Core Thesis - Ingredion Incorporated is viewed positively due to its transition towards higher-growth plant-based proteins and alternative sweeteners, aligning with consumer preferences [3][5] - The company is recognized for its solid profitability and disciplined cost control, despite mixed financial performance [3][4] Company Overview - Ingredion is a century-old food ingredients manufacturer serving various industries, including food, paper, textiles, and biomaterials [2] - The company's share price was $107.68 as of December 2nd, with trailing and forward P/E ratios of 10.78 and 9.51 respectively [1] Financial Performance - Ingredion's five-year annualized revenue growth is in the low single digits, with a 5.2% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 [3] - The company returned approximately $426 million to shareholders in 2024 through dividends and buybacks, including the repurchase of 1.65 million shares [4] - Owners' earnings have shown mid-double-digit returns over the past five years, while free cash flow growth was more modest at 10.46% [4] Market Position - Morningstar assigns Ingredion a narrow economic moat due to its specialty ingredients business, which benefits from pricing power and customer switching costs [2] - The company is considered a high-quality, dividend-paying small-cap in the consumer staples sector [2]

Core Insights - Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) has been identified as one of the overlooked dividend stocks to consider for investment [1] - UBS has lowered its price target for Ingredion from $130 to $119 following disappointing Q3 results and operational challenges [2] Financial Performance - For Q3 2025, Ingredion reported revenue of $1.82 billion, reflecting a 3% decline year-over-year and falling $74.6 million short of analysts' expectations [3] - The company's operating income decreased by 7% year-over-year, while adjusted operating income dropped by 10% [3] - The Food & Industrial Ingredients segment experienced an 18% decline in operating income, primarily due to production issues at the Chicago plant and reduced consumer demand [3] Business Segments - Despite challenges, the diversified business model of Ingredion helped mitigate some impacts, with the Texture & Healthful Solutions segment showing solid sales and operating income growth [4] - Ingredion serves as a global supplier of ingredient solutions for food and beverage manufacturers [4]

Financial Performance - Net income attributable to Ingredion for year-to-date 2025 increased to $564 million from $552 million for year-to-date 2024, including a $90 million pre-tax gain from the sale of the South Korea business in February 2024 [88]. - Operating income increased 10 percent year over year to $796 million for year-to-date 2025 from $721 million for year-to-date 2024, driven by higher gross profit and lower restructuring charges [88]. - Gross profit increased 4 percent to $1,398 million for year-to-date 2025 from $1,342 million for year-to-date 2024, primarily due to lower corn and input costs [88]. - Net sales decreased 3 percent to $5,462 million for year-to-date 2025 from $5,630 million for year-to-date 2024, primarily due to lower price mix from lower raw material input costs [88]. - T&HS net sales increased 1 percent to $1,806 million for year-to-date 2025 from $1,785 million for year-to-date 2024, attributed to higher volumes and favorable foreign exchange impacts [116]. - F&II–LATAM net sales decreased 6 percent to $1,754 million for year-to-date 2025 from $1,866 million for year-to-date 2024, primarily due to lower volumes and unfavorable foreign exchange impacts [118]. - F&II–U.S./Canada net sales decreased 6 percent to $1,550 million for year-to-date 2025 from $1,644 million for year-to-date 2024, driven by lower volumes and unfavorable price mix [120]. Liquidity and Debt - Total available liquidity as of September 30, 2025, was $3.8 billion, including $1.4 billion in domestic liquidity and $2.4 billion in international liquidity [124][125]. - Total debt outstanding as of September 30, 2025, was $1.8 billion, with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 4.0 percent [126]. - The company anticipates sufficient liquidity from available cash balances, future cash flow from operations, and access to debt markets for at least the next twelve months [128]. - The company may need to raise additional capital or incur indebtedness for less predictable strategic initiatives, such as acquisitions [128]. Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures - Cash provided by operating activities decreased to $539 million year-to-date 2025 from $1,000 million year-to-date 2024, primarily due to a $487 million change in working capital [129]. - Capital expenditures for year-to-date 2025 were $298 million, up from $170 million in year-to-date 2024, with full-year capital investment commitments expected between $400 million and $425 million [130]. - Cash used for financing activities decreased to $340 million year-to-date 2025 from $601 million year-to-date 2024, reflecting the absence of commercial paper borrowings [131]. Shareholder Returns - Dividends paid increased slightly to $157 million year-to-date 2025 from $156 million year-to-date 2024, with the quarterly dividend rate rising to $0.82 per share from $0.80 [132]. - The company repurchased 1,036 thousand shares of common stock at a net cost of $134 million year-to-date 2025, compared to 762 thousand shares at a net cost of $87 million in year-to-date 2024 [131]. Other Information - The company entered into a new revolving credit agreement providing a five-year unsecured revolving credit facility with an aggregate principal amount of $1.0 billion, maturing on August 27, 2030 [127]. - The company received proceeds of $255 million from the sale of its South Korea business in year-to-date 2024, compared to $12 million in year-to-date 2025 [130]. - The company has not made any changes to its critical accounting policies and estimates during year-to-date 2025 [133].

