Falling Crop Prices Hurt Agrium

Article Excerpt

AGRIUM INC. $42 (Toronto symbol AGU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 158.0 million; Market cap: $6.6 billion; SI Rating: Average) rose to $116 in June, 2008, but has dropped since due to fears that weaker corn and grain prices will hurt demand for fertilizers. The credit crisis has also made it harder for farmers to buy seed and new equipment. We still have a high opinion of Agrium’s long-term outlook. Developing countries such as China and India need fertilizers to increase crop yields as their populations grow. Agrium also plans to expand its retail operations in the United States, which cuts its reliance on bulk fertilizer sales. However, the fertilizer business is highly cyclical. A slowing economy could hurt demand for corn and grain-based fuel additives such as ethanol. Agrium is a hold. hold…