Andersons Inc
For the period ended Mar 31, 2025. Filed May 7, 2025.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2025 · Filed May 7, 2025
What changed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis?
Read the current filingPrevious report: 10-Q
Period ended 2024-09-30; filed 2024-11-05.
0000821026-24-000227
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsCurrent report: 10-Q
Period ended 2025-03-31; filed 2025-05-07.
0000821026-25-000112
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsThe baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.
Compared 76 previous paragraphs and 53 current paragraphs.
20 unchanged; 16 reworded; 17 added; 37 removed; 3 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.
Tables are not compared: 8 previous and 5 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.
A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.
Added paragraphs (17)
Current report
Effective January 1, 2025, the Company realigned its organizational structure to better reflect updates in management reporting resulting in a change in reportable segments. As a result, the former Trade segment was combined with the former Nutrient & Industrial segment in the newly formed Agribusiness segment along with several smaller business lines being moved between the Agribusiness and Renewables segments. All prior period segment information has been recast to conform to the current year presentation.
Current report
The Company has considered the potential impact of the book value of the Company’s total shareholders’ equity briefly exceeding the Company’s market capitalization during the quarter for impairment indicators. Management ultimately concluded that an impairment triggering event had not occurred. The Company believes that the share price is not an accurate reflection of its current value as conditions are currently strong in both agriculture and renewables spaces with a positive long-term outlook. Management believes that the market’s impact on the Company’s equity value does not actually reflect the impact of these external factors on the Company. As a result of prior period tests, reviews of current operating results and other relevant market factors, the Company concluded that no impairment trigger existed as of March 31, 2025.
Current report
Agribusiness
Current report
The Agribusiness segment’s first quarter operating results fell behind the prior year. Results from our ag supply chain businesses were lower with limited trade flows due to market uncertainty. Assets were significantly impacted as basis levels were challenged in our western locations, including those recently acquired as part of the Skyland investment. The nutrient business showed year-over-year improvement with good fertilizer volume and positioning in advance of an expected increase in corn acres.
Current report
The portfolio mix of assets, ingredients and merchandising businesses provides a solid foundation to navigate challenging market conditions. Sizeable corn planting intentions are favorable, allowing for higher nutrient volumes as well as providing opportunities for storage and handling at harvest. In addition, lower corn stocks entering the year should allow for merchandising opportunities and good early harvest margins in the last half of 2025.
Current report
Total Agribusiness storage space capacity at company-owned or leased grain facilities, including temporary pile storage, was approximately 280 million and 170 million bushels at March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The storage capacity at our nutrient facilities for was evenly split between dry and liquid storage at approximately 1.1 million and 1.0 million tons at March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The increase in both grain and nutrient storage capacity from the same period of the prior year was due to the Skyland acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Current report
Renewables
Current report
The Renewables segment's solid first quarter operating results were slightly improved when compared to the prior year. Results from the ethanol production facilities improved year-over-year on efficient operations and higher yields, also benefiting from better year-over-year board crush margins. Plant co-product values were lower, with corn-based feed ingredients competing against an oversupply of alternative protein sources. Ethanol demand is expected to strengthen into the summer with some concerns about cost of inputs. Values of feed ingredient co-products are expected to remain challenged.
Current report
Agribusiness
Current report
Operating results for the Agribusiness segment decreased by $7.7 million from the prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $68.2 million, and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $87.2 million for an increased gross profit impact of $19.1 million. Sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased in the Agribusiness segment as a result of reduced commodity prices as the oversupply of commodities in combination with a decision to intentionally pull back on volumes traded in certain international regions. This decrease was partially offset by the acquisition of Skyland which added approximately $165 million of sales and merchandising revenues and approximately $147 million of cost of sales and merchandising revenues. Gross profit increased by $19.1 million from the prior year with $17.2 million of the increase as a result of the Skyland acquisition.
Current report
Interest expense increased by $6.2 million due to increased borrowings in the acquired Skyland business.
Current report
Other income, net increased by $2.5 million as a result of increased patronage income in the acquired Skyland business.
Current report
Renewables
Current report
For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company recorded income tax benefit of $2.1 million. The Company's effective tax rate was (65.9)% on income before taxes of $3.2 million. The difference between the 65.9% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% is primarily attributable to a discrete adjustment of unrecognized tax benefits related to prior period U.S. federal research and development tax credits.
Current report
Current assets as of March 31, 2025, increased $314.8 million in comparison to those as of March 31, 2024. The acquisition of Skyland resulted in a $311.3 million increase of current assets from the prior year. The remainder of current assets were consistent with the prior year.
