net income attributable to the company came in at $50.5 million, down 90.1%, with diluted earnings per share of $1.06.
President and CEO Sherman Miller said the quarter had tested the company's strategy: "Despite materially lower egg prices compared to the historic levels seen in the prior year, our diversified portfolio and operational execution enabled us to deliver solid results and maintain momentum."
He attributed the price decline to improved supply, noting that USDA-reported depopulations were down 70.6% and the national layer flock had grown 2.2% year on year.
A bright spot was prepared foods, where sales surged 441.2% to $63.6 million, driven largely by the acquisition of Echo Lake Foods. Specialty eggs also held up better than conventional, falling only 12.1%.
