Fertilizer
POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN $97 has moved down from its recent peak of $130 in March 2010. That’s partly because heavy rain in western Canada and parts of the U.S. Midwest have delayed the spring planting season. This has cut demand for the company’s potash and other fertilizers. Despite this setback, Potash Corp.’s long-term outlook remains bright. Buy.
INDIGO BOOKS & …read more »
TRIMBLE NAVIGATION $30.25 (Nasdaq symbol TRMB; SI Rating: Speculative) (408-481-6914; www.trimble.com; Shares outstanding: 121.3 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; No dividends paid) makes global positioning system (GPS) devices and technology for four main markets:
1) Engineering and construction accounts for the largest share (51%) of Trimble’s sales.
2) Agricultural GPS products (26% of sales) help farmers cut costs and increase yields. For …read more »
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $58.16 (Toronto symbol CP; Shares outstanding: 168.6 million; Market cap: $9.8 billion; SI Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.9%) has raised its quarterly dividend by 9.1%, to $0.27 a share from $0.2475. The new annual rate of $1.08 a share yields 1.9%.
The company also added $70 million to its 2010 capital spending plans. It will now spend …read more »
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $57.42 (Toronto symbol CP; Shares outstanding: 168.5 million; Market cap: $9.7 billion; SI Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.7%) reports that its earnings per share jumped 87.5%, to $0.60 from $0.32, in the three months ended March 31, 2010. These figures exclude one-time items.
The improving North American economy is increasing demand for CP’s rail services. The company …read more »
AGRIUM INC. $67 (Toronto symbol AGU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 157 million; Market cap: $10.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 0.2%; SI Rating: Average) makes fertilizers from natural gas at 10 plants in North America and Argentina. It also produces other fertilizers, such as potash and phosphate, from mines in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Idaho.
Agrium sells …read more »
POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN INC. $112 (Toronto symbol POT; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 296.0 million; Market cap: $33.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 7.8; Dividend yield: 0.4%; SI Rating: Average) is the world’s largest fertilizer producer. It has six potash mines in Saskatchewan and one in New Brunswick. Five of its mines have reserves of between 60 and 97 …read more »
The outlook for fertilizers is bright. Rising populations in developing countries will prompt farmers to increase food production. As well, more countries are turning to biofuels, such as ethanol from corn, to cut air pollution and fossil-fuel use.
However, fertilizer prices have become highly volatile in the past few years. To cut your risk, we recommend low-cost producers that can withstand …read more »
TRIMBLE NAVIGATION $24 (Nasdaq symbol TRMB; SI Rating: Speculative) (408-481-6914; www.trimble.com; Shares outstanding: 120.4 million; Market cap: $2.9 billion; No dividends paid) makes GPS devices and technology for four main markets:
1) Engineering and construction accounts for the largest share (50%) of Trimble’s sales.
2) Agricultural GPS products (28% of sales) help farmers cut costs and increase yields. For example, GPS allows …read more »
AGRIUM INC. $70 (Toronto symbol AGU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 157.0 million; Market cap: $11.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 0.2%; SI Rating: Average) is spending $800 million to expand production at its potash mine at Vanscoy, Saskatchewan (all amounts except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). The company earned $46 million, or $0.29 …read more »
POTASH CORP. OF SASKATCHEWAN $122 should benefit from the improving outlook for potash and other fertilizers. Prices fell sharply in 2009, because farmers used less fertilizer in light of lower crop prices. As well, good weather and large amounts of residual fertilizer in the soil led to better-than-expected harvests. However, use should return to normal levels in 2010. As well, …read more »