Current report
Current liabilities increased $351.0 million from the prior year. The acquisition of Skyland resulted in a $258.2 million increase of current liabilities from the prior year. Excluding the impact of Skyland, current liabilities for the legacy business increased from the prior year due to the timing of current maturities of long-term debt and increased customer prepayments.
Current report
Financing activities provided cash of $50.4 million and used cash of $98.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively. This $148.7 million change from the prior year was due to $88.0 million of additional cash proceeds from the Company's short-term credit facilities, a $44.9 million distribution to the noncontrolling interest in the prior year, and the issuance of $14.7 million of long-term debt in the current year.
Removed paragraphs (37)
Previous report
Our operations are organized, managed and classified into three reportable business segments: Trade, Renewables and Nutrient & Industrial. Each of these segments is generally based on the nature of products and services offered and aligns with the management structure.
Previous report
Trade
Previous report
The Trade segment’s third quarter operating results were ahead of the prior year. Results from our grain asset footprint improved when compared to the prior year, due to strong elevation margins and space income. Trade's growing specialty food and feed ingredients business continued to benefit from recent growth investments. The merchandising business remained profitable with well-supplied commodity markets and limited volatility. Prior year results also included a $19 million pretax foreign currency loss in Egypt. As expected, farmer engagement ramped up during the quarter to bring significant old crop bushels to market and forward sell new crop in anticipation of an early and robust harvest.
Previous report
The portfolio mix of assets, ingredients, and merchandising businesses provides a solid foundation for us to benefit from large crops and carry markets, as well as tight, demand-driven markets. Assets are well-positioned for the anticipated early and large harvest, which should allow Trade to purchase grains at low basis levels. Domestic specialty ingredient demand is also expected to stay solid and should continue to support recent capital growth investments.
Previous report
Agricultural inventories on hand were 113.2 million and 91.4 million bushels at September 30, 2024, and September 30, 2023, respectively. These bushels consist of inventory held at company-owned or leased facilities, transload inventory, in-transit inventory, and third-party held inventory. Total Trade storage space capacity at company-owned or leased facilities, including temporary pile storage, was approximately 170 million bushels at September 30, 2024, which is consistent with the prior year.
Previous report
The Renewables segment's solid third quarter operating results were slightly improved when compared to the prior year. Margins on ethanol production improved year-over-year on significantly lower corn basis in the eastern plants, despite a reduction in ethanol board crush margins in the quarter. Production facilities continued to operate efficiently in the quarter with increased volume and higher ethanol yields. Plant co-product values were lower, with feed ingredients following the overall price reduction of corn despite improved demand. Renewable diesel feedstock volumes continue to grow albeit with compressed margins on industry fundamentals. All four plants completed their semi-annual maintenance shutdowns in the third quarter. A favorable ethanol margin environment should continue, supported by exports, higher blending rates and lower corn basis levels in the east.
Previous report
The Nutrient & Industrial segment's third quarter operating results improved from the prior year. Overall volumes improved during a seasonally slow third quarter, but margins in base nutrients have reset to more normalized levels and did not repeat outsized margin opportunities seen in recent years. The engineered granules business saw significant improvement in the quarter on higher sales volume and margins, as the Company has continued to focus on operational improvements in this business. Looking forward, the fourth quarter should benefit from high yields and an early harvest, allowing for fall applications, dependent on grower sentiment.
Previous report
Storage capacity at our Ag Supply Chain and Specialty Liquids facilities, including leased storage, was approximately 457 thousand tons for dry nutrients and approximately 511 thousand tons for liquid nutrients at September 30, 2024, which is similar to the prior year.
Previous report
In the table above, Ag Supply Chain represents facilities principally engaged in the wholesale distribution and retail sale and application of primary agricultural nutrients such as bulk nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Specialty Liquid locations produce and sell a variety of low-salt liquid starter fertilizers, micronutrients for agricultural use, and specialty products for use in various industrial processes. Engineered Granules include a variety of corncob-based products and facilities that primarily manufacture granulated dry products for use in specialty turf and agricultural applications.
Previous report
Trade
Previous report
Operating results for the Trade segment improved from the same period of the prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $891.3 million and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $904.1 million resulting in increased gross profit of $12.8 million. A majority of the decrease in sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues can be attributed to reduced commodity prices across all of our business lines as the oversupply of commodities has shifted to a carry market. The remainder of the decrease from the prior year can be attributed to management making a prudent decision to intentionally pull back on volumes traded in certain regions due to the recent geopolitical unrest. The $12.8 million increase in gross profit can be attributed to a $17.2 million improvement in the international merchandising business as currency liquidity issues in Egypt impacted results in the prior period. Our asset-based business realized strong elevation margins and space income in the current carry market and our specialty ingredients business continues to perform well, realizing the benefits of its recent acquisition and other growth investments.
Previous report
Interest expense decreased by $1.1 million due to reduced short-term borrowings from lower commodity prices.
Previous report
Operating results for the Renewables segment increased by $2.2 million from the same period last year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $122.9 million and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $130.2 million compared to prior year results. As a result, gross profit increased by $7.3 million compared to 2023 results. The decrease in both sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues can be attributed to 23% lower ethanol prices, a similar reduction in DDG prices, and declines in values across the various renewable diesel feedstocks. Sales volumes remained consistent for the base ethanol business and increased in our feed and renewable diesel feedstocks products by 30% and 21%, respectively. The $7.3 million increase to gross profit in the current period results reflect a $10.1 million increase at the ethanol plants from efficient production combined with strong ethanol margins. The improved gross profit performance at the ethanol plants was partially offset by lower results in the third-party trading business on compressed margins despite higher sales volumes.
Previous report
Other income, net decreased from the prior year by $1.6 million due to $2.2 million in USDA Biofuel Producer Program proceeds received in the third quarter of 2023 that did not recur.
Previous report
Operating results for the Nutrient & Industrial segment increased by $2.3 million compared to the same period in the prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues were flat from the prior year resulting in gross profit largely consistent with the prior year. Although overall gross profit was flat, our Ag Supply Chain business fell short of the prior year by $6.6 million due to a weaker margin environment as margins dropped approximately 50% from outsized levels in the prior year. This gross profit shortfall was almost entirely offset by the improved performance in our Engineered Granules and Specialty liquids businesses as both margins and volumes improved.
Previous report
Operating, administrative and general expenses decreased from the prior year by $1.6 million mainly due to $1.2 million of reduced incentives from lower operating results.
Previous report
Other income, net increased by $2.7 million in which substantially all of the increase from prior year was related to interest income from cash on hand.
Previous report
Other
Previous report
Results for the quarter declined by $2.2 million compared to the same period in the prior year. The decrease from the prior year was primarily driven by a $4.8 million revaluation gain of a cost method investment in the prior year which was partially offset by lower incentive compensation in the current year.
Previous report
For the three months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recorded income tax expense of $10.7 million. The Company's effective tax rate was 17.3% on income before taxes of $62.2 million. The difference between the 17.3% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21% is primarily attributable to the tax impact of noncontrolling interest and federal tax credits offset by state and local income taxes, tax impacts of foreign operations, nondeductible compensation, and changes in other discrete tax adjustments.
Previous report
Trade
Previous report
Operating results for the Trade segment decreased by $14.8 million from the prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $2,814.3 million, and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $2,787.2 million for a decreased gross profit impact of $27.2 million. A majority of the decrease in sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues can be attributed to reduced commodity prices across all of our business lines as the oversupply of commodities has shifted to a carry market. The remainder of the decrease from the prior year can be attributed to management making a prudent decision to intentionally pull back on volumes traded in certain regions due to the recent geopolitical unrest. Of the $27.2 million decrease in gross profit, $20.3 million was related to damaged inventory insurance recoveries recorded in the prior year within the asset-based business. This was followed by a $14.7 million decrease in the merchandising businesses as there were less trading opportunities in a less volatile commodity market, which was partially offset by $6.6 million of improved results in our specialty ingredients business as recent acquisitions and growth investments were accretive to results.
Previous report
Interest expense decreased by $12.7 million due to reduced short-term borrowings from lower commodity prices.
Previous report
An asset impairment charge of $87.2 million related to ELEMENT was recorded in the prior year. As ELEMENT was a consolidated subsidiary of the Company at the time, the entire impairment charge is reflected in Asset impairment.
Previous report
Interest expense decreased by $3.5 million from the prior year, of which $2.2 million of the decrease was due to the deconsolidation of ELEMENT non-recourse debt with the remainder due to lower working capital usage.
