Cargill reveals $134bn revenue, snaps up poultry co. Sanderson

US-headquartered Cargill, one of the world's largest US agriculture players, has released its 2021 annual report and...

US-headquartered Cargill, one of the world’s largest US agriculture players, has released its 2021 annual report and revealed it made $134.4 billion in revenue, representing a 17% increase over last year.

The report, simply titled “Extraordinary” follows reports from news outlet Bloomberg released on Friday, that Cargill made around $5 billion in net income during its 2021 fiscal year through to the end of May.

That figure represents the most profitable year to date in the company’s 156-year history, the news publisher pointed out, with the report based on financial documents shown to Bloomberg reporters.

On Monday, it was also divulged through a press release on Cargill’s website that it was teaming up with Continental Grain Company to acquire Sanderson Farms.

The acquisition of Sanderson Farms, one of the top three largest poultry producers in the United States, is expected to close at around $4.5 billion USD, approximately $203 per share, an 11% premium to Friday’s closing price.

Cargill is already one of the largest US beef processors and is the C in the so-called ABCD of giant agribusinesses, alongside ADM, Bunge and Louis Dreyfus. 

Although market uncertainty has been the backdrop across all protein markets, overall protein prices have remained well supported, with the price of chicken – which is known as an affordable protein – being no exception.

For the company, it is a good time to invest.

As stated in the announcement, “Upon completion of the transaction, Cargill and Continental Grain will combine Sanderson Farms with Wayne Farms, a subsidiary of Continental Grain, to form a new, privately held poultry business”.

Wayne Farms’ CEO, Clint Rivers, will lead the combined business.

The new venture will include processing plants and prepared foods plants with operations across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas.

With Sanderson Farms becoming a private company, shares will no longer be traded on NASDAQ upon deal completion.

The deal is expected to conclude by the end of this year, or early 2022 upon approval from Sanderson Farms stockholders and “other closing customary conditions.”

What to read next
Here are the key takeaways from market participants on US ferrous scrap metal prices, market confidence, inventory and more from our April survey.
Fastmarkets is extending the consultation period for the methodology of several of its black mass payables indicators and prices, and is also proposing changes to the names of CIF South Korea and EWX Europe black mass prices.
Fastmarkets proposes to launch fortnightly bismuth and indium prices on a DDP US basis on Friday May 1. Market participants have expressed support for localized US pricing in response to Section 301 tariffs, export controls and increased US government funding to support domestic and allied supply chains. These assessments would complement Fastmarkets’ existing benchmarks in […]
See how shrinking supply and rising freight rates push low-grade lumber prices higher, driving up Gulf Coast pallet costs for chemical industry buyers. Find out more.
The additional kilogram-based prices, to be calculated from existing pound-based assessments, are intended to improve clarity and align the assessments more closely with prevailing commercial practices in Mexico’s non-ferrous scrap markets. Market participants commonly reference kilogram-based prices in submissions, transactions and negotiations, particularly in key regions such as Monterrey and Bajío. Publishing complementary peso per […]
Blue Moon Metals’ acquisition of the past-producing Apex mine in Utah from Canadian miner Teck Resources is the latest example of the push to boost gallium and germanium production in the West. But for miners seeking to cash in on higher prices of these metals, smelting arrangements remain a question.