Long-term value investors understand that truly profitable trends can take time to build up. Stock market sectors wax and wane with the economy and flow along the curvature of the business cycle, but others don't necessarily obey the same rules.
There's an old saying by Mark Twain, “buy land – it's the one thing they’re not making any more of.” Value investors can take it one step further, though. Arable land is limited, and the global population is growing. That makes food production a critical industry that will continue to be relevant regardless of economic direction.
Low oil prices translate into higher consumer spending which benefits food production companies as well. As a defensive non-cyclical industry, demand stays relatively constant regardless of how the economy is performing.
A rising tide lifts all boats, and the food industry is getting quite a lift lately. Several companies have raised guidance for the next quarter, and a number of analysts have upgraded the industry's outlook going forward. Continue reading "This Stock Could Feed Profits Into Your Portfolio"