Offset higher food prices with ADM

Article Excerpt

Shares of agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland have gained over 30% in the past year. That’s largely because the company is charging more for its food ingredients due to lower harvests of wheat and corn in North America. The war in Ukraine will also keep crop prices high, as that country is a major exporter of wheat and sunflower oil. These factors—plus Archer’s improving efficiency—should keep pushing the shares higher. ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $89 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 562.7 million; Market cap: $50.1 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 and earnings are vulnerable to the prices it pays for its underlying commodities. The company’s revenue…