UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023
or
☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _______________ to ____________________
Commission file number: 1-3390
SEABOARD CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(State or Other Jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Incorporation or Organization)
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (913) 676-8928
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Common Stock $1.00 Par Value SEB NYSE American
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes⌧ No ◻
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ◻No⌧
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes⌧ No ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes⌧ No ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ⌧ Accelerated filer ◻
Non-accelerated filer ◻ Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐No ☒
The aggregate market value of the 255,017 shares of Seaboard common stock held by nonaffiliates was $908,044,132, based on the closing price of $3,560.72 per share on July 1, 2023, the end of Seaboard’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. As of January 31, 2024, the number of shares of common stock outstanding was 971,055.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Part III incorporates information by reference to the registrant’s definitive proxy statement, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the close of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
SEABOARD CORPORATION
FORM 10-K
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I Page
Item 1 Business 2
Item 1A Risk Factors 8
Item 1B Unresolved Staff Comments 15
Item 1C Cybersecurity 15
Item 2 Properties 16
Item 3 Legal Proceedings 17
Item 4 Mine Safety Disclosures 17
Part II
Item 6 [Reserved] 19
Item 7A Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 27
Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 29
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 29
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income 31
Consolidated Balance Sheets 32
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity 33
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 34
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 35
Item 9A Controls and Procedures 60
Item 9B Other Information 61
Item 9C Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 61
Part III
Item 10 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 61
Item 11 Executive Compensation 61
Item 14 Principal Accountant Fees and Services 61
Part IV
Item 15 Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules 62
Signatures 65
PART I
Forward-looking Statements
This report, including information included or incorporated by reference in this report, contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of Seaboard Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Seaboard”). Forward-looking statements generally may be identified as statements that are not historical in nature and statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends” or similar expressions.
In more specific terms, forward-looking statements include, without limitation:
● statements of future economic performance;
(i) Seaboard’s ability to obtain adequate financing and liquidity;
(ii) the price of feed stocks and other materials used by Seaboard;
(vi) the charter hire rates and fuel prices for vessels;
(viii) the effect of the fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates;
(ix) the profitability or sales volume of any of Seaboard’s segments;
(xiii) adverse results in pending litigation matters; or
This list of forward-looking statements is not exclusive. Forward-looking statements are based only on Seaboard’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding its future financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, performance and business. Seaboard undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. The information contained in this Form 10-K and in other filings Seaboard makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including without limitation, the information under the items “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this Form 10-K, identifies important factors which could cause such differences.
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Item 1. Business
General Development of Business
Seaboard Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Seaboard”) together comprise a diversified group of companies that operate worldwide in agricultural and ocean transport businesses. Seaboard is primarily engaged in hog production and pork processing in the United States (“U.S.”); commodity trading and grain processing in Africa and South America; cargo shipping services in the U.S., Caribbean and Central and South America; sugar and alcohol production in Argentina; and electric power generation in the Dominican Republic. Seaboard also has an equity method investment in Butterball, LLC (“Butterball”), a producer and processor of turkey products.
Approximately 73% of the outstanding common stock of Seaboard is collectively owned by Seaboard Flour LLC and SFC Preferred, LLC, which are Delaware limited liability companies. Ellen Bresky, the Chairwoman of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), and other members of the Bresky family, including trusts created for their benefit, own the equity interests of Seaboard Flour LLC and SFC Preferred, LLC.
Seaboard’s diverse operations are relatively decentralized, with each segment having a management team that operates independently of the others. At certain segments, Seaboard uses vertical integration, achieved by acquisitions and investments in strategic joint ventures, to increase its supply chain reliability. All of Seaboard’s segments provide essential goods or services, including food, energy and transportation. Accordingly, most of Seaboard’s operations are heavily commodity-driven, resulting in high volatility due to market prices and a cyclical nature of financial performance.
Seaboard has six reportable segments: Pork, CT&M, Marine, Sugar and Alcohol, Power and Turkey. Each segment’s contribution to net sales and operating income (loss), and its respective assets and capital expenditures are included in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements. Seaboard operates in over 45 countries, with a concentration in the U.S. and countries in Central and South America and Africa. Additional information regarding sales and property, plant and equipment located in foreign locations is included in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements.
Description of Segments
Pork Segment - Seaboard, through its subsidiary Seaboard Foods LLC, is a vertically integrated pork producer that primarily produces and sells pork products to further processors, foodservice operators, distributors and grocery stores. This segment sells to U.S. customers and exports to Japan, Mexico, China and numerous other foreign markets. This segment’s operations consist of hog production facilities for genetic and commercial breeding, farrowing, nursery and finishing and its pork processing plant in Oklahoma.
Seaboard has a 50% investment in Seaboard Triumph Foods, LLC (“STF”), which operates a pork processing plant in Iowa, with a capacity to process approximately six million hogs annually. Seaboard and Triumph Foods, LLC (“Triumph”), an independent pork processor, supply a portion of the hogs processed at the STF plant. The Pork segment also has a 50% investment in Daily’s Premium Meats, LLC (“Daily’s”), which produces and markets raw and pre-cooked bacon using pork bellies primarily sourced from Seaboard, Triumph and STF, at its locations in Utah, Montana and Missouri. Seaboard accounts for these investments under the equity method of accounting. Seaboard has marketing agreements with STF, Daily’s and Triumph to market their products and has a margin-sharing arrangement with Triumph that considers the average sales price, standard costs and the mix of products sold from the Seaboard and Triumph plants.
The Pork segment produces biodiesel at facilities in Oklahoma and Missouri and renewable diesel at a facility in Kansas, which began operations in 2022. These products are produced from pork fat supplied by the pork processing plants and other animal fats and vegetable oils purchased from third parties. The Pork segment owns and operates a terminal facility in California with the capacity to blend, store and distribute fuel.The renewable diesel facility and terminal facility have solar arrays which generate up to a total of 20 megawatts of electricity used to partially cover the facilities’ energy needs. This segment is constructing swine-derived renewable natural gas sites with its integrated model of hog operations, covered anaerobic digester lagoons and biomethane upgrading facilities at certain of its existing hog farms in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, with a few sites complete and in early stages of operations.This segment generates environmental credits from its biodiesel, renewable diesel and renewable natural gas production, some of which are directly correlated to the various carbon reducing initiatives throughout the production and product transportation process. These credits are then sold to third parties.
CT&M Segment - Seaboard’s CT&M segment, which is managed under the name of Seaboard Overseas and Trading Group (“SOTG”), is an integrated agricultural commodity trading, processing and logistics company. Seaboard’s CT&M segment has ownership interests in several non-consolidated affiliates to further its business strategies. Overall, the CT&M segment, including its affiliates, has facilities in 26 countries, primarily in Africa and South America. The majority of the trading business is transported with chartered ships or vessels this segment owns.
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Marine Segment - Seaboard, through its subsidiary, Seaboard Marine Ltd., and various foreign-affiliated companies and third-party agents, provides cargo shipping services in the U.S. and 27 countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America. This segment’s primary operations are in Miami, Florida, and include a marine terminal and an off-port warehouse for cargo consolidation and temporary storage. Scheduled port calls are made in Brooklyn, New York; Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and various foreign ports in the Caribbean and Central and South America. A network of offices and agents are used to sell freight services, including transport of import and export cargo by truck or rail to and from various U.S. and foreign ports. This segment’s fleet consists of chartered and owned vessels, as well as dry, refrigerated and specialized containers.
Sugar and Alcohol Segment - Seaboard, through its subsidiary, Seaboard Energías Renovables y Alimentos S.R.L., operates a vertically integrated sugar and alcohol production facility in Argentina. This segment supplies most of the raw material processed in its facility with sugarcane grown on land that it owns. The sugar is primarily marketed locally, with some exports to other countries. The alcohol is marketed to industrial users and sold primarily as dehydrated alcohol to certain oil companies under the Argentine governmental bioethanol program, which requires alcohol to be blended with gasoline. This segment also owns a 51-megawatt cogeneration power plant, which is fueled by the burning of sugarcane by-products, natural gas and other biomass, like woodchips.
Power Segment - Seaboard, through its subsidiary, Transcontinental Capital Corp. (Bermuda) Ltd., is an independent power producer generating electricity for the Dominican Republic power grid. It is not directly involved in the transmission or distribution of electricity. Seaboard’s Power segment uses two power-generating barges for its current operations. The barge that began operations in 2012, named Estrella Del Mar II (“EDM II”), is capable of using natural gas or heavy fuel oil to produce up to 108 megawatts of electricity. The barge that began operations in 2022, named Estrella Del Mar III (“EDM III”), can generate approximately 150 megawatts of electricity using natural gas. While EDM II remains in operation in the Dominican Republic, Seaboard continues to explore strategic alternatives for this barge, including a sale or relocation.
Turkey Segment - Seaboard has a 52.5% investment in Butterball, a producer and processor of conventional and antibiotic-free turkey products. Butterball is a national supplier to retail stores, foodservice outlets and industrial entities, and to a lesser extent, exports products to Mexico and other foreign markets. Seaboard accounts for this investment under the equity method of accounting.
Other Businesses
Seaboard, through its subsidiary, Mount Dora Farms, Inc., processes jalapeño peppers at its plant in Honduras which are primarily shipped to and sold in the U.S.
Customers
Seaboard does not have sales to any one customer equal to 10% or more of its consolidated revenues. The Sugar and Alcohol segment had two bioethanol customers that collectively represented approximately 45% of its total sales in each of the last three years. The Power segment sells power in the Dominican Republic primarily to wholly government-owned distribution companies. The Turkey segment had two retail customers that collectively represented approximately 27% of its total sales in each of the last three years.
Competitive Conditions
Competition in Seaboard’s Pork segment comes from a variety of regional, national and international producers and processors and is based primarily on product quality, customer service and price. According to S&P Global in 2023, Seaboard Foods LLC was ranked number three in hog production in the U.S. based on only this segment’s sows in production and number four in pork processing in the U.S. based on daily processing capacity, including Triumph’s and STF’s capacity.
Seaboard’s CT&M segment faces competition from numerous traders around the world and imported grain-processed products or other local producers in the same industries.
Seaboard’s Marine segment faces competition based on price, reliable sailing frequencies and customer service.
Seaboard’s Sugar and Alcohol segment owns one of the largest sugar mills in Argentina and faces significant competition from other mills for sugar and alcohol sales in the local Argentine market.
For Seaboard’s Power segment, the Dominican government sets a cap on the electricity spot market prices and establishes the dispatch order of who sells into the power grid based on a merit list. To sell to the power grid, Seaboard competes with producers utilizing various types of fuel and generation technologies, including hydro, solar, wind, natural gas, heavy fuel
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oil, diesel or coal. Renewable energy producers and producers who have lower variable operating costs to operate may receive dispatch preference from the Dominican government. EDM III, which was completed in 2022, uses gas turbines instead of engines and is more efficient than Seaboard’s dual-fueled barge, EDM II.
Competition in Seaboard’s Turkey segment comes from a variety of regional and national producers and processors within specific product categories and sales channels and is based primarily on brand, product quality, customer service and price.
Seasonal Business
The Turkey segment’s business is seasonal for whole birds and related products, with the holiday season driving the majority of those sales. Seaboard’s other segments are not seasonally dependent to any material extent.
Research and Development
The majority of Seaboard’s research and development occurs in the Pork segment. Within hog production operations, activities are directed at improving the genetics, health and feed efficiency of hogs. The processing plant activities focus on increasing meat quality, as well as other manufacturing process improvements. Seaboard has also invested research and development resources in the development of biodiesel plants, a renewable diesel facility and renewable biogas recovery facilities.
Raw Materials and Sources of Supply
During 2023, Seaboard raised 94% of the hogs processed at its processing plant, with the remaining hog requirements purchased primarily under a contract with an independent producer. The CT&M segment sources, transports and markets approximately 12 million metric tons per year of wheat, corn, soybeans, soybean meal and other commodities, generally purchased from farmers, grain elevators and wholesale merchants. Changes in origination sources, weather patterns, planting forecasts and consumption patterns may impact supply and demand and related commodity prices in this segment. The Sugar segment supplied approximately 80% of the sugar cane processed in its facility.
Fuel is a significant raw material for the Power segment. EDM III only operates on natural gas and there is only one supplier in the Dominican Republic. The dispatch of EDM II is dependent on the effective sourcing of heavy fuel oil or natural gas at competitive prices. The Power segment has entered into a long-term fuel supply agreement to ensure natural gas is available for EDM III’s operations. The Turkey segment purchases a significant portion of its grain used in the manufacturing of feed for its turkeys in North Carolina from Seaboard’s partner in Butterball. Also, Butterball purchases poults for its operations from one supplier that has multiple locations.
Intellectual Property
Seaboard believes there is recognition of the registered trademarks identified below in the various industries Seaboard serves. While Seaboard considers all of its intellectual and proprietary rights important, Seaboard believes its business as a whole is not materially dependent on any particular patent, trademark, license or other intellectual property right. The Pork segment uses trademarks, including Seaboard Foods®, Seaboard Farms®, Seaboard Energy®, Prairie Fresh®, Prairie Fresh USA Prime®, Our Farms, Our Commitment®, St. Joe Pork®, Cook-in Bag®, and PORKABILITIESTM. The CT&M segment uses trademarks, including Mothers Pride® and Zambia’s Pride® in Zambia, GMA® and Top Pain® in Ivory Coast, and GMD® and Jarga® in Senegal. The Marine segment uses trademarks, including Seaboard Marine® and Seaboard Solutions®. The Sugar and Alcohol segment uses trademarks, including Chango®, Chango Premium® and Tabacal®. The Turkey segment uses trademarks, including, Butterball®, Carolina Turkey® and Farm to Family Butterball®.
Human Capital Resources
Generally, Seaboard’s segments operate autonomously to implement the human capital strategies that best meet the diverse needs of the workforce, industry, competitive environment and legal requirements of the countries it operates in. This often includes developing location-specific employee benefits, policies, programs and practices. Although individual programs and benefits vary by location, all segments align with Seaboard’s core principles that emphasize health and safety, financial wellness, learning and development, and global diversity and acceptance.
As of December 31, 2023, Seaboard had approximately 13,000 total employees, of whom approximately 53% were in the U.S., 31% were in the Caribbean, Latin and South America and 16% were in Africa.
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The following is an approximate employee breakdown by segment as of December 31, 2023:
Pork
Total Employees 5,794 — — — 5,794
% Union 38% — — — 38%
CT&M
% Union — 5% 53% — 41%
Marine
% Union — 0% — — 0%
Sugar and Alcohol
Total Employees — 1,390 — — 1,390
% Union — 71% — — 71%
Power
Total Employees — 236 — — 236
Corporate and All Other
Substantially all of the Pork segment’s hourly employees at its processing plant are covered by a collective bargaining agreement that expires in 2026. In the CT&M segment, approximately 41% of employees at mills, primarily in Africa and South America, are subject to collective bargaining agreements with various unions under agreements that expire between 2024 and 2025. In the Sugar and Alcohol segment, substantially all of its hourly mill employees in Argentina are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and it is renewed twice per year. Seaboard believes it has good relationships with its employees and their representative labor organizations.
Seaboard’s employees are critical to operational success and their health and safety is a top priority. All full-time domestic employees are eligible to receive medical and dental benefits and participate in wellness programs. The Power segment subsidizes 85% of the employee’s and families’ medical coverage. All CT&M and almost all Marine foreign locations have either company-subsidized private health coverage or public health coverage as mandated by their local governments. All employees of the Sugar and Alcohol segment are eligible for subsidized health coverage either through the company or under a union medical program. The Pork, Sugar and Alcohol and Power segments have onsite health clinics at their respective principal locations. Seaboard has various initiatives to protect the safety of the workforce. In the Pork segment, they employ 20 full-time safety professionals.
At times, recruitment and retention can be a challenge for certain locations in the Pork segment. In 2023, the Pork segment had a retention rate of approximately 78% primarily due to its nature of work and rural locations, and approximately 24% of the Pork segment’s workforce is dependent upon employment visas in different production areas. In the CT&M segment, which has operations in developing countries, challenges associated with safety and political instability exist from time to time, which may create challenges in identifying and retaining qualified local and expatriate personnel.
Flexible compensation and benefit strategies are developed by Seaboard’s segments to attract and retain employees and reduce turnover and associated costs. Seaboard provides competitive pay, paid time off, holidays and other benefits depending on location. All domestic employees that work a minimum number of hours are eligible to participate in the company-sponsored 401(k) retirement savings plan. At many of the foreign locations, Seaboard participates in government-required pension funds on behalf of its employees. Additional benefits are determined by the segment, but often include employee discounts on products produced such as meat and sugar in the Pork and Sugar and Alcohol segments.
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Seaboard’s segments also provide on-the-job training and various professional development opportunities. For example, full-time employees with a minimum length of service in the Pork segment are eligible for tuition reimbursement, and the segment has developed a comprehensive training program to promote internal employees to management positions. In the Marine segment, employees are provided training courses through an online platform, including industry-specific, job-specific and general skills courses, and heavy equipment operators have a formal training program with a certain number of hours that must be met before promotion.
Because Seaboard operates around the world, Seaboard believes that global diversity and acceptance are critical for its continued success, including at the highest levels, where 40% of Seaboard’s Board are female, including the Chairwoman.
Governmental Regulations
Environmental Matters
Seaboard’s Pork segment and Turkey segment are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the environment, such as treatment of wastewater and air emissions, that require the expenditure of funds in the ordinary course of business. Seaboard’s Pork and Turkey segments do not anticipate making expenditures for these purposes that, in the aggregate, would have a material effect on Seaboard’s financial condition or results of operations. Seaboard’s Marine and CT&M segments’ vessels are subject to environmental regulations related to fuel efficiency, which may cause certain vessels to reduce their speed, potentially impacting voyage routes. Seaboard’s Power segment must receive permits from local authorities to operate, including environmental licenses, among others, and these permits may be canceled or not renewed. The segment is in the process of renewing the environmental permits for both EDM II and EDM III, and it is expected that each barge will have its corresponding permit valid for a minimum of 2 years.
Other Regulations
As a company with global operations, Seaboard is subject to complex foreign and U.S. laws and regulations, including food safety, labor laws, trade regulations, tariffs, import and export regulations, foreign exchange regulations and anti-bribery and corruption laws. Seaboard has policies and procedures in place to require compliance with these laws and regulations. To date, Seaboard’s compliance actions and costs relating to these laws, rules and regulations have not resulted in a material effect on Seaboard’s financial condition or results of operations. Governmental regulations are subject to change, and accordingly, Seaboard is unable to assess the possible effect of compliance with future requirements or whether compliance with such regulations will materially impact Seaboard’s business in the future.
Available Information
Access to all of Seaboard’s SEC filings, including its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on 10-Q, current reports on 8-K and all amendments to those reports, is available, free of charge, on its website at www.seaboardcorp.com/investors as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Seaboard does not intend for information contained in its website to be part of this Form 10-K. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
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Information About Seaboard’s Executive Officers
The following table lists the executive officers of Seaboard. Generally, executive officers are elected at the annual meeting of the Board following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and hold office until the next such annual meeting or until their respective successors are duly chosen and qualified. There are no arrangements or understandings pursuant to which any executive officer was elected.
Name (Age) Positions and Offices
Robert L. Steer (64) President and Chief Executive Officer
David H. Rankin (52) Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
David M. Becker (62) Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Ty A. Tywater (54) Senior Vice President, Audit Services
Barbara M. Smith (43) Vice President and Corporate Controller
Benjamin R. Hodes (38) Vice President, Finance
Adriana N. Hoskins (54) Vice President and Treasurer
Elizabeth A. Loudon (59) Vice President, Tax
James T. Hubler (45) Assistant Secretary
Zachery J. Holden (56) Assistant Secretary
Laura Cerezo Baena (37) Assistant Secretary
Emma A. Beltz-Vacas (46) Assistant Treasurer
Peter B. Brown (61) President and Chief Executive Officer, Seaboard Foods LLC
Mr. Steer has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since July 2020. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer from April 2011 to December 2020.
Mr. Rankin has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since December 2020. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President, Taxation and Business Development since April 2015.
Mr. Becker has served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since December 2020 and previously as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since April 2011.
Mr. Tywater has served as Senior Vice President, Audit Services since December 2020 and previously as Vice President, Audit Services since November 2008.
Ms. Smith has served as Vice President and Corporate Controller since March 2023 and previously as Assistant Corporate Controller since May 2015.
Mr. Hodes has served as Vice President, Finance since December 2020 and previously as Finance Director since December 2019. Prior to that, he served as Finance Manager since 2015.
Ms. Hoskins has served as Vice President and Treasurer since December 2020 and previously as Assistant Treasurer since 2006.
Ms. Loudon has served as Vice President, Tax since December 2020 and previously as Tax Director since January 2017.
Mr. Hubler has served as Assistant Secretary since April 2019, and as Vice President and General Counsel with Seaboard Foods LLC since January 2022. Prior to that, he was the Associate General Counsel at Seaboard Corporation since October 2018.
Mr. Holden has served as Assistant Secretary since June 2010, and served as Vice President and General Counsel with SOTG until October 2023 when he was named SOTG Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer.
Ms. Cerezo Baena has served as Assistant Secretary since April 2023 and as Senior Corporate Counsel since 2020. Prior to joining Seaboard, Ms. Cerezo Baena was an associate at the law firm of Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP since September 2015. Ms. Cerezo Baena is not related to Douglas W. Baena, Seaboard’s Lead Independent Director and Member of the Audit Committee.
Ms. Beltz-Vacas has served as Assistant Treasurer since January 2021 and previously as Treasury Director since July 2014.
Mr. Brown has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Seaboard Foods LLC since January 2021. Prior to joining Seaboard Foods LLC, Mr. Brown was the Chief Operating Officer of Butterball, LLC for almost two years and President and Chief Operating Officer at High Liner Foods from 2014 to 2018.
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Mr. Bresky has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of SOTG since January 2023 and previously Seaboard Corporation’s Vice President, International and various other positions with SOTG for more than 10 years.
Mr. Gonzalez has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Seaboard Marine Ltd. since January 2005.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Business and Operational Risks
● foreign currency exchange or retail price controls;
● hyperinflation;
● heightened customer credit and execution risk;
Accordingly, revenues, operating income and cash flows from international operations could fluctuate significantly from year to year.
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● impair the financial viability of Seaboard’s insurers.
Industry Risks
● food spoilage;
● food allergens;
● adverse weather and climate change risks;
● evolving consumer preferences and nutritional and health-related concerns;
● international, federal, state and local food processing regulations;
● the possible unavailability and/or expense of liability insurance;
● consumer product liability claims;
● product recall;
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● product tampering; and
Pathogens that may cause food contamination are found generally in livestock and in the environment and therefore may be present in Seaboard’s products. These pathogens also can be introduced to Seaboard’s products as a result of improper handling by customers or consumers. Seaboard does not have control over handling procedures once products have been shipped for distribution. If one or more of these risks were to materialize, Seaboard’s brand reputation could be harmed, revenues could decrease, costs of doing business could increase, and Seaboard’s operating results could be adversely affected.
These fluctuating market conditions could have a significant impact on Seaboard’s sales, value of commodities held in inventory and operating income.
The geographic areas in which Seaboard operates have also experienced labor shortages resulting in higher labor costs. The inability to acquire and retain the services of such personnel, or increased costs associated with the acquisition and retention of such personnel, could have a material adverse effect on Seaboard’s operations.
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● inclement weather;
● mechanical failures;
● grounding, fire, explosions and collisions;
● human error;
● war, piracy and terrorism; and
● access to and congestion in ports and canals.
Any of these hazards could result in death or injury to persons, loss of property, environmental damages, delays or rerouting and could have a material adverse effect on Seaboard’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legal and Regulatory Risks
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Failure to comply with these laws and regulations and any future changes to them could result in significant consequences to Seaboard, including civil and criminal penalties, liability for damages, negative publicity and the inability to do business in certain locales. In addition, future changes in laws, regulations and standards may result in additional costs or a reduction in revenues.
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Specific Pork Segment Risks
Specific Commodity Trading and Milling Segment Risks
Specific Marine Segment Risks
Specific Sugar and Alcohol Segment Risks
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Specific Power Segment Risks
Specific Turkey Segment Risks
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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
Seaboard recognizes the importance of maintaining the trust and confidence of its customers, business partners, employees and other stakeholders. The Board is involved in the oversight of Seaboard's enterprise risk management program, of which cybersecurity is a component. Seaboard's information security program includes cybersecurity policies, standards, processes and practices that are based on recognized frameworks established by the Center for Internet Security (“CIS”) and other applicable industry standards. Seaboard seeks to address cybersecurity risks through a comprehensive, company-wide information security program that is focused on preserving the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information that Seaboard collects and stores by identifying, preventing and mitigating cybersecurity threats and effectively responding to cybersecurity incidents when they occur.
Managing Material Cybersecurity Risks
Seaboard maintains a risk-based approach to information security that is based on the CIS-18 controls framework to identify key areas of cybersecurity risk. Seaboard’s information security program maintains a team responsible for managing the cybersecurity risk assessment process across all segments (the “Information Security Team”). The Information Security Team routinely performs assessments and generates reports throughout the year to determine risks, threats and compliance with information security policies, standards and the framework of controls. This Information Security Team partners with each of the segments to identify key areas of cybersecurity risk based on the framework and develop action plans tailored to address those risks. These action plans are included on a multi-year roadmap that addresses priority, funding and implementation. These risks are evaluated on a quarterly basis according to Seaboard's cybersecurity reporting process.
Other cybersecurity risk management measures Seaboard takes include:
Overseeing Third-Party Cybersecurity Risk
Seaboard's information security program includes a documented process to oversee, identify and mitigate cybersecurity risk associated with Seaboard’s use of new third-party service providers. As part of this process, prior to onboarding a third-party service provider, designated information security personnel from each segment will work with the internal business sponsors to perform a cybersecurity risk assessment and determine the potential impact on Seaboard’s systems, data and networks if an identified cybersecurity breach were to occur. Risk assessments are documented, and reports are shared with the Information Security Team and others responsible for accepting the risk tolerance and monitoring the risks going forward.
Risks from Cybersecurity Threats
As of the date of this report, Seaboard is not aware of any cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to affect Seaboard’s business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. However, cybersecurity threats and cyber-attacks continue to increase in sophistication and volume. As a result, Seaboard frequently updates its information security plan to address new threats, and Seaboard continues to make investments to protect its information technology infrastructure.
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Cybersecurity Governance
Seaboard acknowledges the importance of effectively managing risks linked to cybersecurity threats. Seaboard has implemented oversight mechanisms to ensure effective governance in handling risks linked to cybersecurity threats because of the impact these threats can have on operational integrity and stakeholder confidence.
Cybersecurity Risk Management Personnel
Seaboard’s information security program and the Information Security Team is led and managed by a dedicated Director of Information Security (the “IS Director”). The IS Director, whose experience includes over seven years in information security leadership roles and relevant certifications, brings appropriate expertise to Seaboard’s information security program. The IS Director’s experience and knowledge are crucial to the ongoing development and execution of Seaboard’s information security program.
Management’s Role Managing Cybersecurity Risk and Board of Director Oversight
The IS Director and the Information Security Team communicate guidance to all divisional information security personnel to ensure consistent execution of cybersecurity risk management activities. Updates on divisional cybersecurity risks, compliance and roadmap status are provided on at a least a quarterly basis to Seaboard's CEO and CFO for purposes of risk monitoring, updates to policies, allocation of resources, feedback on roadmap progress and discussions on threat remediation, among other topics.
On at least a quarterly basis, the IS Director and other members of management inform Seaboard’s full Board of new risks or changes to risks, the status of projects to strengthen Seaboard’s information security systems, assessments of Seaboard’s security program and the emerging threat landscape. The Board provides feedback on management’s plans and allocates resources for plan expenditures. Seaboard also maintains disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that executive management and the Board receives prompt and timely information regarding any material cybersecurity incidents. Upon confirmation of a cybersecurity incident, the impacted segment invokes their response plan and notifies the IS Director who then communicates the details of the incident to management’s Cybersecurity Committee for determination of materiality.
Item 2. Properties
Management believes that Seaboard’s present facilities are adequate and suitable for its current purposes. Seaboard’s principal properties by segment are described below:
(1) Pork - Seaboard’s Pork segment owns a pork processing plant in Oklahoma. It has a double-shift capacity to process approximately six million hogs annually and generally operates at capacity with additional weekend shifts depending on market conditions. Seaboard’s hog production operations can breed and raise approximately eight million hogs annually at facilities it primarily owns or at facilities owned and operated by third parties with whom it has grower contracts. This segment owns and operates eight centrally located feed mills, which have a combined capacity to produce approximately three million tons of formulated feed annually. These facilities are located in Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Colorado. The Pork segment owns biodiesel plants in Oklahoma and Missouri, with the capacity to produce up to 46 million gallons and 30 million gallons, respectively, of biodiesel annually, and a renewable diesel plant in Kansas with capacity to produce up to 85 million gallons of renewable diesel annually. The renewable diesel plant began operations in 2022 and has experienced certain operational issues since start-up. Management expects the plant will operate at full capacity upon repairs and maintenance that are expected to be complete in early 2024.The Pork segment uses a terminal facility in California with a maximum throughput capacity to store and distribute approximately 300 million gallons of fuel per year.
(2) Commodity Trading and Milling - Seaboard’s CT&M segment operates milling facilities at 12 locations in 9 countries and has 11 trading offices in 10 countries. The milling facilities located in Ecuador, Ghana, Guyana, Mozambique, Peru, Republic of Congo, and Zambia own the land and plants. There are additional milling facilities located in Ivory Coast, Republic of Congo, Senegal and Zambia where the land is leased under long-term agreements. The milling facilities produce approximately two million metric tons of wheat flour, maize meal, manufactured feed and oilseed crush commodities per year in addition to other related grain-based products. Certain foreign milling operations may operate at less than full capacity due to low demand, poor consumer purchasing power, excess milling capacity in their competitive environment or imported flour. Seaboard’s CT&M segment owns three 18,900 metric ton deadweight dry bulk vessels and charters between 40 to 52 bulk vessels on an annual basis with deadweights of up to 65,000 metric tons under short-term agreements.
(3) Marine - Seaboard’s Marine segment leases approximately 297,000 square feet of off-port warehouse space and 87 acres of port terminal land and facilities in Miami, Florida, which are used in its containerized cargo operations.
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Seaboard’s Marine segment also leases an approximate 77-acre cargo handling and marine terminal facility in Houston, Texas, which includes several warehouses totaling approximately 648,000 square feet for cargo storage. The Marine segment owns six ocean cargo vessels with deadweights of up to approximately 34,000 metric tons. Seaboard’s Marine segment has eight new dual-fuel vessels under construction which are expected to be primarily fueled by liquefied natural gas, with three vessels expected to be completed in 2024 and the other five vessels in 2025. Also, as of December 31, 2023, this segment charters 16 vessels under contracts with a remaining average term of 9 months with deadweights of up to approximately 34,700 metric tons. Seaboard’s Marine segment owns or leases dry, refrigerated and specialized containers and other related equipment.
(4) Sugar and Alcohol - Seaboard’s Sugar and Alcohol segment owns nearly 70,000 acres of cultivated land to grow sugarcane and a processing mill with an annual capacity to crush approximately three million metric tons of sugar cane. The alcohol distillery has an annual production capacity of approximately 250,000 metric tons of sugar if maximizing sugar production, and approximately 33 million gallons of alcohol if maximizing alcohol production. Depending on the market conditions, this segment can produce more sugar and less alcohol, or vice versa. This capacity is sufficient to process all of the cane harvested by this segment and additional quantities purchased from third-party farmers in the region. The sugarcane fields, processing mill, distillery and 51-megawatt cogeneration power plant are located in northern Argentina in the Salta Province. This area experiences seasonal rainfalls that may limit the harvest season, which then affects the duration of mill operations and quantities of sugar, alcohol and power produced.
(5) Power - Seaboard’s Power segment owns two power-generating barges that are secured on the Ozama River in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. EDM II and EDM III can generate approximately 108 megawatts and 150 megawatts, respectively, of electricity.
(6) Turkey - Seaboard’s Turkey segment has a total of three processing plants, three further processing plants and numerous company and third-party live production facilities and feed milling operations, located in North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. These facilities produce approximately one billion pounds of turkey annually. Although capacity to meet core further processing demand is sufficient, Butterball uses third-party copacker arrangements to supplement portions of its portfolio where it either does not maintain specialized competencies, or to meet demand beyond its internal production capacity.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
The information required by this item is included in Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Seaboard’s common stock is traded on the NYSE American under the symbol SEB. Seaboard had 3,106 stockholders of record of its common stock as of January 31, 2024.
Stock Performance Graph
The SEC requires a five-year comparison of Seaboard’s stock performance with that of an appropriate broad equity market index and similar industry index. Since there is no single industry index to compare stock performance, the companies comprising the Dow Jones U.S. Food Products and Dow Jones U.S. Marine Transportation Industry indices (the “Peer Group”) were chosen as the second comparison.
The following line graph shows a five-year comparison of cumulative total return for Seaboard Corporation, the NYSE American Index and the companies comprising the Peer Group, weighted by market capitalization for the five fiscal years commencing December 31, 2018 and ending December 31, 2023.
The comparison of cumulative total returns presented in the above graph was plotted using the following index values and common stock price values:
During each quarter in 2023, 2022 and 2021, Seaboard declared and paid quarterly dividends of $2.25 per share of common stock. Seaboard’s Board intends that Seaboard will continue to pay quarterly dividends for the reasonably foreseeable future, with such future dividends and the amount of any such dividends being subject to the determination, declaration and discretion of Seaboard’s Board and dependent upon factors such as Seaboard’s financial condition, results of operations, and current and anticipated cash needs, including capital requirements. As discussed in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements, Seaboard’s ability to declare and pay dividends is subject to limitations imposed by debt agreements.
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Seaboard has not established any equity compensation plans or individual agreements for its employees under which Seaboard common stock or options, rights or warrants with respect to Seaboard common stock may be granted.
The following table sets forth information concerning any purchases made by or on behalf of Seaboard or any “affiliated purchaser” (as defined by applicable rules of the SEC) of shares of Seaboard’s common stock during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Approximate
Dollar Value
Of Shares
Total Number that May
Of Shares Yet Be
Purchased as Part Purchased
Total Number Of Publicly Under the
of Shares Average Price Announced Plans Plans or
Period Purchased Paid per Share Or Programs Programs
November 1, 2023 to November 30, 2023 — $ — — $ —
December 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 — $ — — $ —
(a) During the fourth quarter of 2023, Seaboard repurchased 189,724 shares of its common stock in a privately negotiated transaction from certain of its affiliates to facilitate certain internal family planning and structuring objectives. Seaboard does not have a share repurchase program. See Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion.
Item 6. Reserved
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This Management Discussion and Analysis is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, Seaboard’s consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes in Item 8. Certain statements in this report contain forward-looking statements. See the introduction in Item 1 for more information on these forward-looking statements, including a discussion of the most significant factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
OVERVIEW
Sales and costs of Seaboard’s segments are significantly influenced by worldwide fluctuations of commodity prices and changes in global political and economic conditions. Accordingly, sales, operating income and cash flows can fluctuate significantly from year to year. As each segment operates in a distinct industry and a different geographic location, management evaluates their operations separately. Seaboard’s reporting segments are based on information used by Seaboard’s CEO in his capacity as chief operating decision maker to determine allocation of resources and assess performance.
Pork Segment
The Pork segment primarily produces hogs to process and sells pork products throughout the U.S. and to foreign markets. Sales prices are directly affected by both domestic and worldwide supply and demand for pork products and other proteins. Feed accounts for the largest input cost in raising hogs and is materially affected by price changes for corn and soybean meal. Market prices for hogs purchased from third parties for processing at the plant also represent a major cost factor. As a result, commodity price fluctuations can affect profitability and cash flows. This segment is Seaboard’s most capital-intensive segment, representing approximately 63% of Seaboard’s total fixed assets and approximately 52% of total inventories as of December 31, 2023. With the plant generally operating near capacity, Seaboard is continually looking for ways to enhance the plant’s operational efficiency, while also looking to increase margins by introducing new, higher margin value-added products. This segment produces biodiesel and renewable diesel and related credits for sale to third parties. Sales prices are affected by the supply and demand of diesel and environmental credit initiatives. This segment also produces renewable natural gas, but Seaboard does not expect its sales to be significant in 2024 as just a few sites are operational and production is dependent upon maturity of the lagoons.
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CT&M Segment
The CT&M segment provides integrated agricultural commodity trading, processing and logistics services. The majority of its sales are derived from sourcing agricultural commodities from multiple origins and delivering them to third-party and affiliate customers in various international locations. This segment’s sales are significantly affected by fluctuating prices of various commodities, such as wheat, corn and soybean meal. Exports from various countries can exacerbate volatile market conditions. Profit margins are sometimes protected through commodity derivatives and other risk management practices, but the execution of these purchase and delivery transactions has long cycles of completion, which may extend for several months with a high degree of price volatility. As a result, these factors can significantly affect sales volumes, operating income, working capital and related cash flows from period to period. This segment represents approximately 41% of Seaboard’s total inventories as of December 31, 2023. Consolidated subsidiaries and non-consolidated affiliates operate the grain processing facilities in foreign countries that are, in most cases, lesser developed and can be significantly impacted by changes in local crop production, political instability and local government policies, as well as fluctuations in economic and industry conditions and foreign currency exchange rates.
Marine Segment
The Marine segment provides cargo shipping services in the U.S., the Caribbean and Central and South America. Fluctuations in economic conditions and political instability in the regions or countries in which this segment operates may affect trade volumes and operating profits. In addition, freight rates can fluctuate depending on regional supply and demand for shipping services. Since this segment time-charters ocean cargo vessels, it is affected by fluctuations in charter hire rates as well as fuel costs.
Sugar and Alcohol Segment
The Sugar and Alcohol segment produces and processes sugar and alcohol in Argentina, primarily to be marketed locally. This segment’s sales and operating income are significantly affected by local sugar and alcohol prices, domestic sugar production levels and government regulations on local prices. The currency exchange rate can have an impact on reported U.S. dollar sales, operating income and cash flows.
Power Segment
The Power segment is an independent power producer in the Dominican Republic. Spot market rates are impacted by fuel prices and the various producers supplying power to the grid. While fuel is this segment’s largest cost component and is subject to price fluctuations, higher fuel costs generally have been passed on to customers.
Turkey Segment
The Turkey segment, accounted for using the equity method, produces turkeys to process and sells turkey products. Sales prices are directly affected by both domestic and worldwide supply and demand for turkey products and other proteins. Feed accounts for the largest input cost in raising turkeys and is materially affected by price changes for corn and soybean meal. As a result, commodity price fluctuations can affect profitability and cash flows.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Management believes Seaboard’s combination of internally generated cash, liquidity, capital resources and borrowing capabilities will be adequate for its existing operations and any currently known potential plans for expansion of existing operations in both the short-term and long-term.
Liquidity includes cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and available borrowing capacity under line of credit facilities. As of December 31, 2023, Seaboard had cash and short-term investments of nearly $1.0 billion and additional total working capital of $1.0 billion. The following table presents a summary of Seaboard’s available borrowing capacity under lines of credit.
Total amount
(Millions of dollars) available
Short-term uncommitted and committed lines $ 1,326
Amounts drawn against lines (255)
Available borrowing capacity as of December 31, 2023 $ 1,071
Seaboard’s available borrowing capacity increased $403 million from December 31, 2022. Seaboard’s committed line of credit agreement was amended and restated during the first quarter of 2023, increasing the committed borrowing capacity from $250 million to $450 million.
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Seaboard’s liquidity was not significantly impacted by the common stock repurchase transaction that occurred during the fourth quarter of 2023, which is further discussed in the Financing Activities section below. On the day of closing, Seaboard incrementally borrowed less than $50 million under its existing credit facilities to fund the repurchase and working capital. The remaining repurchase amount was funded by cash on hand and cash from the sale of short-term investments. Cash and short-term investments as of December 31, 2023 decreased $256 million from December 31, 2022.
Summary of Sources and Uses of Cash
Seaboard’s principal funding source is cash from operating activities and its principal cash requirements primarily include operating expenses and capital expenditures. Cash flows from investing activities for short-term investments are part of Seaboard’s overall liquidity management strategy. Short-term investment purchases are a result of the investment of excess cash, asset allocation from the active management of the portfolio and reinvestment of matured securities.
As of December 31, 2023, $49 million of the $1.0 billion of cash and short-term investments were held by Seaboard’s foreign subsidiaries. Historically, Seaboard has considered substantially all foreign profits as being permanently invested in its foreign operations, including all cash and short-term investments held by foreign subsidiaries. During 2022, Seaboard reversed its indefinite reinvestment assertion in connection with certain previously-taxed undistributed earnings of its Seaboard Marine subsidiary due to the tax effectiveness of repatriating these earnings and recorded a deferred tax liability for federal and state incremental tax costs associated with the repatriation. For all other foreign subsidiaries, Seaboard intends to continue permanently reinvesting their funds outside the U.S. as they continue to demonstrate no need to repatriate them to fund Seaboard’s U.S. operations for the foreseeable future. Seaboard has not recorded deferred taxes for state or foreign withholding taxes that would result upon repatriation of these funds to the U.S. because determination of the tax that might be paid on unremitted earnings if eventually remitted is not practical due to the complexity of the multi-jurisdictional tax environment in which Seaboard operates.
In 2021, the OECD released Pillar Two Model Rules (“Pillar Two”) to address the tax challenges of the digitalization of the economy. The rules under the model are designed to ensure large multinational enterprises pay a minimum level of tax on the income arising in each jurisdiction where they operate. The rules also include transitional safe harbors which provide temporary exemption of operations in some jurisdictions if certain criteria are met. Some jurisdictions in which Seaboard operates enacted Pillar Two legislation effective in 2024, but the impact will not be material to Seaboard in 2024. Seaboard will continue to monitor legislative developments across relevant jurisdictions and the potential impact on future results.
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Cash provided by operating activities increased $34 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. Seaboard’s net earnings, adjusted for non-cash items, decreased $642 million, but Seaboard had positive cash flow from changes in certain assets and liabilities of $615 million including positive working capital cash flow changes of $526 million. The working capital changes primarily reflected a decrease in accounts receivable due to lower revenues, a decrease in inventories due to lower commodity prices, and a decrease in accounts payable due to timing of payments on purchases. Cash flows from dividends received from affiliates increased $77 million primarily related to distributions received from Butterball.
During 2023, Seaboard paid $30 million to settle a contingent consideration liability related to a 2018 acquisition; cash flows from financing activities include $14 million recognized at the 2018 acquisition date and cash flows from operating activities include $16 million, which is the settlement amount in excess of the liability amount recognized at the acquisition date.
Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Other Investing Activities
During 2023, Seaboard invested $506 million in property, plant and equipment, of which $361 million was in the Pork segment and $121 million was in the Marine segment. The Pork segment expenditures were primarily to fund renewable biogas recovery projects and maintenance and investment of the renewable diesel plant. At certain hog farms, the Pork segment is constructing renewable biogas recovery facilities to capture methane from its hog lagoons and inject it as renewable natural gas into the local pipeline infrastructure. The Marine segment expenditures primarily related to the purchase of a used vessel, deposits and installment payments on dual-fuel vessels under construction and the funding of other investments.
The total budget for 2024 capital expenditures is approximately $555 million, with $293 million planned in the Pork segment and $206 million in the Marine segment. The Pork segment’s budget primarily includes normal replacement of breeding herd, completion of certain renewable biogas recovery projects, and other investments. The Marine segment’s budget primarily includes continued installment payments on eight vessels under construction. The payments for these vessels are made in accordance with milestones achieved throughout construction. Three vessels are expected to be
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complete in 2024 and five vessels are expected to be complete in 2025. As of December 31, 2023, long-term capital expenditure cash requirements for these vessels are approximated to be $173 million in 2024 and $169 million in 2025. Management anticipates funding the capital expenditures from a combination of available cash, the use of available short-term investments and Seaboard’s available borrowing capacity.
Seaboard acquired businesses in 2022 and 2021 and intends to continue to look for opportunities to further grow and diversify its operations, but there are no definitive plans for additional acquisitions at this time. Management intends to utilize existing liquidity, available borrowing capacity and other financing alternatives to fund these opportunities. The terms and availability of such financing may be impacted by economic and financial market conditions, as well as Seaboard's financial condition and results of operations at the time Seaboard seeks such financing, and there can be no assurances that Seaboard will be able to obtain such financing on terms that will be acceptable or advantageous.
From time to time, proceeds from the sale of short-term investments may be used to fund capital expenditure purchases, working capital needs or other requirements.For the stock repurchase transaction in 2023, Seaboard sold equity securities and purchased money market funds held in trading accounts. Included in the $2 billion of gross cash flows related to the sale and purchase of short-term investments for 2021 was asset reallocation intended to reduce equity exposure.
Seaboard continues to make long-term investments with $16 million, $117 million and $98 million invested during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, Seaboard is committed to invest approximately $11 million in certain long-term investments in 2024, primarily real-estate related.Seaboard may also fund capital calls and issue borrowings for its equity method investments based on specific facts and circumstances.
Financing Activities
Cash flows from financing activities primarily include draws and repayments on lines of credit. Seaboard’s lines of credit are used to fund working capital and investments in capital expenditures, as needed. During 2023 and 2022, there was a high volume of draws and repayment activity under lines of credit with the draws used to fund working capital and greater investments in capital expenditures. Seaboard had long-term debt of $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2023, which includes a Term Loan due 2033 of $973 million. Current maturities of long-term debt were $11 million as of December 31, 2023. During the fourth quarter of 2023, Seaboard refinanced its long-term debt to increase the principal amount and extend the maturity date. Seaboard received proceeds of $307 million, net of fees, upon closing of the refinancing. See Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of debt.
As previously disclosed, on October 9, 2023, Seaboard entered into three Stock Repurchase Agreements (the “Repurchase Agreements”) with the following three separate counterparties: Seaboard Flour LLC, SFC Preferred, LLC and REP23 LLC (collectively, the “Sellers”). The Sellers are entities affiliated with Ellen S. Bresky, the Chairwoman of Seaboard’s Board of Directors, or other members of the Bresky family (collectively, the “Bresky Group”). The repurchases were proposed by the Sellers in July 2023 to facilitate certain internal family planning and structuring objectives. On October 10, 2023, the closings under the Repurchase Agreements occurred pursuant to which Seaboard repurchased an aggregate of 189,724 shares (the “Shares”) of its common stock, $1.00 par value per share (“Common Stock”), from the Sellers at a purchase price of $3,162.50 per share, representing a 15.7% discount to the 180-day volume, weighted-average trading price of the Common Stock as of October 6, 2023, a 14.9% discount to the 30-day volume, weighted- average trading price of the Common Stock as of October 6, 2023 and a 13.5% discount to closing price of the Common Stock as of October 6, 2023. Seaboard paid an aggregate purchase price of $600 million for the Shares. The Repurchase Agreements were negotiated and approved by a special committee of Seaboard’s Board of Directors (the “Special Committee”), comprised solely of disinterested, independent directors, including the lead independent director. The Special Committee was advised by independent legal counsel and an independent financial advisor. The Special Committee received an opinion from its independent financial advisor as to the fairness of the consideration paid for the Shares from a financial point of view to Seaboard and stockholders unaffiliated with the Bresky Group. The Special Committee’s grant of authority provided that no repurchase or alternative proposed capital return transaction involving Seaboard and the Bresky Group could be consummated without the prior favorable recommendation of the Special Committee.
Future Contractual Obligations
Other than those obligations discussed above, future obligations mostly include normal operating expenses. For operating and finance leases, Seaboard had a current undiscounted obligation of $192 million and a long-term undiscounted obligation of $492 million as of December 31, 2023, see Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements. The majority of Seaboard’s purchase commitments for materials or supplies are related to hog, grain, feedstock and fuel procurement contracts with a current obligation of approximately $1.5 billion and a long-term obligation of approximately $800 million as of December 31, 2023, see Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements. Also, Seaboard is subject to obligations
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under its existing defined benefit pension plans. As of December 31, 2023, the unfunded status of all plans was $78 million. Anticipated employer payments related to the pension and supplemental executive plans in 2024 are $23 million. For additional information about Seaboard’s pension plans, see Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Net sales for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were $9.6 billion, $11.2 billion and $9.2 billion, respectively. The decrease of $1.6 billion for 2023 compared to 2022 primarily reflected a sales decline of $1.2 billion in the CT&M segment due to lower prices and volumes of commodities sold and a sales decline of $544 million in the Marine segment due to lower cargo volumes and freight rates. The increase in net sales of $2 billion for 2022 compared to 2021 primarily reflected higher prices of commodities sold in the CT&M segment of $1.1 billion, and higher freight rates in the Marine segment of $647 million. See the net sales discussion by reportable segment below for more details.
Operating income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was ($87) million, $657 million and $458 million, respectively. The decrease of $744 million for 2023 compared to 2022 primarily reflected a decline in operating income of $392 million in the Pork segment due to lower margins on the sale of pork products and market hogs, and a decline in operating income of $363 million in the Marine segment due to lower voyage revenue. The increase in operating income of $199 million for 2022 compared to 2021 primarily reflected an increase of $394 million in the Marine segment due to higher voyage revenue, an increase of $90 million in the CT&M segment due to higher margins on certain commodities, partially offset by lower margins on pork product, market hog and biodiesel sales in the Pork segment which decreased operating income by $323 million. See the operating income discussion by reportable segment below for more details.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased $30 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The increase was primarily due to higher personnel costs including $7 million for the deferred compensation program and an adjustment of the contingent consideration liability discussed above of $10 million. SG&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 increased $13 million compared to 2021. The increase was primarily the result of higher SG&A with no individually significant items, partially offset by lower costs associated with Seaboard’s deferred compensation program of $7 million. The deferred compensation program costs are offset by the effect of the mark-to-market on investments recorded in other investment income (loss), net.
Interest Expense
Interest expense increased $18 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The increase in interest expense was primarily due to higher interest rates on outstanding debt, partially offset by an increase of $13 million in capitalized interest on construction in progress. Interest expense increased $27 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase primarily related to higher interest rates on outstanding debt.
Interest Income
Interest income increased $30 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022 and $10 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase was primarily due to higher interest rates on debt securities.
Other Investment Income (Loss), Net
Other investment income, net increased $324 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The increase was primarily due to unrealized mark-to-market gains on short-term investments and a $46 million charge recorded during 2022 related to a long-term solar energy investment. Other investment income, net decreased $372 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The decrease primarily reflected mark-to-market losses on short-term investments and the $46 million charge noted above. The charge on this long-term investment was offset with the benefit of the investment tax credits recorded in income tax benefit (expense).
Foreign Currency Gains (Losses), Net
Foreign currency gains, net decreased $9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to fluctuations in the Zambian kwacha, among fluctuations of other currency exchange rates in several foreign countries. Foreign currency gains, net decreased $11 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The decrease primarily reflected fluctuations in the euro, among fluctuations of other currency exchange rates in several foreign countries.
Income Tax Benefit (Expense)
The 2023 effective tax rate was lower than the 2022 effective tax rate primarily due to lower earnings, more federal tax credits and a larger state tax benefit due to higher domestic losses. The 2022 effective tax rate was lower than the 2021
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effective tax rate primarily due to an increase in federal investment tax credits available in 2022 and a change in the mix of foreign and domestic earnings, with foreign earnings generally taxed at lower rates. See Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements for further information on Seaboard’s income taxes.
Segment Results
See Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements for a reconciliation of net sales and operating income by reportable segment to consolidated net sales and consolidated operating income, respectively.
Pork Segment
Operating income (loss) $ (528) $ (96) $ 227
Income from affiliates $ 33 $ 24 $ 3
Net sales for the Pork segment decreased $89 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The change was due to a decrease in sales of $228 million for pork products and market hogs due primarily to lower market prices, partially offset by higher volumes of pork products sold that increased sales $37 million. The decrease was partially offset by a $91 million increase in biodiesel and renewable diesel sales and related credits due primarily to a $276 million increase in volumes sold from the renewable diesel plant in Hugoton, Kansas which began operations in the third quarter of 2022, partially offset by a decrease in prices of $116 million and timing of sales of associated credits of $69 million.
Operating income for the Pork segment decreased $432 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease primarily reflected $392 million in lower margins on pork products and market hogs due to lower sales prices and higher hog production costs, including higher feed costs of $98 million, and to a lesser extent, an increase in legal expense, partially offset by a decrease in adjustments to the lower of cost and net realizable value (“LCNRV”) inventory reserve of $41 million. An inventory adjustment has been necessary since the third quarter of 2022 to properly state the hog inventory balances at quoted future market prices for pork products and grain costs. Lower biodiesel and renewable diesel margins related to lower sales prices were partially offset with no mark-to-market derivative contract losses for the period compared to $35 million in 2022. Management is unable to predict market prices for pork products, biodiesel, renewable diesel, or related credits, or the costs of feed, third-party hogs or feedstock for future periods, but based on current market conditions, management anticipates the segment's profitability will be near break-even for 2024. Scheduled maintenance and repairs on the renewable diesel plant began in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will not be completed until early 2024, and as a result, renewable diesel operating income for the first quarter of 2024 will be impacted.
Net sales for the Pork segment increased $124 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase was primarily the result of an increase in biodiesel sales of $146 million related to higher prices and an increase in the sales of associated credits of $107 million. The increases were partially offset by a decrease in volumes of pork products and market hogs sold resulting in a decrease in sales of $113 million.
Operating income for the Pork segment decreased $323 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The decrease was primarily due to lower margins on pork product and market hog sales due to higher costs of hogs, including inventory adjustments of $41 million, and higher feed costs of $130 million, biodiesel-related mark-to-market derivative contract losses of $35 million and higher biodiesel and renewable diesel operational costs of $26 million due to feedstock costs and start-up costs at the Hugoton renewable diesel plant.
Income from affiliates increased $21 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021 due to improved results at STF.
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CT&M Segment
Operating income as reported $ 145 $ 151 $ 61
Marked-to-market adjustments (6) (7) 7
Income (loss) from affiliates $ (18) $ 21 $ 18
Net sales for the CT&M segment decreased $1.2 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to lower average sales prices, which decreased sales $619 million and lower volumes as a result of increased competition and market dynamics, which decreased sales $532 million. Sales prices for many of Seaboard’s products are directly affected by both domestic and worldwide supply and demand for commodities and competing products, all of which are determined by constantly changing market forces.
Operating income for the CT&M segment decreased $6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. Margins increased slightly year over year primarily due to lower commodity costs but were offset by the $10 million adjustment to the contingent consideration liability. Due to worldwide commodity price fluctuations, the uncertain political and economic conditions in the countries in which this segment operates and the volatility in the commodity markets, management is unable to predict sales and operating results for this segment for future periods. However, management anticipates positive operating income for this segment in 2024, excluding the effects of marked-to-market adjustments.
Had Seaboard not applied mark-to-market accounting to its derivative instruments, operating income for this segment would have been lower by $6 million and $7 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively, and higher by $7 million in 2021. While management believes its commodity futures, options and foreign exchange contracts are primarily economic hedges of its firm purchase and sales contracts or anticipated sales contracts, Seaboard does not perform the extensive record-keeping required to account for these transactions as hedges for accounting purposes. Accordingly, while the changes in fair value of the derivative instruments were marked to market, the changes in value of the firm purchase or sales contracts were not. As products are delivered to customers, these existing marked-to-market adjustments should be primarily offset by realized margins or losses as revenue is recognized over time; therefore, these marked-to-market adjustments could reverse in fiscal 2024. Management believes eliminating these marked-to-market adjustments provides a more reasonable presentation to compare and evaluate period-to-period financial results for this segment.
Income from affiliates decreased $39 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. CT&M’s investments in affiliates are represented by numerous milling, feed, protein and trading affiliates, with no individual investment representing a material fluctuation. The decrease was primarily due to several entities challenged with lower margins due to higher costs and competition.
Net sales for the CT&M segment increased $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase primarily reflected higher average sales prices of certain commodities of $1.1 billion.
Operating income for the CT&M segment increased $90 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase primarily reflected higher margins on certain commodities, costs associated with operational changes recorded in 2021 but not repeated in 2022 of approximately $25 million, and derivative contract gains of $7 million in 2022 related to the change in mark-to-market adjustments compared to losses of $7 million in 2021.
Marine Segment
Net sales for the Marine segment decreased $544 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to an overall decline in both cargo volumes and freight rates. Cargo volumes decreased 17% for the year ended 2023 compared to the year ended 2022. The decline in cargo volumes and freight rates is primarily a result of a general decrease in demand for ocean transportation services.
Operating income for the Marine segment decreased $363 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily the result of lower voyage revenue, partially offset by lower voyage-related costs, such as slot costs, fuel costs, terminal services and trucking costs due to the lower cargo volumes, and fuel prices. Management
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cannot predict changes in fuel costs or other voyage-related costs, cargo volumes or cargo rates for future periods; however, management anticipates this segment will be profitable in 2024.
Net sales for the Marine segment increased $647 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase was primarily the result of higher freight rates.
Operating income for the Marine segment increased $394 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase was primarily the result of higher voyage revenue, partially offset by higher voyage-related costs, including charter-hire costs, fuel costs and other operational costs primarily due to increased rates.
Sugar and Alcohol Segment
Operating income $ 18 $ 11 $ 2
Net sales for the Sugar and Alcohol segment increased $30 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. Sugar sales increased $20 million due to higher prices related to lower market supply. Alcohol sales increased $10 million due to higher volumes related to strong demand and higher prices primarily associated with governmental price adjustments.
Operating income for the Sugar and Alcohol segment increased $7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The increase primarily reflected higher margins on sugar sales. Higher sugar sales prices were partially offset by higher production costs primarily due to inflationary pressure and foreign exchange volatility. Management cannot predict local sugar and alcohol prices or the volatility in the currency exchange rate for future periods, and management is uncertain whether this segment will be profitable in 2024.
Net sales for the Sugar and Alcohol segment increased $6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. Sugar and alcohol sales increased $10 million, partially offset by lower energy production. Higher sales prices were mostly offset by lower volumes of sugar and alcohol sold due to low inventory levels from recent harvests.
Operating income for the Sugar and Alcohol segment increased $9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase primarily reflected higher margins on sugar and alcohol sales.
