• Q4 net earnings of $687 million; adjusted net earnings of $684 million
• Q4 adjusted EPS up 49 percent excluding prior-year impact of retroactive biodiesel tax credit
• Full-year reported EPS of $3.15; record adjusted EPS of $3.59
• Expect growth in operating profit and EPS in 2021

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ADM (NYSE: ADM) today reported financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

“I want to thank our team, which performed exceptionally well during truly unprecedented times to deliver four straight quarters of year-over-year adjusted segment operating profit growth in 2020, along with solid returns and record full-year adjusted EPS of $3.59,” said Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. “Around the globe, ADM colleagues demonstrated their resourcefulness, creativity and commitment by keeping our work environment safe from COVID-19, maintaining our operations and serving our customers. The team delivered on our strategic objectives, maintained a solid balance sheet, managed a wide variety of risks superbly, and showed the strength of our diversified and global value chain.

“Our Ag Services and Oilseeds team delivered outstanding results in 2020, crossing the $2 billion profit mark by capitalizing on our unparalleled and flexible global footprint to meet strong demand. With continued strong global demand for grains and oilseeds as well as meal and oils, we are confident in another outstanding performance from Ag Services & Oilseeds in 2021.

“In Carbohydrate Solutions,” Luciano continued, “the team achieved higher full-year results, demonstrating the power of our diversified product portfolio by pivoting quickly and effectively to meet incremental demand for industrial starches, retail flour and high-grade alcohol. The Carbohydrate Solutions business is well positioned to generate solid profit growth in 2021 as lockdown impacts dissipate.

“Our Nutrition business continued to harvest investments, lead in consumer growth trend areas, and partner with customers to deliver new products and solutions in 2020, driving 37 percent annual operating profit growth. Based on our current organic growth plans, we expect the Nutrition team to deliver solid revenue expansion and profit growth in 2021.

“For ADM, based on the continued delivery of drivers under our control and improving market conditions as the year progresses, we expect strong growth in segment operating profit and another record year of EPS in 2021. I am extremely proud of our team’s performance: Our momentum is strong, and our future is bright.”

• Q4 2019 results included $270 million segment operating profit ($0.61 per share) impact of the retroactive biodiesel tax credit.
• Q4 2020 EPS as reported of $1.22 includes a $0.03 per share charge related to asset impairment, restructuring and settlement; a $0.01 per share charge for acquisition-related expenses; a $0.01 per share credit related to gains on the sale of certain assets; and a $0.04 per share credit related to tax discrete items. Adjusted EPS, which excludes these items, was $1.21.¹

Quarterly Results of Operations

Ag Services & Oilseeds achieved substantially higher results year over year, setting a Q4 record for adjusted operating profit.

• Ag Services results were significantly higher than the prior-year period, driven by great execution in North America, where the business capitalized on strong global demand, particularly from China, to deliver higher export volumes and margins. As expected, South American origination was lower year over year after significantly accelerated farmer selling in the first half of 2020. Global Trade contributed to the higher year-over-year results as it continued to utilize its global network and manage risk well to meet customer demand. As anticipated, negative timing impacts from the prior quarter reversed.

• Crushing delivered substantially higher results versus the prior-year period. The business captured significantly higher margins in all regions, driven by tight soybean supplies and strong global demand for both meal and vegetable oils. There was approximately $125 million in net negative timing in the quarter, driven by basis impacts and improving softseed margins.

• Refined Products and Other results were higher year over year absent the recognition of the retroactive biodiesel tax credit in Q4 of 2019, with good results driven primarily by solid South American margins.

• Equity earnings from Wilmar were higher versus the prior-year period.

¹ Non-GAAP financial measures; see pages 5, 10, 11 and 13 for explanations and reconciliations, including after-tax amounts.

Carbohydrate Solutions results were higher than the fourth quarter of 2019.

• Starches and Sweeteners achieved significantly higher results versus the prior-year period, driven by lower net corn costs and intra-company insurance settlements. Earnings were partially offset by lower results from corn oil and wet mill ethanol margins.

• Vantage Corn Processors results were better versus the prior-year period, though they continued to reflect the challenged ethanol industry environment. The business delivered higher year-over-year margins as it met increased demand for USP-grade alcohol, partially offset by fixed costs from the two temporarily idled dry mills.

Nutrition delivered 24 percent year-over-year operating profit growth.

• Human Nutrition results were higher versus the prior-year quarter. Flavors delivered a strong quarter, driven by good sales and product mix in North America and EMEAI. Continued strength in plant proteins drove higher results in Specialty Ingredients. Health & Wellness delivered higher sales in probiotics and natural health and nutrition; prior-year results included revenue and income related to the launch of the strategic Spiber relationship. Results for the quarter also included an intra-company insurance settlement.

• Animal Nutrition results were significantly higher year over year, driven by strong performances in Asia and EMEAI and improvement in amino acid results, partially offset by currency effects in Latin America.

Other Business results were substantially lower, driven by lower ADM Investor Services earnings and Captive Insurance underwriting results, including intra-company settlements referenced above in Carbohydrate Solutions and Nutrition results.

Other Items of Note

As additional information to help clarify underlying business performance, the table on page 10 includes reported earnings and EPS as well as adjusted earnings and EPS.

Segment operating profit of $1.1 billion for the quarter includes charges related to asset impairment, restructuring, and settlement activities of $16 million ($0.02 per share) and gains on the sale of certain assets of $3 million ($0.00 per share).

