POSCO International Partners With Bartlett to Boost Grain Business

POSCO’s (PKX) unit, POSCO International, recently signed an agreement to partner with Bartlett and Company to expand grain trading to 4 million tons annually by 2027. The U.S.-based grain company, Bartlett, operates by procuring, distributing and processing grains such as corn, wheat and soybeans, and possesses a strong base in the U.S. domestic market. This is expected to benefit POSCO by strengthening its sourcing and trading processes of U.S. grains. Through this agreement, POSCO aims to diversify its grain types and sourcing regions.By expanding sourcing beyond North America to include Central and South America and the Black Sea region, POSCO will solidify its position as an importer in South Korea’s grain market. As South Korea relies on imports for at least 16 million tons of grain annually, this step becomes crucial.POSCO fully entered the agribusiness in 2015 and expanded as much as to handle 5.5 million tons of grain in 2025, supplying about 2 million tons to the domestic market. With plans to increase importing volumes from the United States and secure a global supply chain, POSCO further expands its palm oil operations. It is currently operating a 30,000-hectare plantation in Indonesia while construction of a palm oil refinery with an annual capacity of 500,000 tons is underway, with an expected completion in the second half of 2025. These efforts combined are poised to build a strong foundation to establish an annual food-handling capacity of 10 million tons by 2030.PKX stock has lost 12.4% over the past year compared with the industry’s 15.3% decline. Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPKX’s Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks PKX currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other top-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Agnico Eagle MinesLimited AEM, The Mosaic Company MOS and Carpenter Technology Corporation CRS. While AEM and MOS currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, CRS carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see???the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AEM’s current-year earnings is pegged at $6.86 per share, implying a 62.17% year-over-year surge. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 10.03%. AEM’s shares have gained 74.9% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MOS’ 2025 earnings is pegged at $3.17 per share, indicating a rise of 60.10% from year-ago levels. The company’s earnings beat the consensus estimate in one of the trailing four quarters, while missing it in the rest. Its shares have soared 19.8% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ current fiscal-year earnings is pegged at $9.36 per share, indicating a 25.13% year-over-year increase.Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.38%. CRS’shares have gained 72.2% in the past year.   Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is HereThe AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.See "2nd Wave" AI stocks now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report POSCO (PKX): Free Stock Analysis Report Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS): Free Stock Analysis Report Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM): Free Stock Analysis Report The Mosaic Company (MOS): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks