By Karl Plume
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Global grains trader Archer-Daniels-Midland said on Tuesday the company is focusing on controlling costs as a “challenging” commodities cycle that has eroded profits is likely to continue into 2025.
Low crop prices and uncertainty around biofuels regulations are among the company’s headwinds, while a possible tariff battle between the United States and China could upend global trade flows as soon as January, the company said in an earnings call.
ADM and its agribusiness rivals including Bunge and Cargill have seen profits erode as prices for staple crops like corn and soybeans slid to four-year lows on ample supplies while inflation dented consumer demand.
Cargill on Tuesday said it plans to cut around 5% of its global staff amid a revenue slump.
“The global commodity landscape has continued to shift. Stronger-than-expected supplies have driven commodity prices down further than anticipated,” ADM CEO Juan Luciano said.
“We’re also seeing the trailing effects of inflation in parts of our business,” he said, adding that some ADM customers have reined in spending.
Federal investigations into accounting irregularities at ADM have heaped further pressure on the company, whose share price has dropped more than 25% this year.
The company was forced to amend a total of 6-1/2 years of financial data in March and November after discovering that sales between its nutrition business and other core units were not recorded properly.
ADM last month cut its 2024 profit outlook, citing policy uncertainty, slow demand and “internal operational challenges.” It has not yet detailed its 2025 target.
“It’s too early in the year, there are too many unknowns, especially on the regulatory front, to make a forecast for the year,” Luciano said.
But he said likely global trade disruptions from a possible U.S.-China tariff battle could benefit ADM, and the company has been “scenario planning” to prepare.
“Normally what we see in these circumstances is that trade flows adjust. At the end of the day, you continue to have certain demand in the world, it just is satisfied in a different way,” Luciano said.
“Those situations is where the global footprint and the global team of ADM normally shines.”
ADM shares were down 2.2% at midday at $53.10.
(Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Franklin Paul and Leslie Adler)
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