Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) 10-K2022 FY Annual report

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C.  20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022

For the transition period from _________________ to _________________

Commission file number 1-44

ARCHER-DANIELS-MIDLAND COMPANY

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated. Such proxy statement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year to which this report relates.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that is subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, expressed, or implied by such forward-looking information.  Risks and uncertainties that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as may be updated in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. To the extent permitted under applicable law, Archer-Daniels- Midland Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

PART I

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (the Company or ADM) unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. The Company is an indispensable global agricultural supply chain manager and processor; a premier human and animal nutrition provider; a trailblazer in groundbreaking solutions to support healthier living; an industry-leading innovator in replacing petroleum-based products; and a leader in sustainability. ADM’s breadth, depth, insights, facilities and logistical expertise give the Company unparalleled capabilities to meet demand driven by global trends related to food security, health and well-being, and sustainability of the agriculture and food value chains. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, ADM gives customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow.

The Company is one of the world’s leading producers of ingredients for sustainable nutrition. From staple foods, such as flour, oils, and sweeteners, to innovative alternatives like plant-based meat and dairy, ADM offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of food and beverage solutions. The Company is also a leader in animal nutrition. Today, more and more people want to feed their pets with the same kind of clean, simple, and healthy products that they eat themselves, and consumers expect livestock and poultry to be fed and raised naturally, humanely, and sustainably. ADM offers a range of ingredients, flavors, and solutions from nature to meet every animal’s needs.

ADM is a global leader in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of probiotics, enzymes, supplements, and more to meet the needs of consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. The Company is also leading the way to a future of new plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products.

ADM also has significant investments and joint ventures that aim to expand or enhance the market for its products or offer other benefits including, but not limited to, geographic or product-line expansion.

At ADM, sustainable practices and a focus on environmental responsibility are foundational to the Company’s purpose and culture, and integral to the growth strategy of the Company and to the work the Company does every day to serve customers and create value for shareholders. ADM’s Board of Directors actively oversees the Company’s sustainability strategy through a board-level Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Committee (Sustainability Committee), and ADM’s Chief Sustainability Officer is part of the core strategy team and reports to the Chief Strategy Officer.

Utilizing ADM’s unique position in the agricultural value chain, including relationships with 210,000 farmers and an unparalleled global origination, transportation, and processing network, the Company is enhancing sustainability across the multiple value chains in which it operates. ADM works with growers by supporting them with personalized services and innovative technologies and partnering with them to develop and enhance sustainable and regenerative practices. The Company is actively working to improve the efficiency of its facilities and vehicles, finding alternative uses for waste, reusing and recycling water, and sequestering carbon at its onsite capture and storage facility. ADM’s broad array of products from nature are meeting needs for more sustainable solutions spanning food and beverage, fuels, and industrial and consumer products.

The Company’s environmental goals, collectively called “Strive 35” – an ambitious plan to, by 2035, reduce from a 2019 baseline absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25 percent, reduce absolute Scope 3 emissions by 25 percent, reduce energy intensity by 15 percent, reduce water intensity by 10 percent, and achieve a 90 percent landfill diversion rate – are part of an aggressive plan to continue to reduce the Company’s environmental footprint.

The Company is equally committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. ADM fundamentally values the differences between individuals and believes a variety of perspectives makes for a better company.

The Company’s innovation and expertise are helping people live healthier lives and support a healthier planet. The Company’s globally-integrated footprint combines with local insights to give ADM capabilities few other companies have – ensuring that it meets critical and global needs.

The Company’s operations are organized, managed, and classified into three reportable business segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition.  Each of these segments is organized based upon the nature of products and services offered.  The Company’s remaining operations are not reportable business segments, as defined by the applicable accounting standard, and are classified as Other Business.  Financial information with respect to the Company’s reportable business segments is set forth in Note 17 of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included in Item 8 herein, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” (Item 8).

