Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What are your thoughts on Alliance Grain Traders? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Alliance Grain Traders Inc., $14.63, symbol AGT on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 19.9 million; Market cap: $290.6 million; www.alliancegrain.com), sources and processes specialty crops, including lentils, peas, chickpeas and canary seed, mainly for export markets. Alliance 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 September 30, 2013, the company’s earnings before one-item items rose 18.7% to $4.7 million, or $0.24 a share, from $4.0 million, or $0.20 a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 15.1%, to $240.5 million from $209.0 million. The gains largely resulted from a return to normal weather conditions in North America following last year’s drought. Rising demand for lentils in India and Turkey also contributed to the improved results. As of September 30, 2013, Alliance’s long-term debt was $216.4 million, or a high 74.5%…