In Corporate results, unallocated corporate costs for the quarter were higher year over year due primarily to increased variable performance-related compensation expense accruals, and increased IT and project-related expenses. Other charges decreased due to lower railroad maintenance expenses partially offset by the absence of prior year investment gains. Corporate results also included restructuring charges of $11 million ($0.01 per share).

The effective tax rate for the quarter was approximately 8 percent compared to a positive 1 percent in the prior year. The calendar year 2020 effective tax rate was approximately 5 percent, down from approximately 13 percent in 2019. The decrease for the calendar year was due primarily to changes in the geographic mix of earnings and the impact of U.S. tax credits, mainly the railroad tax credits, which have an offsetting expense in cost of products sold. Absent the effect of EPS adjusting items, the effective tax rate for calendar year 2020 was approximately 9 percent.

Note: Additional Facts and Explanations

Additional facts and explanations about results and industry environment can be found at the end of the ADM Q4 Earnings Presentation at www.adm.com/webcast.

Conference Call Information

ADM will host a webcast on January 26, 2021, at 8 a.m. Central Time to discuss financial results and provide a company update. To listen to the webcast, go to www.adm.com/webcast. A replay of the webcast will also be available for an extended period of time at www.adm.com/webcast.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of our comments and materials in this presentation constitute forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current views and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, Company performance and financial results. These statements and materials are based on many assumptions and factors that are subject to risk and uncertainties. ADM has provided additional information in its reports on file with the SEC concerning assumptions and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in this presentation, and you should carefully review the assumptions and factors in our SEC reports. To the extent permitted under applicable law, ADM assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

About ADM

At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over. Learn more at www.adm.com.

Source: Corporate Release

Segment operating profit is ADM’s consolidated income from operations before income tax excluding corporate items. Adjusted segment operating profit, a non-GAAP financial measure, is segment operating profit excluding specified items. Management believes that segment operating profit and adjusted segment operating profit are useful measures of ADM’s performance because they provide investors information about ADM’s business unit performance excluding corporate overhead costs as well as specified items. Segment operating profit and adjusted segment operating profit are not measures of consolidated operating results under U.S. GAAP and should not be considered alternatives to income before income taxes, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, or any other measure of consolidated operating results under U.S. GAAP.

⁽¹⁾ Includes a charge (credit) related to changes in the Company’s LIFO reserves of $(91) million in the current YTD and $27 and $37 million in the prior quarter and YTD, respectively.
⁽²⁾ Includes acquisition-related expenses of $4 million in the current quarter, acquisition-related expenses and a settlement charge totaling $8 million in the current YTD, and acquisition-related expenses of $3 million and $17 million in the prior quarter and YTD, respectively.
⁽³⁾ Includes charges related to impairment of certain assets and restructuring of $19 million and $80 million in the current quarter and YTD, respectively, and charges related to impairment of certain assets, restructuring, and pension settlement of $103 million and $303 million in the prior quarter and YTD, respectively.
⁽⁴⁾ Includes a (gain) loss on debt extinguishment of ($1 million) in the current quarter and $409 million in the current YTD primarily related to the early repurchase of certain of the Company’s debentures.
⁽⁵⁾ Includes charges related to the mark-to-market adjustment of the conversion option of the exchangeable bond issued in August 2020 of $2 million and $17 million in the current quarter and YTD, respectively. Includes tax interest related to the sale of an equity investment of $12 million in the prior quarter and YTD.
⁽⁶⁾ Includes gains related to the sale of certain assets in the current quarter of $10 million in the current quarter, gains related to the sale of Wilmar shares and certain other assets of $90 million in the current YTD, a loss on sale of an equity investment of $101 million in the prior quarter and YTD, and gains related to the sale of certain assets and a step-up gain on an equity investment of $12 million in the prior YTD.
⁽⁷⁾ Includes a settlement charge of $8 million in the current quarter and YTD and $2 million in the prior YTD.
⁽⁸⁾ Includes the tax expense (benefit) impact of the above specified items and certain discrete items totaling $(25) million and $(94) million, in the current quarter and YTD, respectively, and $60 million and $3 million in the prior quarter and YTD, respectively.

1. Current YTD changes in the Company’s LIFO reserves of $(91) million pretax ($69 million after tax), tax effected using the Company’s U.S. income tax rate. Prior quarter and YTD changes in the Company’s LIFO reserves of $27 million and $37 million pretax, respectively ($20 million and $28 million after tax, respectively), tax effected using the Company’s U.S. income tax rate.
2. Current quarter gains of $10 million pretax ($8 million after tax) related to the sale of certain assets and YTD gains of $90 million pretax ($80 million after tax), respectively, primarily related to the sale of Wilmar shares and certain other assets, tax effected using the applicable tax rates. Prior quarter and YTD loss of $101 million pretax ($133 million after tax) related to a loss on sale of an equity investment and prior YTD gains of $12 million pretax ($9 million after tax) related to the sale of certain assets and a step-up gain on an equity investment, tax effected using the applicable tax rates.
3. Current quarter and YTD charges of $27 million pretax ($20 million after tax) and $92 million pretax ($69 million after tax), respectively, related to the impairment of certain assets, restructuring, and settlement, tax effected using the applicable rates. Prior quarter and YTD charges of $103 million and $305 million pretax, respectively ($93 million and $249 million after tax, respectively), related to the impairment of certain assets, restructuring, and pension settlement, tax effected using the applicable tax rates.
4. Current quarter and YTD charges of $4 million pretax ($3 million after tax) related to a target acquisition, tax effected using the Company’s U.

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