Biofuels offset lower crop prices

Article Excerpt

ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $71 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ADM; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 533.4 million; Market cap: $37.9 billion; Dividend yield: 2.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.adm.com) processes corn, wheat, soybeans, flax seed and other crops into a variety of food ingredients such as flour, oils and sweeteners. With the March 2023 payment, Archer Daniels raised its quarterly dividend by 12.5%. The new annual rate of $1.80 a share yields 2.5%. Archer’s revenue in the quarter ended September 30, 2023, fell 12.1%, to $21.70 billion from $24.68 billion a year earlier. Earnings before unusual items fell 12.4%, to $1.63 a share from $1.86. The lower results reflect reduced earnings at its main crop-processing operations due to lower selling prices. They offset improved earnings from biofuels. The stock now trades at just 9.8 times the likely 2023 earnings of $7.28 a share. Archer Daniels Midland is still a buy. buy…