AGU

Potash Corp Struggles with Weak Nutrient Prices

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Nutrient fertilizer producer Potash Corp (click ticker for report: ) posted weak second quarter results Thursday morning. Revenue declined 11% year-over-year to $2.1 billion, worse than consensus estimates had anticipated. Earnings per share, adjusted for one-time items, declined 26% year-over-year to $0.73 per share, which was also worse than consensus expectations. Free cash flow remained terrific at $848 million, equal to 40% of revenue. Image Source: POT 2Q 2013 Investor Slides Potash’s issue during the second quarter was the material decline in potash (the mineral) gross margins. Prices declined significantly, falling 18% year-over-year to $356 per tonne as robust North American farmer demand (up 28% year-over-year) was more than offset by lower realized prices shipped via Canpotex. Price is paramount … Read more

Is BHP Jumping Into the Potash Market?

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Earlier this week, rumors intensified regarding mining giant BHP (click ticker for report: BHP) and the firm’s prospective entry into the potash market. Because demand for potash (see image below) tends to be a bit more stable than the company’s other resources (namely iron ore), we can see why BHP would be interested in entering the market. Image Source: Potash As it is currently structured, the potash market is dominated by a few large players, namely Canpotex and Belarus Potash Company. Canpotex is comprised of Potash Corporation (click ticker for report: ), Mosaic (click ticker for report: ), and Agrium (click ticker for report: ), while the Belarus Potash Company (BPC) represents the Russian equivalents. These two producers form a … Read more

Nelson: The 16 Most Important Steps To Understand The Stock Market

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A previous version of this article appeared on our website July 21, 2013. Refreshed and updated throughout, as of July 2018. By Brian Nelson, CFA After earning my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and training stock and credit analysts from large organizations over the past decade or so, I have heard just about every question (though I admit I am still surprised by many things and remain a very humble student of the markets). I’ve also spent years perfecting the discounted cash flow process for large research organizations such as Morningstar and studied under one of the most famed aggressive growth investors of all time, Richard Driehaus. My knowledge runs the gamut from value through … Read more

How to Think About Corporate Tax Reform

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Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending May 8

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending May 8. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Agree Realty (ADC): now $0.60 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.58. Algonquin Power & Utilities (AQN): now $0.1551 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.1410. Ameriprise Financial (AMP): now $1.04 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.97. B2Gold (BTG): now $0.02 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.01. Baxter (BAX): now $0.245 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.220. Brookfield Infrastructure (BIPC): now $0.485 per share quarterly dividend. Century Next … Read more