Previous report
Operating results for the Nutrient & Industrial segment decreased by $8.2 million when compared to the same period of the prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased $91.3 million, and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $75.2 million resulting in decreased gross profit of $16.2 million. Over 90% of the decrease in sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues was due to margin compression as the prior year experienced outsized pricing opportunities in the spring application season. Specifically, our Ag Supply Chain business was impacted the most by a lower price environment and reduced volumes from a wet and delayed spring application season, as it contributed $13.1 million of the $16.2 million gross profit shortfall when compared to the outsized prior year results.
Previous report
Interest expense decreased $1.2 million from prior year due to lower working capital usage.
Previous report
Other income, net increased by $2.9 million in which substantially all of the increase from prior year was related to interest income from cash on hand.
Previous report
Other
Previous report
Results for the quarter decreased by $4.6 million compared to the same period in the prior year due to a $4.8 million revaluation gain of a cost method investment in the prior year.
Previous report
Income Taxes
Previous report
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recorded income tax expense of $16.9 million. The Company's effective tax rate was 12.7% on income before taxes of $133.5 million. The difference between the 12.7% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% is primarily attributable to the tax impact of noncontrolling interest, federal tax credits, stock-based compensation, and the reversal of certain unrecognized tax benefits offset by state and local income taxes, tax impacts of foreign operations, and nondeductible compensation.
Previous report
For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recorded an income tax expense of $23.7 million. The Company’s effective tax rate was 30.5% on income before income taxes of $77.8 million. The difference between the 30.5% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% is primarily attributable to the tax impact of noncontrolling interest, state and local income taxes, and nondeductible compensation, and other discrete tax adjustments. Other discrete tax adjustments include a net income tax benefit of $10.6 million, recorded on a net loss before taxes of $88.8 million related to the operations, impairment charge, and gain on deconsolidation associated with ELEMENT.
Previous report
Current assets as of September 30, 2024, decreased $196.0 million in comparison to those as of September 30, 2023. This decrease related to the reduction of all current asset accounts with the exception of the increase in cash and other current assets. The decreases in these current asset accounts can largely be attributed to the reduction and stabilization of agricultural commodity prices over the last year in comparison to historically high price levels of agricultural commodities, including fertilizer, in the same period of the prior year. The decreases in the working capital asset accounts also had a direct impact on cash as the Company was not deploying cash to hold working capital as it had done in the previous year.
Previous report
Current liabilities decreased $229.8 million from the prior year. Current liabilities have decreased in trade payables, customer prepayments and deferred revenue, and commodity derivative liabilities as commodity prices have continued to stabilize over the last year compared to the historically high commodity prices in the same period of the prior year.
Previous report
We expect to invest approximately $150 million in property, plant, and equipment in 2024, depending on project timing. Approximately 50% of capital spending will be to maintain current facilities.
Previous report
Financing activities used cash of $162.6 million and $275.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and 2023, respectively. This decrease in cash used from the prior year is mainly due to the change in the Company's borrowings on its short-term credit facility as the Company had sufficient cash on hand in 2024 to cover a large amount of settled payables and other changes in working capital.
Reworded paragraphs (16)
Previous wording
The following “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains forward-looking statements which relate to future events or future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the effects of economic, weather and agricultural conditions, regulatory conditions, competition globally and in the markets the Company serves, geopolitical risk, fluctuations in cost and availability of commodities, the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting and the unpredictability of existing and possible future litigation. However, it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. The reader is urged to carefully consider these risks and others, including those risk factors listed under Item 1A of the 2023 Form 10-K. In some cases, the reader can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as may, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially. These forward-looking statements relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation, other than any imposed by law, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.
Current wording
The following “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains forward-looking statements which relate to future events or future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the effects of economic, weather and agricultural conditions, regulatory conditions, competition globally and in the markets the Company serves, geopolitical risk, fluctuations in cost and availability of commodities, the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting and the unpredictability of existing and possible future litigation. However, it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. The reader is urged to carefully consider these risks and others, including those risk factors listed under Item 1A of the 2024 Form 10-K. In some cases, the reader can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as may, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially. These forward-looking statements relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation, other than any imposed by law, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, management cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.
Previous wording
Our critical accounting policies and critical accounting estimates, as described in our 2023 Form 10-K, have not materially changed through the third quarter of 2024.
Current wording
The critical accounting policies and critical accounting estimates, as described in the 2024 Form 10-K, have not materially changed through the first quarter of 2025.
Previous wording
Ethanol and related co-products volumes were as follows:
Current wording
Ethanol and related co-products volumes sold were as follows:
Previous wording
Operating, administrative and general expenses decreased by $3.4 million. Substantially all of the decrease from the prior year can be attributed to decreased incentives.
