Archer Daniels can handle lower crop prices

Article Excerpt

The war in Ukraine and the resulting jump in crop prices spurred revenue and earnings at agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland to record highs in 2022. While crop prices have since moderated, the company will continue to benefit from investments that help it tap new markets such as biofuels and ingredients for plant-based foods. ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $77 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 546.5 million; Market cap: $42.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork 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. It’s also a leading producer of ethanol from corn, a gasoline additive that reduces harmful emissions. The company’s revenue and earnings depend upon the prices it pays for its underlying commodities. Archer’s revenue rose just 0.5%, from $64.34 billion in 2018 to $64.66 billion in 2019. In 2020, revenue fell…