Latest news with #LandO'Lakes
Boston Globe
23-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
$1.5 billion acquisition of Herb Chambers auto group is complete
Advertisement AGRICULTURE Farm and fisherman bankruptcies hit five-year high amid low prices and high costs After years of low crop prices and rising costs, America's small farmers are facing a crisis brought on by higher interest rates, Trump's trade war, and dramatically reduced demand from China. In the first half of the year, small-business bankruptcies filed by farmers and fisherman hit the highest number since 2020, which was the tail end of a similar cycle of low-prices. Farm debt is expected to hit $561.8 billion in this year, a record high, according to the US Department of Agriculture. 'We've had three years of tough sledding here where breakevens are at or below cost,' said Brett Bruggeman, the chief operating officer at Land O'Lakes Inc., one of the biggest farmer-owned cooperatives in the United States. Soybean, corn, and pork producers have been among the hardest hit farmers in recent years as China began buying more from competitors in Brazil and other parts of Latin America. Before President Trump's first term in office in 2017, US farmers dominated the Chinese import market, said Joseph A. Peiffer, with the Iowa-based law firm Ag & Business Legal Strategies. Today Brazil occupies that position, he said. 'Once you lose a customer it's awful hard to get them back,' he said. Firms that specialize in restructuring farm debt have seen an increase in business, lawyers said. Land O'Lakes said its members are seeing dwindling cash reserves and growing concerns about the 2026 crop year. More new growers have been applying to a Land O'Lakes program that helps finance crop inputs like seeds and nutrients. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up SODA Advertisement Coca-Cola could turn to cane sugar. But can US growers meet demand? After four decades drinking Coca-Cola sweetened with corn syrup, Americans are going to get the chance to buy the soda made from domestic cane sugar. But whether US farmers can meet that demand is unclear. Coca-Cola Co. said Tuesday it will launch the new Coke variety this fall, a week after President Trump said the company had agreed to start using the sweetener. The move is hardly an outlandish idea. In fact, Coke sold in other countries like Mexico is sweetened with cane sugar. And the company relied on cane sugar before switching to high fructose corn syrup around 1980. While the company will still be using corn syrup for original Coke, the addition of a domestic cane-based soda could help growers in Louisiana and Florida at a time when demand has been slow. However, a sustained bump in demand — especially if other companies follow Coca-Cola's lead — risks outstripping homegrown availability. US cane only makes up about 30 percent of overall domestic sugar supplies, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The rest comes from imports, which were about 2.2 million metric tons for the 2025-26 season, and American-grown sugar beets that perform better in colder climates. A sugar supply shortfall would likely mean more cane imports from Mexico and Brazil, exposing American companies and consumers to higher prices just as they are facing market upheaval from Trump's tariffs. Cane sugar is more expensive than high-fructose corn syrup. On top of that, long-standing import tariffs mean US raw cane sugar futures are already more than double what the rest of the world pays. That price gap widened to a record on Tuesday. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Advertisement HOUSING MARKET US home sales slow again as prices keep pushing record highs Sales of previously owned US homes fell in June to a nine-month low as potential buyers continued to bristle at record prices and high borrowing costs. Contract closings decreased 2.7 percent in June to an annualized rate of 3.93 million, a report from the National Association of Realtors showed Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected a 4 million sales rate. The median sales price increased 2 percent in June from a year ago to $435,300. Home prices continue to rise even after a recent pickup in inventory. 'Multiple years of undersupply are driving the record high home price. Home construction continues to lag population growth,' Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said in a statement. 'High mortgage rates are causing home sales to remain stuck at cyclical lows.' Yun said on a call with reporters that it's typical to see high home prices this time of year because families want to move before the school year begins. The nation's home-resale market is likely to limp along for the foreseeable future as would-be buyers contend with mortgage rates hovering near 7 percent and prices that are up almost 50 percent from five years ago. While home listings have increased this year, many owners are hesitant to give up mortgages secured at much lower rates. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Advertisement RIDE-HAILING Uber to test program to match female riders and drivers Uber Technologies Inc. is piloting a new ride type in the United States that will match female riders and drivers, expanding access to a safety feature it already offers in some international markets. The service will launch in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit over the next few weeks, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Riders will see a new on-demand ride option called 'Women Drivers' alongside the existing UberX, Comfort, UberXL, and Black offerings. Customers can reserve such a trip in advance, or set their preference in the app settings to increase the likelihood of being matched with a woman driver. Female drivers, who make up about 1 in 5 of Uber's US driver population, can similarly choose that preference in the settings of their driver app. Drivers' eligibility for the program will be based on the gender listed on their license. For riders, it will be determined by their first name or whether they specified their gender as female on their Uber profile. 'It's about giving women more choice, more control, and more comfort when they ride and drive,' said Camiel Irving, vice president of operations in the US and Canada. Cities that have a bigger population of women drivers will be the ones that get the feature sooner, she said, but added that the three options are designed to allow different ways of matching without compromising wait times and service availability. The company also sees the option as a way to attract more female drivers to the platform. — BLOOMBERG NEWS Advertisement
