BMO Lifts Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) Target After Q4, Says EPS Still Needs to Catch Up

Core Insights - Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) is recognized as one of the 13 cheapest Dividend Aristocrats to invest in [1] - BMO Capital raised its price target for ADM to $63 from $57 following the company's fourth-quarter results, maintaining a Market Perform rating [2] - The adjusted EPS for ADM was reported at $0.87 for Q4 and $3.43 for the full year, with total segment operating profit of $821 million for the quarter and $3.2 billion for the year [3] Financial Performance - The company emphasized working capital discipline, which contributed to a cash flow benefit of $1.5 billion due to lower inventory levels [4] - ADM achieved record crush volumes in South America and steady performance in the ethanol segment, alongside improved execution in the Nutrition segment [4] - Portfolio simplification was a priority, with over 20 projects completed that generated approximately $200 million in cost savings [5] Operational Highlights - ADM operates as a global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, connecting crops and raw materials to food, feed, and fuel markets [6] - The company reported the lowest injury rate in its history, indicating improvements in safety metrics [5]