The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment includes global activities related to the origination, merchandising, transportation, and storage of agricultural raw materials, and the crushing and further processing of oilseeds such as soybeans and soft seeds (cottonseed, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, and flaxseed) into vegetable oils and protein meals. Oilseeds products produced and marketed by the segment include ingredients for food, feed, energy, and industrial customers. Crude vegetable oils produced by the segment’s crushing activities are sold “as is” to manufacturers of renewable green diesel and other customers or are further processed by refining, blending, bleaching, and deodorizing into salad oils. Salad oils are sold “as is” or are further processed by hydrogenating and/or interesterifying into margarine, shortening, and other food products. Partially refined oils are used to produce biodiesel and glycols or are sold to other manufacturers for use in chemicals, paints, and other industrial products. Oilseed protein meals are principally sold to third parties to be used as ingredients in commercial livestock and poultry feeds. The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment is also a major supplier of peanuts and peanut-derived ingredients to both the U.S. and export markets. In North America, cotton cellulose pulp is manufactured and sold to the chemical, paper, and other industrial markets. The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment’s grain sourcing, handling, and transportation network (including barge, ocean-going vessel, truck, rail, and container freight services) provides reliable and efficient services to the Company’s customers and agricultural processing operations. The Ag Services and Oilseeds segment also includes agricultural commodity and feed product import, export, and global distribution, and structured trade finance activities. The Company engages in various structured trade finance activities to leverage its global trade flows.

The Company has a 32.2% equity interest in Pacificor. Pacificor owns and operates grain export elevators in Kalama, Washington and Portland, Oregon.

The Company has a 22.5% equity interest in Wilmar International Limited (Wilmar), a Singapore publicly listed company. Wilmar is a leading global agribusiness group headquartered in Asia engaged in the businesses of packaged oils and packaged foods, oil palm cultivation, oilseeds crushing, edible oils refining, sugar milling and refining, specialty fats, oleo chemicals, biodiesel and fertilizers manufacturing, and grains processing.

The Company has a 50.0% equity interest in Stratas Foods LLC, a joint venture between ADM and ACH Jupiter, LLC, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, that procures, packages, and sells edible oils in North America. 

 

The Company has a 50.0% equity interest in Edible Oils Limited, a joint venture between ADM and Princes Limited to procure, package, and sell edible oils in the United Kingdom.  The Company also formed a joint venture with Princes Limited in Poland to procure, package, and sell edible oils in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria.

The Company has a 50.0% equity interest in SoyVen, a joint venture between ADM and Cargill to provide soybean meal and oil for customers in Egypt.

The Company is a supplier of raw materials to Wilmar, Stratas Foods LLC, Edible Oils Limited, SoyVen, and Olenex.

The Carbohydrate Solutions segment is engaged in corn and wheat wet and dry milling and other activities. The Carbohydrate Solutions segment converts corn and wheat into products and ingredients used in the food and beverage industry including sweeteners, corn and wheat starches, syrup, glucose, wheat flour, and dextrose. Dextrose and starch are used by the Carbohydrate Solutions segment as feedstocks in other downstream processes. By fermentation of dextrose, the Carbohydrate Solutions segment produces alcohol and other food and animal feed ingredients. Ethyl alcohol is produced by the Company for industrial use in products such as hand sanitizers and ethanol for use in gasoline due to its ability to increase octane as an extender and oxygenate. Corn gluten feed and meal, as well as distillers’ grains, are produced for use as animal feed ingredients. Corn germ, a by-product of the wet milling process, is further processed into vegetable oil and protein meal. Other Carbohydrate Solutions products include citric acids, which are used in various food and industrial products. The Carbohydrate Solutions segment has announced various memorandums of understanding with potential strategic partners leveraging our core production capabilities and carbon sequestration experience to facilitate the production of low carbon, bio-based products such as sustainable aviation fuel and innovative renewable chemicals. In November 2021, the Company sold its ethanol production complex in Peoria, Illinois. In August 2022, the Company launched two joint ventures, GreenWise Lactic and LG Chem Illinois Biochem, with LG Chem, a leading global diversified chemical company, for the U.S. production of lactic acid and polylactic acid to meet growing demand for a wide variety of plant-based products, including bioplastics.

The Company has a 50.0% equity interest in Hungrana Ltd. which operates a corn wet milling plant in Hungary.

The Company has a 50.0% equity interest in Almidones Mexicanos S.A. which operates a corn wet milling plant in Mexico.

The Nutrition segment serves various end markets including food, beverages, nutritional supplements, and feed premix and additives for livestock, aquaculture, and pet food. The segment engages in the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of a wide array of ingredients and solutions including plant-based proteins, natural flavors, flavor systems, natural colors, emulsifiers, soluble fiber, polyols, hydrocolloids, probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, botanical extracts, and other specialty food and feed ingredients. The Nutrition segment includes the activities related to the procurement, processing, and distribution of edible beans. The segment also includes activities related to the processing and distribution of formula feeds and animal health and nutrition products and the manufacture of contract and private label pet treats and foods.

The Company has a 45.3% equity interest in Vimison S.A. de C.V., a leader in the animal nutrition industry in Mexico.

Other Business includes the Company’s remaining operations as described below.

ADM Investor Services, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a registered futures commission merchant and a clearing member of all principal commodities exchanges in the U.S.  ADM Investor Services International Limited, a member of several derivative and commodity exchanges and clearing houses in Europe, ADMIS Singapore Pte. Limited, a clearing member of the Singapore exchange, and ADMIS Hong Kong Limited, are wholly owned subsidiaries of ADM offering brokerage services in Europe and Asia.

Insurance activities include Agrinational Insurance Company (Agrinational) and its subsidiaries. Agrinational, a wholly owned subsidiary of ADM, provides insurance coverage for certain property, casualty, marine, credit, medical, and other miscellaneous risks of the Company. Agrinational also participates in certain third-party reinsurance arrangements.

The Company’s products are distributed mainly in bulk from processing plants or storage facilities directly to customers’ facilities.  The Company has developed a comprehensive transportation capability to efficiently move both commodities and processed products virtually anywhere in the world.  The Company owns or leases trucks, trailers, railroad tank and hopper cars, river barges, towboats, and ocean-going vessels used to transport the Company’s products to its customers.

The following products accounted for 10% or more of revenues for the following periods:

The Company continues to expand the size and global reach of its business through the development of new products.  Acquisitions, especially in the Nutrition segment, expand the Company’s ability to unlock the potential of nature and serve customers’ evolving and expanding nutritional needs through its offering of natural flavor and ingredient products. The Company does not expect any individual new product to have a significant impact on the Company’s revenues in 2023.

A significant majority of the Company’s raw materials are agricultural commodities.  In addition, the Company sources specific fruits, vegetables, and nuts for extracts to make flavors and colors. In any single year, the availability and price of these commodities are subject to factors such as changes in weather conditions, plantings, government programs and policies, competition, changes in global demand, changes in standards of living, and global production of similar and competitive crops.  The Company’s raw materials are procured from thousands of growers, grain elevators, and wholesale merchants in North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia, and Australia, pursuant primarily to short-term (less than one year) agreements or on a spot basis.  The Company is not dependent upon any particular grower, elevator, or merchant as a source for its raw materials.

Some of the principal crops that ADM sources and processes present specific climate change risks. For example, South American soy and global palm present risks of deforestation due to their proximity to the forest and other high-carbon-value landscapes. In addition, when not managed appropriately, row crops such as corn, soy, wheat, and canola present environmental risks such as water quality impairment, erosion, soil degradation, and GHG emissions. However, these crops also present an opportunity to combat climate change through their ability to sequester carbon in the soil using regenerative agricultural practices. In 2022, ADM launched its “re: generations” program to engage and encourage growers in its supply chain to implement regenerative agriculture practices. In the first year of the program, the Company exceeded its goal to enroll one million acres.

Under the stewardship of ADM’s Board of Directors, the Company has established several key social and environmental policies that collectively outline expectations for its employees, business partners and contractors, and the Company as a whole with respect to its sourcing operations. These policies set the standards that govern the Company’s approach to environmental stewardship, employee conduct, and raw material sourcing, among other areas, and outline ADM’s positions on issues of widespread public interest. These standards are included in, among others, the Company’s Code of Conduct; Environment, Health, and Safety Policy; Human Rights Policy; Commitment to Protect Forests, Biodiversity, and Communities; Statement on Genetically Modified Organisms; Statement on Animal Testing; Commitment to Anti-Corruption Compliance; Protocol for Managing Supplier Non-Compliance and ADM Supplier Expectations, all of which are available on the Company’s website (see Item 1, Business - Available Information).

In addition to policies, a portion of the Company’s commodity sourcing is conducted using third-party certification programs including ADM Responsible Soy, Biomass Biofuel Sustainability Voluntary Scheme, Round Table for Responsible Soy, International Sustainability and Carbon Certification, Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil, and U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol. These programs have standards that are established to provide transparency on specific sustainability-related criteria. ADM procures canola, soybeans, and palm under these programs.

