Agrium’s retail edge

Article Excerpt

Agrium continues to benefit from its focus on selling fertilizers and seeds to farmers through its retail chain. These stores help offset its more volatile fertilizer manufacturing business. That gives Agrium an advantage over pure fertilize companies like Potash Corp. (See next article in this issue) The company’s shares have jumped more than 80% in the past five years, but we feel they have more gains ahead, particularly as Agrium boosts its plants’ efficiency. The long-term need for more and better food will also keep spurring the stock. AGRIUM INC. $132 (Toronto symbol AGU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 144.0 million; Market cap: $19.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.agrium.com) gets 75% of its sales and 60% of its earnings from its retail stores, which consist of 1,450 locations in North America, South America and Australia. These outlets sell seed, fertilizer and other products to farmers. (All amounts except share…