Pandemic lifts Archer’s revenue

Article Excerpt

ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $58 is a buy. The company (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 555.5 million; Market cap: $32.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.adm.com) processes corn, wheat, soybeans, flax seed, peanuts and other crops into a variety of food ingredients such as flour, oils and sweeteners. In the quarter ended December 31, 2020, overall revenue rose 14.8%, to $17.98 billion from $16.33 billion a year earlier. That’s partly because of higher demand for flour and other food ingredients as more people eat at home during the pandemic. Due to a loss for the company’s trading business, overall earnings per share fell 14.8%, to $1.21 from $1.42. With the March 2021 payment, Archer Daniels will raise its quarterly dividend by 2.8%. Investors will then receive $0.37 a share instead of $0.38. The new annual rate of $1.48 yields an attractive 2.6%. Archer Daniels Midland is a buy. buy…