The Company owns trademarks, brands, recipes, and other intellectual property including patents, with a net book value of $809 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company does not consider any segment of its business to be dependent upon any single or group of trademarks, brands, recipes, or other intellectual property.

Since the Company is widely diversified in global agribusiness markets, there are no material seasonal fluctuations in overall global processing volumes and the sale and distribution of its products and services.  There is a degree of seasonality in the growing cycles, procurement, and transportation of the Company’s principal raw materials: oilseeds, corn, wheat, and other grains. The Company has seasonal financing arrangements with farmers in certain countries around the world.  Typically, advances on these financing arrangements occur during the planting season and are repaid at harvest.

 

The prices of agricultural commodities, which may fluctuate significantly and change quickly, directly affect the Company’s working capital requirements.  Because the Company has a higher portion of its operations in the northern hemisphere, principally North America and Europe, relative to the southern hemisphere, primarily South America, inventory levels typically peak after the northern hemisphere fall harvest and are generally lower during the northern hemisphere summer months.  Working capital requirements have historically trended with inventory levels.

No material part of the Company’s business is dependent upon a single customer or very few customers.  

The Company has significant competition in the markets in which it operates based principally on price, foreign exchange rates, quality, global supply, and alternative products, some of which are made from different raw materials than those utilized by the Company.  Given the commodity-based nature of many of its businesses, the Company, on an ongoing basis, focuses on managing unit costs and improving efficiency through technology improvements, productivity enhancements, and regular evaluation of the Company’s asset portfolio. The Company’s Nutrition business is a vertically integrated business that provides ingredients and solutions for human, animal, and pet in a highly competitive environment with a variety of companies offering the same products and services. The industry includes ingredient suppliers, contract manufacturers, global fast moving consumer goods companies, and private label brands, as well as smaller companies that specialize in specific niche markets. The Company focuses on staying ahead of the curve in terms of innovation and science-based solutions, building direct-to-consumer sales channels and focusing on consumer needs, expanding into new markets, building strategic partnerships, leveraging data and technology, and building a strong distribution network.

Research and development expense during the year ended December 31, 2022, net of reimbursements of government grants, was $216 million.

The Company’s laboratories and technical innovation centers around the world enhance its ability to interact with customers globally, not only to provide flavors, but also to support the sales of other food ingredients. Since the acquisition of Wild Flavors in 2014, additional laboratories have been added, including food & beverages applications laboratories in Fort Collins, Colorado; Bergamo, Italy; Shanghai, China; and Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Company also expanded laboratories in Decatur and Champaign, Illinois. In 2021, the Company also opened a plant-based innovation laboratory hub in Singapore to develop nutritious products to meet growing food and beverage demand in the Asia-Pacific region. In March 2022, ADM opened a state-of-the-art Customer Creation & Innovation Center in Hortolandia, Brazil, that has technical capabilities that allow it to serve customers in Latin America and globally. In April 2022, the Company announced a new protein innovation center to further expand ADM’s innovation complex in Decatur, Illinois and enhance the Company’s ability to work closely with customers to develop custom solutions to meet their needs. The new innovation center, which is expected to be inaugurated by the second half of 2023, will bring together laboratories, test kitchens, and pilot-scale production capabilities to power new innovation.

The Company expanded its human health and nutrition portfolio in 2017 with the acquisition of a controlling interest in Biopolis SL (Biopolis), a leading provider of probiotics and genomic services. Biopolis provides genomic sequencing capabilities for the Company’s customers as well as for its internal use. Biopolis also has high through-put biological functionality testing capabilities that can be used to discover new probiotics and nutraceuticals. In January 2018, the Company announced a joint development agreement with Vland Biotech to develop and commercialize enzymes for animal feed. In April 2018, the Company opened its new enzyme development laboratory in Davis, California to advance the research and development of feed enzyme as well as enzymes for internal use. In August 2018, the Company further expanded its probiotics business with the acquisition of Probiotics International Limited. In October 2021, the Company announced an agreement with Qingdao Vland Biotech Group Co., Ltd., a leading producer of enzymes and probiotics, to form a joint venture to manufacture and sell human probiotics to serve the growing Chinese demand.