Power Segment
Operating income (loss) $ 71 $ 14 $ (9)
Net sales for the Power segment increased $79 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. More power generation from EDM III, that began operations in June 2022, contributed to an increase in sales of $60 million. EDM II, the power-generating barge which began operations in 2012, increased its dispatch volume in 2023 primarily due to improved availability of competitively priced fuel.
Operating income for the Power segment increased $57 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The increase was due to more revenue generated primarily from EDM III’s operations, partially offset primarily by an increase in fuel costs of $12 million and other costs related to EDM III. Management cannot predict fuel costs or the extent that spot market rates will fluctuate compared to fuel costs or other power producers for future periods; however, management anticipates this segment will be profitable in 2024. While EDM II remains in operation in the Dominican Republic, Seaboard continues to explore strategic alternatives for this barge, including a sale or relocation.
Net sales for the Power segment increased $98 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase primarily reflected more power generation with EDM III also in operation of $76 million, and to a lesser extent, higher spot market rates of $22 million as a result of higher fuel prices.
Operating income for the Power segment increased $23 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021 primarily due to higher revenues, partially offset by higher fuel and other operational costs due to higher prices.
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Turkey Segment
Income (loss) from affiliate $ 87 $ 103 $ (20)
The Turkey segment, accounted for using the equity method, represents Seaboard’s 52.5% investment in Butterball. Income from affiliate decreased $16 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022 as Butterball’s net income decreased $30 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease in net income was primarily the result of income recorded in the prior year related to a $21 million gain on the sale of businesses, and $11 million of mark-to-market gains on interest-rate swap agreements that were terminated in 2022. The decrease was partially offset by higher margins with a stronger mix of value-added products sold and production efficiencies. Volumes sold decreased 7% for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. Management is unable to predict market prices for turkey products or the cost of feed for future periods; however, management anticipates this segment will be profitable in 2024.
Income from affiliate increased $123 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021 as Butterball’s net income increased $234 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to 2021. The increase in net income was primarily the result of higher revenues of $258 million, primarily due to higher selling prices and strong markets, and gains on the sale of businesses and interest rate-swap agreements of $32 million, slightly offset by higher feed and plant production costs.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
The preparation of Seaboard’s consolidated financial statements requires Seaboard to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements for a discussion of significant accounting policies.Management has identified the accounting estimate believed to be the most important to the portrayal of Seaboard’s financial condition and results of operations, and that requires management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of inherently uncertain matters. Management has reviewed this critical accounting estimate with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
Accrued Pension Liability – The measurement of Seaboard’s pension liability and related expense is dependent on a variety of assumptions and estimates regarding future events. These assumptions include discount rates, assumed rate of return on plan assets, compensation increases, mortality rates and retirement rates. The discount rate and return on plan assets are important elements of liability and expense measurement and are reviewed on an annual basis. The effect of decreasing both the discount rate and assumed rate of return on plan assets by 50 basis points would have a minimal impact on pension expense. The effects of actual results differing from the assumptions (i.e. gains or losses) are primarily accumulated in accrued pension liability and amortized over future periods, if it exceeds the 10% corridor and therefore, could affect Seaboard’s recognized pension expense in such future periods as permitted under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). See Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements for discussion of the pension rates and assumptions.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Seaboard is exposed to various types of market risks in its day-to-day operations. Primary market risk exposures result from changing commodity prices, foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and equity prices. Occasionally derivatives are used to manage these overall market risks; however, Seaboard does not perform the extensive record-keeping required to account for derivative transactions as hedges. These derivatives are not accounted for as hedges, so fluctuations in the related prices could have a material impact on earnings in any given year. From time to time, Seaboard also enters into speculative derivative transactions related to its market risks.
Commodity price changes affect the cost of necessary raw materials and other inventories, finished product sales and firm sales commitments. Seaboard uses various grain, hog, oilseed and other commodity futures and options purchase contracts to manage certain risks of increasing prices of raw materials and firm sales commitments or anticipated sales contracts. Short sales contracts are used to offset the open purchase derivatives when the related commodity inventory is purchased in advance of the derivative maturity, effectively offsetting the initial futures or option purchase contract.
The political and economic conditions of the countries in which Seaboard does business, along with fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar, cause volatility in currency exchange rates, which exposes Seaboard to fluctuating foreign currency gains and losses that cannot be predicted. Since changes in foreign currency exchange rates affect the cash paid or received on foreign currency-denominated receivables and payables, Seaboard manages certain of these risks through the use of foreign currency exchange agreements.
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The following table presents the sensitivity of the fair value of Seaboard’s derivatives to a hypothetical 10% change in market prices and foreign exchange rates as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. The fair value is calculated for each item by valuing each net position at quoted market prices as of the applicable date.
Grains and oilseeds $ 19 $ 9
Vegetable oils 1 1
Hogs 2 —
Foreign currencies 17 22
Equity price risk is the risk that Seaboard may incur losses due to adverse changes in the market prices of the equity securities it holds in its short-term investment portfolio. Market prices for equity securities are subject to fluctuation and may result from perceived changes in the underlying economic characteristics of the investee, the relative price of alternative investments and general market conditions. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the fair value of Seaboard’s marketable equity securities was approximately $239 million and $602 million, respectively, and a hypothetical 10% change in market prices would impact the income statement by $24 million and $60 million, respectively.
As changes in interest rates affect the cash required to service variable-rate debt, Seaboard may use interest rate exchange agreements to manage risks of increasing interest rates. At December 31, 2023, Seaboard had variable-rate long-term debt outstanding of $973 million with an interest rate of 7.08%. A hypothetical 10% change in interest rates effective at December 31, 2023, would have a minimal impact on interest expense. Long-term debt sensitive to changes in interest rates as of December 31, 2022 totaled $670 million with an interest rate of 6.01%.
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Seaboard Corporation:
Opinions on the Consolidated Financial Statements and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Seaboard Corporation and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
Basis for Opinions
The Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
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Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
(i) Sufficiency of audit evidence over net sales
As described in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company earned $9.6 billion of net sales in 2023. Net sales were primarily generated by the Company’s Pork, Commodity, Trading and Milling, Marine, Sugar and Alcohol, and Power operations, which were dispersed over numerous countries. We identified the evaluation of the sufficiency of audit evidence over net sales as a critical audit matter. Evaluating the sufficiency of audit evidence obtained required auditor judgment due to the geographical dispersion of net sales. Furthermore, given the disaggregation of local management and language differences between locations, our audit team consisted of auditors located in multiple countries around the world. The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the nature and amounts of the Company’s net sales at its various locations and applied auditor judgment to determine the locations at which procedures were to be performed. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls related to the Company’s net sales process, including controls related to the recognition of global net sales amounts. We tested samples of individual net sales transactions by comparing the amounts recognized by the Company to relevant underlying documentation such as purchase orders, contractual arrangements, and delivery documents, as applicable. We also performed a software-assisted data analysis to test relationships among certain revenue transactions. In addition, we evaluated the sufficiency of audit evidence obtained over net sales by assessing the results of procedures performed, including the appropriateness of the nature and extent of audit effort.
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1959.
Kansas City, Missouri
February 13, 2024
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SEABOARD CORPORATION
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
Years ended December 31,
(Millions of dollars except share and per share amounts) 2023 2022 2021
Net sales:
Cost of sales and operating expenses:
Total cost of sales and operating expenses 9,246 10,213 8,411
Selling, general and administrative expenses 403 373 360
Operating income (loss) (87) 657 458
Other income (expense):
Interest expense (58) (40) (13)
Interest income 62 32 22
Income from affiliates 105 152 7
Other investment income (loss), net 85 (239) 133
Foreign currency gains (losses), net (4) 5 16
Miscellaneous, net 4 12 13
Total other income (expense), net 194 (78) 178
Earnings before income taxes 107 579 636
Income tax benefit (expense) 120 3 (65)
Less: Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (1) (2) (1)
Net earnings attributable to Seaboard $ 226 $ 580 $ 570
Foreign currency translation adjustment (3) (33) 8
Unrecognized pension cost 15 43 31
Other comprehensive income, net of tax $ 12 $ 10 $ 39
Comprehensive income attributable to Seaboard $ 238 $ 590 $ 609
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
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SEABOARD CORPORATION
Consolidated Balance Sheets
December 31,
(Millions of dollars except share and per share amounts) 2023 2022
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 56 $ 199
Short-term investments 973 1,086
Receivables:
Due from affiliates 127 195
Total receivables 779 954
Allowance for credit losses (30) (31)
Other current assets 123 139
Operating lease right of use assets, net 394 445
Investments in and advances to affiliates 731 753
Other intangible assets, net 26 31
Deferred tax asset 199 17
Other non-current assets 283 239
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities: