Health score, competitive moat, risk signals, and key metrics at a glance.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company provides human and animal nutrition ingredients and solutions in the United States, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds; Carbohydrate Solutions; and Nutrition. The company engages in the origination, merchandising, transportation, and storage of agricultural raw materials, as well as the crushing and processing of oilseeds, including soybeans and soft seeds, such as cottonseed, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, and flaxseed; produces and markets vegetable oils and oilseed protein meals used by food, feed, energy, and industrial customers; sale of crude and partially refined vegetable oils; supplies peanuts and peanut-derived ingredients; and manufactures cotton cellulose pulp. It is also involved in the grain sourcing, handling, and multimodal transportation network supporting import, export, and distribution activities; structured trade finance activities; corn and wheat wet and dry milling and related processing activities; production of distillers' grains, corn gluten feed, and corn gluten meal for use as animal feed ingredients; and carbon capture and sequestration and other emissions-reduction initiatives. In addition, the company engages in the creation, manufacturing, sale, and distribution of an array of ingredients and solutions comprising plant-based proteins, flavors and colors derived from nature, flavor systems, emulsifiers, soluble fiber, polyols, hydrocolloids, probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, enzymes, botanical extracts, and other specialty food and feed ingredients and systems. Further, it is involved in the derivatives and commodity exchanges and clearing houses; and insurance coverage for certain property, casualty, marine, medical, and other miscellaneous risks. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Competitive analysis based on 64 quarters of fundamental data
Operating margins are positive at ~1.6% on average, but show some variability — pricing power may be sensitive to market conditions.
ROE is positive at ~6.8% on average, adequate but below the threshold typically associated with wide moats.
Only 4 of the last 8 quarters had positive FCF — the business may require external capital to sustain operations.
Revenue has been flat or declining over recent quarters, which may indicate eroding demand or competitive pressure.
Data-driven red flags and warnings across 64 quarters
Operating margins dropped 20.4% over recent quarters — a sharp decline suggesting serious cost or pricing challenges.
Free cash flow has been negative in 4 of the last 8 quarters — earnings are not translating to cash.
D/E ratio is 0.3 — conservative capital structure with low financial risk.
Revenue declined in 5 of the last 7 quarters — persistent contraction signals a fundamental problem.
4 of the last 8 quarters had negative FCF — inconsistent cash generation raises sustainability concerns.
Share count is stable — no significant dilution or buyback activity.
as of March 2026
Revenue, EBITDA, operating income, net income, EPS, and shares
Gross, EBITDA, operating, and net margin trends
P/E, P/S, P/B, EV/EBITDA, FCF yield, and earnings yield
Total assets, cash, debt, book value, and leverage
Operating cash flow, free cash flow, FCF margin, and earnings quality