With the acquisition of Neovia in early 2019, ADM further expanded its research and development capabilities in Animal Nutrition, globally. In December 2019, the Company opened a new Animal Nutrition technology center in Decatur, Illinois, to further expand its animal nutrition capabilities to support customer innovation in pet and aqua food production in North America. In November 2021, the Company opened a new animal nutrition laboratory in Rolle, Switzerland to support the development of science-based feed additives to meet worldwide customer needs for pet food, aquaculture, and livestock species. In January 2022, the Company opened its aquaculture innovation laboratory in Decatur, Illinois. This laboratory extends ADM’s international research and development capabilities to a new region, building on existing aquaculture research facilities located in Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam.

ADM Ventures continues to select high-potential, new product development projects in partnership with the business units. ADM Ventures further expanded its equity investments and has early-stage start-up companies in its portfolio which are focused on areas involved in developing next generation products for human and animal nutrition, microbiome technologies, and AgTech, and is continually looking at others in which ADM may choose to invest. For example, the Company is continuing to explore opportunities around precision fermentation in which microbes, rapidly grown in fermenters fed by dextrose, transform the sugars into a wide variety of products for food, feed, and fiber. These investments allow for strategic insights as well as collaboration opportunities, which the team is aggressively pursuing.

The Company is continuing to invest in research to develop a broad range of key intermediate materials that serve as platforms for producing a variety of sustainable packaging products. Conversion technologies include utilizing expertise in fermentation, process chemistry, and catalysis. The Company’s current portfolio includes products that are in the early development phase and those that are close to pilot plant demonstration. The Company has a memorandum of understanding with P2 Science Inc. to evaluate product opportunities in plant-based, renewable chemicals and materials.

In August 2022, the Company launched two joint ventures with LG Chem for U.S. production of lactic acid and polylactic acid to meet growing demand for a wide variety of plant-based products, including bioplastics. Pending final investment decisions, the joint ventures have chosen Decatur, Illinois as the location of their intended production facilities. Also in August 2022, the Company and Nurasa inaugurated the ScaleUp Bio joint venture. ScaleUp Bio entered into a multi-year partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research’s Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation to establish a joint laboratory focused on precision fermentation. The joint laboratory will provide technological development and precision fermentation for companies producing a wide variety of bio-based products, including alternative proteins, to serve growing consumer demand in Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Scheduled to be operational in the first quarter of 2023, the joint laboratory will be situated within the Biopolis innovation center in Singapore.

In October 2020, the Company announced a long-term agreement with Spiber, Inc. (Spiber) to expand the production of Spiber’s innovative brewed protein polymers for use in apparel and other consumer products. The Company also announced in 2020 its plans to collaborate with InnovaFeed on the construction and operation of the world’s largest insect protein production site, collocated with ADM’s corn processing complex in Decatur, Illinois.

In August 2022, the Company announced a long-term strategic partnership with Benson Hill, Inc., a food tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants, to scale innovative high protein soy ingredients that will help meet the rapidly growing demand for plant-based proteins. The partnership will serve a variety of plant-based food and beverage markets to meet the savory, sweet, and dairy needs of customers.

The Company knows that the health of our natural resources is critical to our future, and that its commitments to sustainable practices will result in a stronger ADM and a better world. ADM is committed to being a force for change in developing innovative, sustainable solutions in agriculture, food and nutrition, industrial and consumer products, energy, and packaging materials while pursuing ways to continually improve the Company’s efforts in both protecting the environment and enhancing environmental sustainability. The United Nations Development Programme created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) blueprint as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. ADM focuses its efforts toward goals that align with its business objectives and allow the Company to make the greatest contribution towards the achievement of the SDG, specifically Zero Hunger, Clean Water and Sanitation, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Climate Action, and Life On Land.

The Sustainability Committee of the Board actively oversees the Company’s objectives, goals, strategies, and activities relating to sustainability and corporate responsibility matters. The Sustainability Committee also oversees the Company’s compliance with sustainability and corporate responsibility laws and regulations, assesses performance relating to industry benchmarks, and assists the Board of Directors in ensuring that the Company operates as a sustainable organization and responsible corporate citizen in order to enhance shareholder value and protect ADM’s reputation. The Company’s Chief Sustainability Officer works with the Chair of the Sustainability Committee to set the agendas for the meetings and also attends the meetings. As for ADM management, the Executive Council of ADM, the Company’s highest strategic and operational body, provides close supervision of the Company’s ESG efforts and in-depth review of sustainability issues. Because the Company considers sustainability integral to its strategy, the Chief Sustainability Officer reports to the Chief Strategy Officer and is a key member of the strategy team. Furthermore, regional sustainability teams, along with the corporate sustainability team, support the Chief Sustainability Officer to drive sustainability efforts in the Company’s facilities and supply chains around the world. ADM’s sustainability efforts are also supported by the Centers of Excellence (CoE), such as the Utilities CoE, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion CoE, and Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) CoE, each of which drives efficiency programs in its area of focus.

