Grains merchant ADM dives 10% on fresh accounting errors, profit forecast cut

By Karl Plume and Mrinalika Roy

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Archer-Daniels-Midland shares fell as much as 10% on Tuesday after the global grains merchant cut its adjusted annual profit forecast and said it would amend its previous financial statements after finding fresh accounting irregularities.

The drop wiped away more than $2.3 billion of ADM's market value as shares dove to the lowest since January 2021.

The accounting woes are likely to heap more pressure on ADM's leadership team headed by CEO Juan Luciano after the company was forced to correct six years of financial data in March. An internal investigation found sales between ADM business units were not recorded properly.

ADM said it will amend its fiscal year 2023 Form 10-K and statements for the first and second quarter of this year following discussions with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, but said it does not expect any material impact on the company on a consolidated basis.

A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment.

The latest accounting errors have rattled investor confidence in the 122-year-old agribusiness, which has seen profits decline and margins erode as prices for staple crops like corn and soybeans have slid to near four-year lows.

Management "needs to better communicate growth, margin profiles (and) drivers of each segment on a go-forward basis to better serve the investment community," Jefferies said in a research note.

ADM's accounting irregularities sparked several government investigations and led to the departure of CFO Vikram Luthar in September.

"Investors will undoubtedly be disappointed that this accounting overhang has returned," CFRA analyst Arun Sundaram said, adding that they would also question whether ADM will achieve its 2025 financial targets that were set three years ago. 

The company postponed its earnings call, which was scheduled for Tuesday, and now expects to hold a webcast after it has filed the amended statements.

The restated filings, which ADM said would be released as soon as "reasonably practicable", will include some newly identified errors concerning additional intersegment sales for all three of its main segments.

ADM cut its 2024 adjusted earnings forecast to $4.50 to $5 per share, from $5.25 to $6.25 it had estimated earlier, due to government policy uncertainty, slow market demand and "internal operational challenges."

The company reported adjusted profit per share of $1.09 for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 in a preliminary filing that the company said was subject to change, compared with the average analyst estimate of $1.25, according to data compiled by LSEG. 



ADM's operating profit from its Ag Services and Oilseeds segment, its largest by revenue, slumped 43% from a year earlier.

The company also paid $96 million in settlement claims in the quarter.

Source: Investing.com