Core Points - Ingredion Incorporated's Board of Directors has waived the mandatory retirement policy for CEO James P. Zallie, allowing him to continue in his role beyond April 2026 when he turns 65 [1][2] - The Board expressed full confidence in Zallie's leadership, particularly in driving the company's innovation-driven growth strategy [2] - Ingredion reported annual net sales of approximately $7.4 billion for 2024, serving customers in over 120 countries with a focus on ingredient solutions for various markets [3] Company Overview - Ingredion is headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, and operates globally, providing ingredient solutions for food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing, and industrial markets [3] - The company employs more than 11,000 people and has innovation centers known as Ingredion Idea Labs® around the world [3] - Ingredion's mission is to combine the potential of people, nature, and technology to enhance quality of life [3]

Core Insights - Ingredion Incorporated reported a decline in both net sales and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 2025 compared to Q3 2024, with reported EPS at $2.61 and adjusted EPS at $2.75, down from $2.83 and $3.05 respectively [2][4][22] Financial Performance - Net sales for Q3 2025 were $1.816 billion, a decrease of 3% from $1.870 billion in Q3 2024, primarily due to changes in pricing mix and reduced sales volume in the Food & Industrial Ingredients segments [6][40] - Reported operating income for Q3 2025 was $249 million, down 7% from $268 million in Q3 2024, while adjusted operating income was $254 million, a 10% decrease from $282 million [9][40] - The company expects full-year 2025 reported EPS to be in the range of $11.11 to $11.31, and adjusted EPS to be between $11.10 and $11.30 [4][22] Segment Performance - The Texture & Healthful Solutions segment saw a slight increase in net sales to $605 million, up 1% from $600 million in Q3 2024, driven by strong growth in clean label ingredient solutions [10][40] - The Food & Industrial Ingredients segment in Latin America reported net sales of $585 million, a decline of 6% from $620 million in Q3 2024, attributed to weak demand in the brewing industry and overall consumer demand [13][40] - The U.S./Canada Food & Industrial Ingredients segment experienced a 7% decrease in net sales to $507 million, down from $548 million in Q3 2024, primarily due to production challenges following a fire at a major manufacturing facility [15][40] Strategic Outlook - The company plans to continue investing in organic growth opportunities and acquisitions to enhance its Texture & Healthful Solutions portfolio [4][21] - Ingredion aims to return capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, having paid $54 million in dividends in Q3 2025 [21][23] - The company anticipates low to mid-single-digit growth in both reported and adjusted operating income for the full year 2025 [22][24]

Core Insights - Yacktman Asset Management sold 135,400 shares of Ingredion, valued at approximately $17.45 million, reducing its stake in the company [2][3] Company Overview - Ingredion is a leading global ingredient solutions provider with a diversified product portfolio and broad geographic reach [5] - The company generates revenue by processing corn and other starch-based materials into ingredients for various applications, including food, beverage, brewing, and industrial uses [8] Financial Performance - Ingredion reported a total revenue of $7.32 billion and a net income of $676 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] - The company has a dividend yield of 2.98% and has increased its dividend payments by 5% annually over the last decade [10] Stock Performance - As of November 3, 2025, Ingredion's stock price was $114.13, reflecting a 14.85% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 32 percentage points [3] - The stock trades at 10 times earnings, indicating low market expectations [11] Investment Position - Following the sale, Ingredion now represents 2.42% of Yacktman Asset Management's assets under management (AUM), down from 2.9% [3][9] - Despite the reduction, Ingredion remains the 13th-largest holding in Yacktman's portfolio [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for Q3 2025 were $1.8 billion, down 3% year-over-year, with gross profit dollars decreasing by 5% and gross margin slightly lower at 25.1% [18][19] - Reported and adjusted operating income were $249 million and $254 million respectively, with a decrease in operating margin impacting earnings per share [18][23] - Year-to-date net sales were approximately $5.5 billion, down 3% versus the prior year, while gross profit dollars grew by 4% and gross margin increased to 25.6% [24][25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Texture and Healthful Solutions segment saw net sales up 1% with operating income up 9%, achieving a 17.4% operating income margin [20] - Food and Industrial Ingredients LATAM reported a net sales decrease of 6%, with operating income at $116 million and a margin of 19.8% [21] - Food and Industrial Ingredients U.S./Canada experienced a 7% decline in net sales, with operating income down 18% to $81 million due to production challenges at the Argo plant [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. market for sweeteners saw a notable drop in demand in July and August, recovering in September, while LATAM faced challenges due to inflation and interest rates impacting consumer spending [41][42] - The brewing industry in LATAM experienced a significant decline, attributed to cooler weather and strategic customer mix adjustments [6][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on driving profitable growth in the Texture and Healthful Solutions segment, emphasizing clean label ingredients and solutions [12][13] - Innovation remains a key pillar, with a focus on integrated solutions and cost-effective ingredient alternatives to help customers maintain quality while reducing costs [14][15] - Operational excellence initiatives are aimed at maximizing asset utilization and achieving significant cost savings, with a target of over $55 million in run rate savings by 2025 [16][27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the diversified business portfolio despite recent challenges, anticipating operating income growth for the full year [5][28] - The outlook for 2025 includes expectations for flat to low single-digit net sales, with adjusted operating income projected to increase in the low to mid-single digits [27][29] - The company is closely monitoring macroeconomic conditions, particularly in LATAM, where inflation and interest rates are affecting consumer behavior [41][102] Other Important Information - The company has repurchased $134 million of outstanding shares, exceeding its target, and has increased the share repurchase target for 2025 to $200 million [32][108] - A new share repurchase program has been authorized for up to 8 million shares over the next three years, reflecting confidence in future growth [32][108] Q&A Session Summary Question: Demand environment and stabilization signs - Management noted that inflation and high interest rates in LATAM are impacting consumer spending, with a forecasted GDP growth of only 0.5% in Mexico and 2% in Brazil [41][42] Question: Texture and Healthful Solutions segment outlook - The segment is benefiting from a diverse customer base and strong demand for clean label solutions, with expectations for continued growth [46][48] Question: Volume impact from macro weakening and specific events - Approximately 40% of the revenue decline in LATAM was due to soft brewing volumes, while 12 million of the 18 million decline in U.S./Canada was attributed to the Argo plant issues [60][61] Question: Price-cost dynamics into 2026 - Management anticipates inflationary pressures on input costs will prolong customer commitments, with a cautious outlook for contracting in 2026 [64][65] Question: Impact of proposed taxation in Mexico - The proposed sweetness tax is expected to have an initial impact on consumer behavior, but historical trends suggest consumers may adjust over time [75][78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for Q3 2025 were $1.8 billion, down 3% year-over-year, with gross profit dollars decreasing by 5% and gross margins slightly lower at 25.1% [16][18] - Reported and adjusted operating income were $249 million and $254 million, respectively [16] - Year-to-date cash from operations was $539 million, with capital expenditures net of disposals at $298 million [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Texture and Healthful Solutions net sales increased by 1%, driven by a 4% sales volume growth [16][17] - Food and Industrial Ingredients LATAM reported a net sales decrease of 6%, primarily due to weaker brewing demand and macroeconomic conditions [17][18] - Food and Industrial Ingredients U.S./Canada net sales declined by 7%, with a 5% decline in sales volume attributed to production challenges at the Argo plant [17][18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - LATAM market showed signs of weakening demand due to higher inflation and interest rates impacting consumer spending [9][10] - In the U.S., demand for sweeteners decreased in July and August but recovered in September [27][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on driving profitable growth, particularly in Texture and Healthful Solutions, with an emphasis on clean-label ingredients [11][12] - Innovation remains a key pillar, with ongoing development of cost-effective ingredient solutions to help customers maintain quality while reducing costs [12][13] - Operational excellence initiatives are expected to yield significant savings, with a target of over $55 million in run-rate savings by the end of 2025 [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the diversified business portfolio despite recent challenges, anticipating operating income growth for the full year [4][5] - The outlook for 2025 includes expectations for net sales to be flat to down low single digits, with adjusted operating income expected to increase low to mid-single digits [22][23] Other Important Information - The company has authorized a new share repurchase program of up to eight million shares over the next three years, reflecting confidence in future growth [25][60] - The effective tax rate for 2025 is projected to be between 25.5% and 26.5% [23] Q&A Session Summary Question: Demand environment and stabilization signs - Management noted that inflation and high interest rates in LATAM are impacting consumer spending, with GDP growth forecasts for Mexico and Brazil being low [27][28] Question: Texture and Healthful Solutions segment outlook - The outlook change is driven by a diverse customer base and strong demand in food service and private label sectors [29][30] Question: Volume impacts from macro weakening and company-specific events - Approximately 12 million of the decline in U.S. Canada F&I was attributed to Argo plant issues, with the remainder related to market weakness [31][34] Question: Fourth-quarter contracting season and price-cost dynamics - Management anticipates that contracting will be influenced by inflationary pressures and higher input costs, with a cautious outlook for 2026 [37][38] Question: LATAM market and taxation impacts - The proposed sweetness tax in Mexico is expected to impact consumer behavior, but management believes the company is well-positioned to adapt [41][44] Question: Share repurchase strategy - The company plans to exceed $200 million in share repurchases in 2025, with a healthy cash balance supporting this strategy [60][61]

Financial Performance - Q3 2025 - Net sales decreased by 3% from $1.87 billion in Q3 2024 to $1.816 billion in Q3 2025[16, 34] - Adjusted operating income decreased by 10% from $282 million in Q3 2024 to $254 million in Q3 2025[17, 34] - Adjusted diluted EPS decreased from $3.05 in Q3 2024 to $2.75 in Q3 2025, a decrease of $0.30 per share[34] Financial Performance - Year-to-Date (YTD) 2025 - Net sales decreased by 3% from $5.63 billion in YTD 2024 to $5.462 billion in YTD 2025[15, 45] - Adjusted operating income increased by 4% from $768 million in YTD 2024 to $800 million in YTD 2025[17, 45] - Adjusted diluted EPS increased from $8.02 in YTD 2024 to $8.60 in YTD 2025, an increase of $0.58 per share[45] Segment Performance - Q3 2025 - Texture & Healthful Solutions net sales increased by 1%[37, 39] - Food & Industrial Ingredients—LATAM net sales decreased by 6%[37, 41] - Food & Industrial Ingredients—U.S./CAN net sales decreased by 7%[37, 43] Full Year 2025 Outlook - Net sales are expected to be flat to down low single-digits[49] - Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $11.10 and $11.30[49] - Cash from operations is expected to be between $800 million and $900 million[49]

Core Viewpoint - Ingredion reported quarterly earnings of $2.75 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.73 per share, but down from $3.05 per share a year ago [1][2] Financial Performance - The earnings surprise for the quarter was +0.73%, and the company had previously delivered a surprise of +3.24% with earnings of $2.87 per share against an expectation of $2.78 [2] - Revenues for the quarter were $1.82 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.31%, and down from $1.87 billion year-over-year [3] - Over the last four quarters, the company has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates but has not beaten revenue estimates [3] Stock Performance and Outlook - Ingredion shares have declined approximately 17% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with a 16.5% gain in the S&P 500 [4] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, with current consensus EPS estimates at $2.53 for the upcoming quarter and $11.10 for the current fiscal year [5][8] - The Zacks Rank for Ingredion is currently 5 (Strong Sell), indicating expected underperformance in the near future [7] Industry Context - The Food - Miscellaneous industry, to which Ingredion belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 33% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [9] - Comparatively, TreeHouse Foods, another company in the same industry, is expected to report a year-over-year earnings decline of 28.4% in its upcoming results [10]