Current wording
Operating, administrative, and general expenses increased by $27.6 million from the prior year. Substantially all of the increase was attributable to the newly acquired Skyland business.
Previous wording
Operating results for Renewables increased by $39.8 million from the same period of prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $497.0 million, and cost of sales and merchandising revenues decreased by $493.6 million compared to prior year. As a result, gross profit decreased by $3.5 million. The decrease in both sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues can be attributed to 26% lower ethanol prices, a similar reduction in DDG prices, and declines in values across the various renewable diesel feedstocks. Sales volumes remained consistent for the base ethanol business and increased in our feed and renewable diesel feedstocks products by 16% and 31%, respectively. The $3.5 million decrease in gross profit from the prior period can mainly be attributed to margin compression in our third-party trading business.
Current wording
Operating results for Renewables decreased by $1.9 million from the same period of prior year. Sales and merchandising revenues increased by $9.0 million, and cost of sales and merchandising revenues increased by $3.6 million compared to prior year. As a result, gross profit increased by $5.5 million. Sales and merchandising revenues and cost of sales and merchandising revenues were level with the same period of prior year as slight increases in both volumes and prices in ethanol were almost fully offset by weakening DDG and renewable diesel feedstocks values. Sales volumes were higher than the prior year for the base ethanol business and decreased modestly in our E-85 and renewable diesel feedstocks products. Substantially all of the $5.5 million increase in gross profit from the prior period can mainly be attributed to improved results in our ethanol plants from firmer crush margins and mark-to-market gains in the quarter which were partially offset by lower DDG values.
Previous wording
Other income, net decreased from the prior year by $4.0 million as the Company recorded an additional $3.4 million in gains as a result of the deconsolidation of the ELEMENT ethanol plant in the prior year.
Current wording
Other income, net decreased from the prior year by $3.7 million as the Company recorded an additional $3.1 million gain as a result of the deconsolidation of the ELEMENT ethanol plant in the prior year.
Previous wording
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company recorded income tax expense of $7.9 million. The Company's effective tax rate was 20.5% on income of $38.4 million. The difference between the 20.5% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21.0% was primarily attributable to the tax impact of noncontrolling interest offset by state and local income taxes, nondeductible compensation, and other discrete tax adjustments.
Current wording
For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recorded an income tax expense of $1.3 million. The Company’s effective tax rate was 9.3% on income before income taxes of $14.0 million. The difference between the 9.3% effective tax rate and the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% is primarily attributable to the tax impact of noncontrolling interest, stock-based compensation, and federal tax credits offset by state and local income taxes, nondeductible compensation, and other discrete tax items.
Previous wording
The Company’s subsidiary partnership returns are under U.S. federal and certain state tax examinations for tax years 2018 through 2022. The Company’s subsidiary is under federal tax examination by the Mexican tax authorities for tax year 2015. The U.S. federal, state, and Mexican tax authorities’ examinations could potentially be resolved within the next 12 months. The resolution of these examinations could change our unrecognized tax benefits and favorably impact income tax expense by a range of $5.7 million to $10.1 million.
Current wording
The Company’s subsidiary partnership returns are under U.S. federal and certain state tax examinations for tax years 2018 through 2022. The Company’s subsidiary is under federal tax examination by the Mexican tax authorities for tax year 2015. The U.S. federal, state, and Mexican tax authorities’ examinations could potentially be resolved within the next 12 months. The resolution of these examinations could change our unrecognized tax benefits and favorably impact income tax expense by a range of zero to $10.1 million.
Previous wording
On December 20, 2021, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") issued Pillar Two model rules introducing a global minimum tax of 15% on large corporations. Although the U.S. has not yet adopted the Pillar Two model rules, several foreign countries enacted legislation in 2023 which closely follow OECD’s Pillar Two guidance to be effective January 1, 2024. The impact of Pillar Two legislation on the Company's 2024 effective tax rate is expected to be minimal. Management will continue to monitor Pillar Two legislation in our relevant jurisdictions to determine any changes to the Company's effective tax rate.
Current wording
On December 20, 2021, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") issued Pillar Two model rules introducing a global minimum tax of 15% on large corporations. Although the U.S. has not adopted the Pillar Two model rules, several foreign countries have enacted legislation which closely follows OECD’s Pillar Two guidance to be effective January 1, 2024. The impact of Pillar Two legislation in our relevant jurisdictions is immaterial to the Company's 2025 effective tax rate.
Previous wording
At September 30, 2024, the Company had working capital of $1,153.2 million, an increase of $33.7 million from the prior year. This increase was attributable to changes in the following components of current assets and current liabilities:
Current wording
At March 31, 2025, the Company had working capital of $1,094.4 million, a decrease of $36.2 million from the prior year. This decrease was attributable to changes in the following components of current assets and current liabilities:
Previous wording
Operating activities provided cash of $62.7 million and $696.1 million in the first nine months of 2024 and 2023, respectively. The decrease in the amount of cash provided in operating activities is mainly due to an unfavorable change of $620.4 million in operating assets and liabilities through the normal course of business. Cash generation excluding working capital changes remains consistent and strong in changing markets.
Current wording
Operating activities used cash of $350.0 million and $239.6 million in the first three months of 2025 and 2024, respectively. The $110.4 million increase in the amount of cash used in operating activities is mainly due to an unfavorable change of $119.0 million in operating assets and liabilities through the normal course of business. Cash generation excluding working capital changes remains consistent and strong in challenging markets.
Previous wording
Investing activities used cash of $90.6 million through the first nine months of 2024 compared to $117.3 million in the prior period. Cash used in investing activities decreased from the prior year mainly due to reduced capital spending combined with $14.8 million in reduced spending on business acquisitions in the current year.
Current wording
Investing activities used cash of $43.8 million through the first three months of 2025 compared to $22.1 million in the prior period. Cash used in investing activities increased from the prior year mainly due to increased capital spending in the current year. Management expects to invest approximately $175 million to $200 million in property, plant and equipment in 2025.
Previous wording
The Company paid $19.5 million in dividends in the first nine months of 2024 compared to $18.8 million paid in the prior period. The Company paid dividends of $0.19 and $0.185 per common share in January, April, and July of 2024 and 2023, respectively. On August 15, 2024, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.19 per common share payable on October 22, 2024, to shareholders of record on October 1, 2024.
Current wording
The Company paid $6.7 million in dividends in the first three months of 2025 compared to $6.5 million paid in the prior period. The Company paid dividends of $0.195 and $0.19 per common share in January of 2025 and 2024, respectively. On February 12, 2025, the Company declared a cash dividend of $0.195 per common share payable on April 22, 2025, to shareholders of record on April 1, 2025.
Previous wording
The Company is party to borrowing arrangements with a syndicate of banks that provide a total of $1,859.4 million in borrowing capacity. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $1,841.0 million available for borrowing.
Current wording
The Company is party to borrowing arrangements with a syndicate of banks that provide a total of $2,161.6 million in borrowing capacity. As of March 31, 2025, the Company had $1,935.1 million available for borrowing.
Previous wording
Certain of our long-term borrowings include covenants that, among other things, impose minimum levels of working capital and various debt leverage ratios. The Company is in compliance with all covenants as of September 30, 2024. In addition, certain of our long-term borrowings are collateralized by mortgages on various facilities.
Current wording
Certain long-term borrowings include covenants that, among other things, impose minimum levels of working capital and various debt leverage ratios. The Company is in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2025. In addition, certain long-term borrowings are collateralized by mortgages on various facilities.
Previous wording
The Company is typically in a net short-term borrowing position in the first two quarters of the year. The majority of these short-term borrowings bear interest at variable rates, and an increase in interest rates could have a significant impact on our profitability. In addition, periods of high grain prices could require us to make additional margin deposits on our exchange traded futures contracts. Conversely, in periods of declining prices, the Company could receive a return of cash.
Current wording
The Company is typically in a net short-term borrowing position in the first two quarters of the year. The majority of these short-term borrowings bear interest at variable rates, and an increase in interest rates could have a significant impact on the Company's profitability. In addition, periods of high grain prices could require us to make additional margin deposits on exchange traded futures contracts. Conversely, in periods of declining prices, the Company could receive a return of cash.
Rearranged previous paragraphs (3)
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
Tons of product sold were as follows:
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
The Company uses Income (loss) before income taxes attributable to the Company, a non-GAAP financial measure as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, to evaluate the Company’s financial performance. This performance measure is not defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should be considered in addition to, and not in lieu of, GAAP financial measures. Management believes that Income (loss) before income taxes attributable to the Company is a useful measure of the Company’s performance as it provides investors additional information about the Company's operations, allowing evaluation of underlying business performance and period-to-period comparability. This measure is not intended to replace or be an alternative to Income (loss) before income taxes, the most directly comparable measure reported under GAAP.
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
Comparison of the nine months ended September 30, 2024, with the nine months ended September 30, 2023, including a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures: