Our Research


May 1, 2024

BG: Industry Outlook Murky & Dynamic, but Relative Positioning Strong

By Heather Jones

As expected, BG reported strong Q1 upside, but did not alter its full-year guide. That is prudent, in our view, given an industry backdrop that is both much more challenged than in recent years, as…

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April 24, 2024

RD, Feedstocks and Feed Grains Discussion

By Heather Jones

Earnings season for our coverage kicks off this week with Bunge and DAR. Excepting DAR and GPRE, we expect upside for the quarter, but more important is the outlook; for each company, there are challenges,…

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April 23, 2024

HJR Ag Brief: Many Crosscurrents; Crush Discussion

By Heather Jones

Earnings season for our coverage kicks off tomorrow with Bunge and the fundamental backdrop for our agribusiness coverage seems to be more uncertain with many more crosscurrents than usual. Excepting DAR and GPRE, we expect…

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April 22, 2024

HJR Protein Roundup: Updated Supply Outlook; Demand Broadly ‘OK’, but Potential Challenges

By Heather Jones

With the exception of beef packers (est losses in the $200-ish/head range), the protein complex has enjoyed robust margins. We estimate that the average BB broiler producer is generating profits approaching $0.30/lb, while small- and…

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April 10, 2024

LCFS Workshop Takeaways

By Heather Jones

The workshop is ongoing at present, but yesterday at noon ET, CARB published a slide deck to accompany the workshop hosted today (from noon to 7p ET). The rule is not yet definitive, but the…

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April 8, 2024

Coverage Overview

By Heather Jones

As we noted in our industry notes published earlier today, we are not utilizing the typical rating system, but instead, are using a forced rank process. This note shows current ranking based upon Friday’s close.

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April 8, 2024

HJR Agribusiness Overview

By Heather Jones

Broadly speaking, the environment has been very favorable for global agribusiness companies in recent years, spurred by a combination of both supply and demand factors. Specifically, weather-related supply disruptions in key production regions have been…

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April 8, 2024

INGR: Initiation Coverage, $125 PT

By Heather Jones

The INGR shares have performed well over the past year propelled by both improved industry fundamentals and company-specific dynamics. Previously, the company had struggled with regularly missing guidance, but over the past 12-18 months, it…

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April 8, 2024

HRL: Initiating Coverage, PT $36

By Heather Jones

For some time, Hormel’s earnings have been hamstrung by a number of issues ranging from the myriad COVID effects that reverberated through labor (Midwest meat packers were impacted unusually hard by labor shortages), logistics, packaging,…

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April 8, 2024

DAR: Initiating Coverage, $53

By Heather Jones

If one believes that the general global direction will be toward greater decarbonization, not less, DAR is one of the best positioned companies to capitalize on that macro trend, particularly in light of what seems…

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April 8, 2024

BG: Initiating Coverage, PT $122

By Heather Jones

When Greg Heckman and John Neppl assumed the CEO and CFO roles, respectively, at BG in 2019, they inherited a strategically very attractive and well-positioned asset base, but also took on a mammoth fixer-upper from…

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April 8, 2024

ADM: Initiating Coverage, PT $65

By Heather Jones

In our view, ADM boasts one of the most attractive footprints in the global agribusiness sector and we like that it has actively worked to shift product streams to higher growth and/or margin markets. This…

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April 8, 2024

CALM: Initiating Coverage, PT $61

By Heather Jones

Cal-Maine is a relatively quiet, low profile company, but it is the largest table egg producer in the U.S. and one of the best managed – oftentimes, it is instructive to learn what industry stakeholders…

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April 8, 2024

PPC: Initiating Coverage, PT $42

By Heather Jones

When we first began following Pilgrim’s Pride, it had been very poorly managed for some time and ill-timed feed hedges finally precipitated its tumble into bankruptcy. Since, much stronger management has greatly improved operations, from…

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April 6, 2024

GPRE: Initiating Coverage, PT $19

By Heather Jones

Under the leadership of CEO Becker, GPRE has been on an ambitious mission to transform the company from an ethanol company to a hybrid ethanol (conventional and low-carbon)/premium feed/sugar enterprise. And it has been successful…

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