We prefer Agrium to Potash Corp.

Article Excerpt

Farmers are using more fertilizers to boost their yields and take advantage of high prices for wheat, corn and other crops. At the same time, low fertilizer inventories are pushing up prices and spurring big earnings gains at Potash Corp. and Agrium. However, Agrium offers less risk. POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN $44 (Toronto symbol POT; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 856.5 million; Market cap: $37.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.2; Dividend yield: 0.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.potashcorp.com) is a leading producer of potash, phosphate and nitrogen for use in fertilizers. Most of the company’s mines are in Saskatchewan, which has the world’s largest potash deposits. The company sold 2.2 million tonnes of potash in the three months ended September 30, 2011. That’s up 13.7% from 1.9 million tonnes a year earlier. The average potash price rose 47.4%, to $451 a tonne from $306 (all amounts expect share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). As a result, Potash Corp.’s earnings jumped 140.8%…