Los Angeles Times
29-06-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Don't buy fancy butter to make great pie. Here's why
When it comes to the fat in pie dough, there are no kings. In terms of its ingredients, pie dough couldn't be more straightforward: For the most part, it's flour, butter and water. With so few ingredients, it begs the question: Does the quality of the butter make a difference? Typical American butter — brands such as Land O'Lakes, Cabot, Challenge and supermarket private labels — contains 80% butterfat. Many of the brands also offer extra-creamy lines. These 'European-style' butters have a higher butterfat content. Kerrygold from Ireland has a butterfat content of 82% to 83%, and Plugra, which is made in the U.S., is 82% butterfat. Ironically, European-style butters with the highest percentage of fat are from small American creameries: Straus Family Creamery in Marin County makes a European-style butter with 85% butterfat, and Vermont Creamery has a whopping 86%. Some sources say that European-style, higher-butterfat butter makes a difference in baked goods, but speaking strictly for pie dough right now, how could it? At least in any noticeable way. What isn't butterfat in butter — that other 14% to 20% — is water (with an insignificant amount of milk solids, and in the case of salted butter, salt). And you add water to pie dough anyway. (In my pie crust, I substitute heavy cream for some of the water, a 'trick' I learned from pastry chef Nancy Silverton, who does so because, she says, in addition to hydrating the dough, the cream brings with it fat and flavor.) The water in butter evaporates in the baking process, creating steam pockets in the dough, which is what forms the layers and translates into flakiness. So it wouldn't make sense that less water (fewer steam pockets, fewer layers) would be superior. I did a test of Land O'Lakes vs. Kerrygold. The one thing that Kerrygold added to the dough was color. Kerrygold has a bright, rich yellow hue that comes from the grass the cows graze on, and that makes for a buttery-colored dough. But that color didn't translate to the baked crust. I baked the dough off into little crackers. The Land O'Lakes crackers were light and flaky. As hopeful as I was about the Kerrygold, what with that beautiful buttery-colored dough, the crackers were flat. Barely a flaky layer in sight. Of course, both were delicious. Butter is butter. There's no question that butter, any butter, does reign supreme when it comes to contributing flavor to pie dough. For flakiness, there are still those who swear that shortening makes for the flakiest pie crust, which, more widely known by the brand name Crisco, is a solid fat made from primarily soybean and palm oils. Crisco is so popular in baking that, previously offered only in small tubs, the product is now sold in sticks, so it can be used in a recipe without making a mess stuffing it into a measuring cup. Lard (rendered pork fat) — specifically 'leaf lard,' which comes from the fat around the kidney and loin of the pig — is also said to make for a flaky pie crust. And when I worked at a bakery in a billionaire enclave in the Hamptons, we made the dough with — gasp! — margarine. To my knowledge, nobody complained, or even noticed. The crust was light and flaky and reasonably flavorful. The fruit was juicy and jammy and delicious. It was summertime in one of the most beautiful corners of the earth, and our customers, it would seem, were just happy to have pie. So what do I suggest? Use regular butter. If you want to experiment with Crisco or lard, use that in combination with butter. And if you are entering a pie contest that you really want to win, experiment with combinations of Crisco or lard and European butter. Yes, I might use Kerrygold for that small possibility that it might make a smidgen of difference in the flavor or the color. And if I were baking something that didn't involve piles of stewed fruit, like biscuits, I might splurge. But I guess it would depend on who I was making them for; for the kings and queens in my life, then yes. Absolutely. Ray Garcia, chef of the now-closed beloved modern Mexican restaurant Broken Spanish, calls for European-style 83% butterfat in these biscuits. The butter is frozen and grated, a trick that allows you to mix the butter in with the flour while keeping it as cold as possible. That way the butter melts in the oven, creating those coveted light, flaky the recipe. Cooking time: 1 hour. Makes about 12 biscuits. This pie has the best of both worlds: a crispy, flaky bottom crust and a crunchy crumble topping. This topping is unusual, as it has an egg in it, so it's like crunchy cookie dough dropped in clumps on the pie. For the filling, I cook the sugar first and then add the blackberries, to give them a head start. If I start with raw blackberries, I find that even after over an hour of baking, they don't break down and still look like whole blackberries. I add the cornstarch here too, to make sure the fruit filling sets. The pie is baked on the lowest rack to ensure a browned, crisp bottom crust. If you have a pizza stone, use the recipe. Cooking time: 2 hours. Makes 1 9-inch round pie. From the L.A. Times' long-running Culinary S.O.S. column, this recipe comes courtesy of Koreatown's historic Cuban restaurant El Colmao. Writer Astrid Kayembe highlighted the restaurant's popular ropa vieja dish in her guide to the city's best Caribbean spots, but the signature pollo al colmao translates the classic stewed chicken dish through a family the recipe. Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes. Makes 1 9-by-13-inch pie.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Profitable Stock with Solid Fundamentals and 2 to Turn Down
While profitability is essential, it doesn't guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity". Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that's why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. Keeping that in mind, here is one profitable company that balances growth and profitability and two that may struggle to keep up. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 22.7% Founded by two MIT graduates, Ray Stata and Matthew Lorber in 1965, Analog Devices (NASDAQ:ADI) is one of the largest providers of high performance analog integrated circuits used mainly in industrial end markets, along with communications, autos, and consumer devices. Why Is ADI Not Exciting? Sales tumbled by 12.7% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last five years as its operating margin fell by 7.3 percentage points ROIC of 6.4% reflects management's challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities, and its shrinking returns suggest its past profit sources are losing steam Analog Devices's stock price of $218 implies a valuation ratio of 27.8x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why ADI doesn't pass our bar. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 13.3% Part of point-of-sale and ATM company NCR from 1991 to 2007, Teradata (NYSE:TDC) offers a software-as-service platform that helps organizations manage and analyze their data across multiple storages. Why Do We Pass on TDC? Billings have dropped by 3.4% over the last year, suggesting it might have to lower prices to stimulate growth Forecasted revenue decline of 3.3% for the upcoming 12 months implies demand will fall even further High servicing costs result in a relatively inferior gross margin of 60.2% that must be offset through increased usage Teradata is trading at $22.33 per share, or 1.3x forward price-to-sales. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than TDC. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 32.5% Known for brands such as Egg-Land's Best and Land O' Lakes, Cal-Maine (NASDAQ:CALM) produces, packages, and distributes eggs. Why Are We Positive On CALM? Annual revenue growth of 35.3% over the last three years was superb and indicates its market share is rising Incremental sales over the last three years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 280% annually, topping its revenue gains Strong free cash flow margin of 17.9% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently, and its improved cash conversion implies it's becoming a less capital-intensive business At $96.75 per share, Cal-Maine trades at 9.1x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cal-Maine (CALM): Buy, Sell, or Hold Post Q1 Earnings?
Cal-Maine currently trades at $94.19 per share and has shown little upside over the past six months, posting a small loss of 4%. Given the underwhelming price action, is now a good time to buy CALM? Or should investors expect a bumpy road ahead? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Known for brands such as Egg-Land's Best and Land O' Lakes, Cal-Maine (NASDAQ:CALM) produces, packages, and distributes eggs. A company's long-term performance is an indicator of its overall quality. Any business can experience short-term success, but top-performing ones enjoy sustained growth for years. Over the last three years, Cal-Maine grew its sales at an incredible 35.3% compounded annual growth rate. Its growth surpassed the average consumer staples company and shows its offerings resonate with customers. If you've followed StockStory for a while, you know we emphasize free cash flow. Why, you ask? We believe that in the end, cash is king, and you can't use accounting profits to pay the bills. Cal-Maine has shown terrific cash profitability, enabling it to reinvest, return capital to investors, and stay ahead of the competition while maintaining an ample cushion. The company's free cash flow margin was among the best in the consumer staples sector, averaging 17.9% over the last two years. Forecasted revenues by Wall Street analysts signal a company's potential. Predictions may not always be accurate, but accelerating growth typically boosts valuation multiples and stock prices while slowing growth does the opposite. Over the next 12 months, sell-side analysts expect Cal-Maine's revenue to drop by 25.8%, a decrease from its 35.3% annualized growth for the past three years. This projection is underwhelming and implies its products will see some demand headwinds. At least the company is tracking well in other measures of financial health. Cal-Maine's merits more than compensate for its flaws, but at $94.19 per share (or 9× forward P/E), is now the right time to buy the stock? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas Food Bank gets massive mac and cheese donation
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Nothing says comfort food like mac and cheese, and thanks to a massive 40,000-pound donation from Land O'Lakes, the Kansas Food Bank is about to get a whole lot cheesier. With school out and pantry shelves running low, the timing couldn't be better. Brian Walker, President & CEO of the Kansas Food Bank, said, 'It could not have come at a better time. More households than ever are turning to us for support.' Walker said the mac and cheese, which will be distributed to pantries across the region, is an easy win for busy families—simple to heat, familiar to kids, and ready to serve in a pinch. 'You just zap it in the microwave and it's ready to go,' Walker said. 'Let's face it, everybody loves mac and cheese.' Walker said the donation will help fill empty shelves and serve as a quick, comforting meal option for struggling families. 'You know this time of year, donations like this are very important,' Walker said. 'Lots of folks think about hunger during the holiday season… but it's May, school's out, and we do see an increase in demand. This just helps us get started and hopefully get through the summer months.' Wichita nonprofit helps inspire Hispanic students to dream big Walker noted that the need for assistance has surged across age groups. The Food for Kids program reached a record of 6,500 weekly bags, while some areas are now seeing up to 25% of food bank users over the age of 60. 'With inflation, our purchasing dollars don't go as far,' Walker said. 'Anytime we receive a donation like this from corporate citizens like Land O'Lakes, it just helps—not only the food bank, but definitely helps the people who see that on their table.' Despite the scale of the donation, Walker said the warehouse turns over roughly every 28 days, so the need for food remains constant, and the mac and cheese will go fast. 'That's a semi-trailer full of mac and cheese,' Walker said. 'It will go a long way, but it will go out pretty quickly.' For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
