Trade: Added Agrium

Bought Agrium (AGU) today for all 3 portfolios. AGU provides an investment for the portfolios that is tied into the agriculture market. A sector that has been greatly lagging and the prices are finally right. The Growth Portfolio is invested in FCStone (FCSX) that benefits greatly from the ag market, but AGU gives the portfolio its only real investment in the sector.

Agriculture is a great place to invest now since stock prices have fallen greatly but the end user demand has only fallen in the short term. Low inventory levels of corn compared to long term fast growing demand especially from China and India and even renewable fuels such as the ethanol mandates in the US should considerably increase the demand for the fertilizer products of AGU.

Agrium engages into retailing of agricultural products and services. It also produces and markets agricultural nutrients and supplies fertilizers in North America. Agrium operates through three segments: Retail, Wholesale and Advanced Technologies. The products that are produced and marketed by the company are nitrogen, phosphate, controlled-release fertilizers, micronutrients and potash. The materials produced by Agrium find applications in household products, mining explosives, pulp and paper, fiberboard, and aluminum. The markets served by the company’s products are specialty, international, industrial and agriculture.

More to come no this investment.