<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-17-001680.txt : 20170203
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-17-001680.hdr.sgml : 20170203
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170203172335
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-17-001680
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20170201
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170203
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20170203

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000048465
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MEAT PACKING PLANTS [2011]
		IRS NUMBER:				410319970
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 HORMEL PL
		CITY:			AUSTIN
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55912-3680
		BUSINESS PHONE:		(507) 437-5611

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 HORMEL PLACE
		CITY:			AUSTIN
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55912-3680

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HORMEL GEO A & CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Murano Elsa A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001374185

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-02402
		FILM NUMBER:		17573186

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1 HORMEL PLACE
		CITY:			AUSTIN
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55912-3680
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000048465</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HRL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001374185</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Murano Elsa A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 HORMEL PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>AUSTIN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55912</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4492</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>82491</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Common Stock vests 100% on the earlier of (1) the day before the date of the following annual stockholders meeting, or (2) the following February 1.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The balance reported on this Form 4 also reflects that the reporting person's Form 4 filed on September 16, 2016, and all subsequent Form 4s, overstated the amount of securities owned by the reporting person by 3,902 shares due to an error in calculating the amount beneficially owned by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Elsa A. Murano, By Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-02-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
