<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000100493-18-000153.txt : 20181204
<SEC-HEADER>0000100493-18-000153.hdr.sgml : 20181204
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20181204132849
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000100493-18-000153
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20181129
FILED AS OF DATE:		20181204
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20181204

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			White Noel W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001340962

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14704
		FILM NUMBER:		181216096

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
		CITY:			SPRINGDALE
		STATE:			AR
		ZIP:			72762

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TYSON FOODS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000100493
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	POULTRY SLAUGHTERING AND PROCESSING [2015]
		IRS NUMBER:				710225165
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0929

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2200 DON TYSON PARKWAY
		CITY:			SPRINGDALE
		STATE:			AR
		ZIP:			72762-6999
		BUSINESS PHONE:		479-290-4000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 2020
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 2020
		CITY:			SPRINGDALE
		STATE:			AR
		ZIP:			72765-2020
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>wf-form4_154394811141708.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-11-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000100493</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TYSON FOODS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TSN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001340962</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>White Noel W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2200 W DON TYSON PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGDALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>72762</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-11-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>96.8592</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14478.6277</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Employee Stock Purchase Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>47683.418</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>179269.304</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22055</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>157214.304</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6035</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>151179.304</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>50124.48</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50124.48</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares of the Issuer's Class A Common Stock purchased for the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan since the last Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership was filed by the Reporting Person.  Such acquisitions are exempt from Section 16 concurrent reporting requirements pursuant to Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On November 30, 2015 the Reporting Person received a grant of 25,062.24 performance shares which vested or expired on December 1, 2018 subject to the achievement of performance criteria in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement. The performance criteria were (a) a cumulative adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) target of $6,877 million for the 2016-2018 fiscal years and (b) a favorable comparison of the Issuer's Class A common stock price relative to the stock prices of a predetermined peer group of publicly traded companies over the 2016-2018 fiscal years. The performance shares could vest at a level of 50%-200% and were previously reported as derivative securities at the 200% level. On December 1, 2018, 47,683.418 shares vested and are reported herein as acquired non-derivatives securities and 2,441.062 shares expired.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 13,047.165 shares of Class A Common Stock which vested on December 1, 2018 as described in footnote 5; 11,281.43 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 18, 2019 if the performance metric described in the applicable Stock Incentive Agreement (&quot;SIA&quot;) is achieved; 2,642.433 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on February 14, 2020 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved; 8,802.501 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 13, 2020 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved; and 23,140.357 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 29, 2021 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 22,055 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer on November 30, 2018, to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting described in footnote 1.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">On December 1, 2018, 13,047.165 shares of restricted Class A Common Stock vested. These shares were previously reported as beneficially owned by the Reporting Person. Pursuant to an election made by the Reporting Person, 6,035 shares were sold by the Reporting Person to the Issuer to satisfy tax withholding obligations.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Includes 11,281.43 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 18, 2019 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved; 2,642.433 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on February 14, 2020 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved; 8,802.501 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 13, 2020 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved; and 23,140.357 shares of Class A Common Stock which vest on November 29, 2021 if the performance metric described in the applicable SIA is achieved.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">A portion of these performance shares vested as described in footnote 2. The remainder of the award expired.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ R. Read Hudson by Power of Attorney for Noel W. White</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-12-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
