Grain processor Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) on Wednesday reported a 33 percent decline in profit for the first quarter from last year, while revenues edged up slightly from last year. The latest quarter's results were negatively impacted by the 2012 drought in the U.S. Earnings per share missed analysts' estimates, while revenues beat their expectations.
Separately, ADM said it has completed due diligence on Australian grain handler and processor GrainCorp Ltd. (GRCLF, GNC.AX) and plans to make a cash offer to acquire GrainCorp for a sweetened A$12.20 per share. The offer indicates a transaction value of about A$3.4 billion, or $3.49 billion.
Commenting on the results, Patricia Woertz, Chairman and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland or ADM said, "As expected, this was a challenging quarter, with agricultural services negatively impacted by the ongoing effects of last summer's U.S. drought. In oilseeds, our earnings were reduced by challenges in Brazil and depressed margins in cocoa. Our ethanol business improved as declining inventories supported overall industry margins, and we began to see positive results from the actions we've been taking to improve the profitability of that business."
Oilseeds processing segment generated a 6 percent increase in sales for the quarter to $8.14 billion. However, operating profit declined 42 percent to $313 million. Year-ago results included net favorable mark-to-market timing effects of about $60 million, while the latest quarter included minimal timing effects.
In Corn processing, sales rose 8 percent to $3.05 billion and operating profit increased 15 percent to $153 million, reflecting improved ethanol conditions. The latest quarter's results include a $44 million negative timing effect related to open corn cash-flow hedges at quarter end, up from $11 million in the year-ago period.
Agricultural services revenue edged down 1 percent to $10.50 billion and operating profit declined 42 percent to $151 million. The results were pressured by lower U.S. volumes.
ADM's first-quarter net earnings were $269 million or $0.41 per share, down from $399 million or $0.60 per share in the year-ago period.
Adjusted earnings per share for the quarter were $0.48, compared to $0.78 per share in the same period last year. On average, ten analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $0.52 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
Adjusted earnings for the latest quarter excludes pretax LIFO gains of $0.03 per share and a provision of $0.04 per share related to a previously disclosed FCPA matter.
Meanwhile, net sales and other operating income edged up to $21.73 billion from $21.16 billion in the prior year quarter. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $21.41 billion.
ADM noted that GrainCorp transaction value reflects the weighted average cost of acquiring the initial 19.8 percent stake in GrainCorp at an average of A$11.24 per share, and the remaining shares at A$12.20 per share. ADM said that the transaction meets its key financial objectives and will be earnings accretive in the first full year. The company will fund the acquisition through a combination of operating cash flows and debt.
As part of the deal, GrainCorp will pay its shareholders dividends totaling A$1.00 per share before completing the deal. GrainCorp has indicated that the ADM offer would be unanimously recommended by its board, subject to there being no superior proposal.
ADM closed Wednesday's trading at $33.58, down $0.36 or 1.06 percent on a volume of 5.32 million shares.
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