Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Hi, I need your advice on Alliance Grain Traders. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Alliance Grain Traders Inc., $18.67, symbol AGT on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 19.9 million; Market cap: $370.5 million; www.alliancegrain.com), sources and processes specialty crops, including lentils, peas, chickpeas and canary seed, mainly for export markets. The company has 29 facilities in Canada, the U.S., Turkey, Australia, South Africa and China. Its Turkish subsidiary also produces pasta and rice, plus foods made from bulgur wheat (whole wheat that has been cleaned, parboiled, dried and sifted). In the three months ended December 31, 2013, the company’s revenue rose 51.8%, to $375.1 million from $247.2 million a year earlier. The increase came from higher processing activity and increased prices for beans, lentils and chickpeas. Before one-time items, earnings jumped 80.0%, to $6.8 million, or $0.34 a share, from $3.8 million, or $0.19. As of December 31, 2013, Alliance’s long-term debt was $224.4 million, or a high 61% of its market cap. That adds risk. The company also held cash of $22.9 million, or $1.15 a share. Alliance continues…