Grains merchant ADM slides on additional accounting errors, annual profit forecast cut

(Reuters) – Archer-Daniels-Midland shares fell 7% premarket on Tuesday after the global grains merchant cut its adjusted annual profit forecast and said it would amend its previous financial statements after finding additional accounting irregularities.

The company lowered its 2024 adjusted earnings per share forecast to the range of $4.50 to $5, from $5.25 to $6.25 it had estimated earlier.

In March, ADM corrected six years of financial data after an internal investigation found some sales between business units within the company were not recorded properly.

The accounting irregularities have sparked several government investigations and led to the departure of Chief Financial Officer Vikram Luthar.

The restated filings will include some newly identified errors concerning additional intersegment sales for the Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions and Nutrition segments, the company said late on Monday.

ADM does not expect any material impact and was working to complete the restatements as soon as “reasonably practicable”.

The company will amend its fiscal year 2023 Form 10-K and statements for the first and second quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, ADM reported adjusted net income of $1.09 per share for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with the average analyst estimate of $1.25, according to data compiled by LSEG.

(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)