ADM Stock Plunges 7%, Wiping Out $2.6 Billion, Even As Company Lifts Its Profit Forecast
The processor raised its 2026 outlook, yet its shares fell 7.19% in Tuesday trading as its CEO said the lab-grown protein bet will take years.
Archer-Daniels-Midland, which buys crops from farmers and processes them into food, feed and fuel ingredients, saw its shares fall 7.19% to $70.32 in Tuesday trading, as of 2:47 p.m. ET, erasing about $2.6 billion in market value. Investors sold despite a higher 2026 profit outlook: the new range of $5.50 to $5.80 a share replaces $5.15 to $5.60.
Crushing profit rebounds
The third quarter was strong. Crushing profit, the margin from turning oilseeds such as soybeans into oils and meal, reached $311 million, against $13 million a year earlier, and earnings came to $1.70 a share, up from $0.22.
Companywide segment profit rose 64%, from $845 million to $1,382 million.
ADM's selloff was on pace to be its biggest one-day drop in at least 275 trading sessions, since Sept. 30, 2025.
A protein bet that takes years
On the earnings call, CEO Luciano said profit from ADM's lab-grown protein bet would be meaningful only in years five to 10.
ADM runs three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition, which makes ingredients such as plant-based proteins, flavors and probiotics.
Up 32% this year before the drop
As of Monday's close, ADM shares were up about 32% year to date, ahead of the S&P 500's gain of about 10%. The stock sat 21% below its 52-week high of $88.75, and its market value stood at $33.9 billion.
In the prior quarter, ADM posted revenue of $22.7 billion, up 7.2%, and net income of $908 million.
The guidance raise and the 64% jump in segment profit were not enough to hold the stock on Tuesday.
Sources
- The company's filing (Archer-Daniels-Midland) — SEC filing
- Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Q3 Earnings Top Estimates — Zacks Investment Research
- Archer Daniels Q3 Earnings Coming Up: Here's What Lies Ahead — Zacks Investment Research
- Archer-Daniels-Midland — Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 2026-06-30 (quarterly results) — SEC EDGAR
