Their vital products make them buys

Article Excerpt

These two firms play a vital role in global food production. While their short-term earnings are vulnerable to fluctuations in crop prices, harvest levels and weather events, we like their long-term prospects. ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $87 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 544.6 million; Market cap: $47.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 1.8%; 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. Archer’s revenue in the quarter ended June 30, 2023, fell 7.7%, to $25.19 billion from $27.28 billion a year earlier. Earnings before unusual items fell 15.4%, to $1.03 billion from $1.22 billion. The lower results are largely due to rising raw commodity prices and tight crop supplies. Note: due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings declined…