The Company aims to mitigate climate change through renewable product and process innovations, supply chain efforts including a commitment to no-deforestation and regenerative agriculture, and a strategic approach to operational excellence with a focus on enhancing the efficiency of ADM’s production plants throughout its global operations.

ADM believes sustainability is critical to its future growth strategy. ADM’s strategic plan of sustainable growth leverages the trends and technologies in sustainability to help the Company grow and create value for its stakeholders. Ag Services and Oilseeds is focused on traceability of sourcing and differentiation and working with growers on low carbon agricultural practices and products. Carbohydrate Solutions is focused on decarbonization efforts that increasingly position the segment to offer low-carbon intensity feedstocks for biosolutions and biomaterials, including fuel solutions, to replace petroleum-based products. Nutrition is focused on developing alternative proteins that can reduce the amount of animal-based proteins that are sources of methane and GHG emissions. The growth of these projects and businesses will be integral to supporting the objective of helping the planet limit total global warming to the 1.5°C threshold indicated by the United Nations. In 2022, the Company added the achievement of gender parity and greenhouse gas emission goals to executive performance measurement to reflect the strategic importance of ESG to its business.

Moreover, ADM has a large industrial footprint and believes it is important to reduce GHG emissions related to its business activities and the entire agricultural supply chain. The Company continues to use internal and external resources to identify opportunities and take action to reduce its GHG emissions globally to meet its continued commitment to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In 2020, ADM announced its environmental stewardship goals, collectively called “Strive 35” – an ambitious plan to, by 2035, reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 25 percent from a 2019 baseline, reduce energy intensity by 15 percent, reduce water intensity by 10 percent, and achieve a 90 percent landfill diversion rate. To support the Company’s Strive 35 environmental goals, ADM developed a feasibility study with a leading engineering professional services firm that provides the technology pathway for absolute reduction of GHG by 2035. The Company has also committed to develop a global strategy focused on improving community well-being in priority watersheds, including water-stressed areas, by 2025. In 2022, the Company achieved full traceability of its direct and indirect sourcing throughout its soy supply chains in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. ADM aims to eliminate deforestation from all of the Company’s supply chains by 2025.

As of December 31, 2021, the Company reduced absolute GHG emissions by 6% and achieved 83.8% of its waste diverted from landfill.

In 2021, ADM announced its Scope 3 GHG reduction goal, focused upon the five most material Scope 3 categories for the Company: purchased goods and services; fuel and energy related emissions; upstream transportation and distribution; waste; and processing of solid products/goods. ADM aims to reduce its absolute Scope 3 emissions by 25% from a 2019 baseline by 2035.

In 2022, the Company published ADM’s Net Zero Aspiration: Carbon Reduction Program Assessment, a report of ADM’s carbon reduction progress and exploration to support its aspiration of net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. The report can be accessed through the Company’s website at http://www.adm.com.

The Company anticipates spending between $270 million to $430 million on capital projects to achieve the Strive 35 targets. ADM has spent $87 million on projects in support of these goals since inception, of which $64 million was spent in 2022.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company spent $56 million specifically to improve equipment, facilities, and programs for pollution control and compliance with the requirements of various environmental agencies.

There have been no material effects upon the earnings and competitive position of the Company resulting from compliance with applicable laws or regulations enacted or adopted relating to the protection of the environment.

ADM’s corporate social investment program, ADM Cares, aligns the Company’s corporate giving with its business strategies and sustainability objectives. Through the program, ADM works to sustain and strengthen its commitment to communities where ADM colleagues work, live, and operate by directing funding to initiatives and organizations driving meaningful social, economic, and environmental progress. The ADM Cares team evaluates potential projects submitted for funding to ensure they meet eligibility criteria, such as initiatives that support education, food security and hunger relief, or safe, responsible, and environmentally sound agricultural practices in critical growing regions around the world. In 2022, the Company directed $13 million to support Ukrainian colleagues and extend philanthropic support to those in need, including direct financial support, housing, and grants to non-profit organizations, such as the World Food Programme and Doctors Without Borders.

In line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosures, ADM conducted an analysis using three scenarios: 1.5°C (based on IPCC SSP1), 2°C (based on IEA WEO 450 Scenario), and 2.6°C (based on IEA INDC Scenario). The first scenario assumes a rapid transition to a low carbon world in the next decade, limiting temperature increase to 1.5°C. This involves a high degree of transformation across the economy. Under this scenario, the worst anticipated physical impacts of climate change are avoided. The second scenario involves ambitious actions to mitigate climate change, limiting temperature increase to 2°C. This scenario requires greater policy action; however, there is still an increase in physical climate-related impacts. The third scenario is based on the current status quo with no changes to policies or actions and an anticipated increase in global temperature by 2.6°C resulting in increased physical impacts of climate change. ADM used these scenarios as written by the sources, except in the case of the third, status quo scenario, where transition risks were evaluated based on the Company’s existing commitments: Strive 35.

The Company reviewed the results of the scenario analysis with a cross-functional team of individuals from finance, strategy, sustainability, operations, legal, and risk management. As part of the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) process, the risks identified from the scenario analysis have been reviewed by the ERM team for mitigation actions.

Metrics and targets are available in ADM’s Corporate Sustainability Report which can be accessed through its website at http://www.adm.com.

References to the Company’s website address in this report are provided as a convenience and are not incorporated by reference. See Available Information on page 15 for more information.

The Company has a responsibility to ensure that all ADM businesses within the Company follow responsible tax practices. ADM manages its tax affairs based upon the following key principles:

ADM has long maintained its Code of Conduct to help the Company achieve the right results, the right way. The code establishes high standards of honesty and integrity for all ADM colleagues and business partners and sets forth specific policies to help ensure that the Company always conducts business fairly and ethically everywhere it operates.

The Company’s culture is focused on Integrity, Performance, Innovation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. ADM is a truly global company of approximately 42,000 employees working together to achieve extraordinary results. Talented colleagues can be found in a wide variety of roles – including front-line production workers, supply chain experts who deliver to customers all over the world, engineering teams who continuously improve the Company’s operations, sales and commercial teams who work closely with customers, finance professionals, and so many more. ADM continues to develop its workforce to remain relevant and deliver on the Company’s growth aspirations with a strong focus on sustainability.

The following tables set forth information about the Company’s employees as of December 31, 2022.

Part of ADM’s vision is to promote a diverse workplace with equitable opportunities for all its employees within an inclusive culture to make sure all colleagues globally feel they belong and make meaningful contributions to the success of each other and the Company. ADM brings together colleagues with many different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. These global teams drive innovative thinking, creating growth opportunities through diversity of thought. The Company’s comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategy includes four focus areas: Leadership Engagement & Communication, Recruitment, Advancement & Retention, and Networks & Sponsorships. In order to ensure that the Company’s global DE&I strategy aligns with its business strategy, ADM formed a global DE&I council with strong presence in four regions of the world. ADM is a signatory to the CEO Action for Diversity, a coalition of CEO’s committing to specific actions towards diversity and has made a commitment through Paradigm for Parity® to achieve gender parity in its senior leadership team by 2030. Since making this commitment in 2018, the Company has improved its gender diversity from 21% to 28%. ADM is proud of its achievements to date, and the Company will continue to strengthen diversity within middle management and entry-level hiring so the progress at the senior leadership level is sustainable over the long-term. This is a key cultural strategic priority that will continue to strengthen the Company’s ability to innovate and drive profitable growth. At the industry level, ADM has been a key partner in the establishment of Together We Grow, a consortium of agricultural industry leaders united in a shared belief that American agriculture’s best days are yet to come. Emphasizing diversity and inclusion, Together We Grow works to build a modern workforce with the skills, experience, and capabilities needed to keep pace with the growing world.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has worked hard to recommend nominees who have skills and experiences relevant to ADM’s strategy and operations and who reflect the diversity of the world around us. As of December 31, 2022, 58% of ADM’s 12 board members are diverse – six are African-American, Hispanic or Asian, and three are women. Detailed information with respect to the Board’s composition is set forth in “Proxy Summary – Director Nominee Diversity, Age, Tenure, and Independence” of the definitive proxy statement for the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders to be filed on or before May 1, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Company believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are key business priorities that will enable ADM to continue innovating, driving growth through customer focus, and delivering outstanding performance for shareholders.

In 2021, ADM launched the first of its Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) focused on women as part of the Company’s DE&I vision and strategy. The ERGs, also known as Affinity Groups, are voluntary, employee-led groups where colleagues with shared experiences, interests or goals can come together in a safe space to provide support, build a sense of community, and promote personal and professional development. Recognizing the broad spectrum of intersectionality, the Company expanded its ERGs in 2022 across its four regions (North America, APAC, EMEA, and LATAM) to include, depending on geographic relevance, Multicultural, Black Colleague League, and LGBTQIA+ affinity groups.

ADM holds an annual Women’s Leadership Summit – a two-day virtual event aimed at developing, inspiring, and empowering the Company’s female leaders in each of the Company’s four regions. These events are designed to provide participants with tools to help navigate career development to advance more women into senior leadership roles. The summit features motivational speakers and roundtable discussions with members of ADM’s leadership, Executive Committee, members of the Board of Directors, and external coaches and trainers dedicated to addressing the leadership gender gap in corporate America.

ADM offers market-competitive pay, benefits, and services that help meet the needs of its employees. The Company’s global rewards package includes base pay, short-term incentive plans, long-term equity grants, paid time-off, employee assistance programs, and benefits that meet the country-specific competitive markets in which ADM operates. ADM’s global bonus plan has clearly defined enterprise metrics and objectives which are the same for all eligible employees – creating a strong team spirit and fostering collaboration among colleagues.

Employee Development

All ADM employees participate annually in training and development that further increases knowledge, skills, and awareness on current and important topics. In addition, ADM offers many voluntary training opportunities that have largely moved to virtual and on-demand learning.

ADM prides itself in offering equitable career opportunities that include global assignments for its high potential talent, internal career growth for those who wish to learn more, and experiential learning through projects, mentorships, and on-the-job development.

ADM’s annual voluntary employee turnover rate for full-time colleagues in 2022 of 12.2% was up from the turnover rate in 2021 of 11.3%.

ADM is committed to providing a safe working environment for all of its employees and contractors. For the last several years, the Company has been on a journey to a goal of zero injuries – building a safety culture so everyone will go home safely to their families and the things that are most important to them.

ADM finished 2022 with two fatalities after a record 665 days with no fatalities. In 2022, the Company had 12 serious injuries and is on track to reduce serious injuries by 50% in 2025 from a 2020 baseline. The Company continues to take steps to further enhance the safety of its workplaces and maintains a goal of zero fatalities. Through the guidance of the Environmental, Health, and Safety CoE, the operations teams focused on three programs to reduce the most serious injuries:

The Company’s website is http://www.adm.com.  ADM’s annual reports on Form 10-K; quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; current reports on Form 8-K; directors’ and officers’ Forms 3, 4, and 5; and amendments to those reports, if any, are available, free of charge, through its website, as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such materials with, or furnishing them to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The Company’s Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance Guidelines, and the written charters of the Audit, Compensation and Succession, Nominating and Corporate Governance, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, and Executive Committees are also available through its website.

The SEC maintains a website which contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file information electronically with the SEC.  The SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.

Management directs a Company-wide ERM Program, with oversight from the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company’s Audit Committee has the delegated risk management oversight responsibility and receives updates on the risk management processes and key risk factors on a quarterly basis.

The Company, through its business unit, functional, and corporate teams, continually updates, assesses, monitors, and mitigates these and other business and compliance risks in accordance with the ERM Program as monitored by the ERM Program team and Chief Risk Officer. 

The risk pillars that follow are the main risks that the ERM Program focuses on to protect and enhance shareholder value and promote socially responsible behaviors through intentional risk mitigation plans based on management-defined risk limits. The areas of risk mitigation emphasis include operational efficiencies, strategic and economic factors, geopolitical relationships, environmental, social, and governance solutions, technological advancement and threat prevention, and financial and regulatory risks.

The assets and operations of the Company could be subject to unplanned downtime or extensive property damage and business disruption from various events which include, but are not limited to, equipment failure, raw material shortages, natural disasters, severe weather conditions, accidents, explosions, fires, or other unexpected outages. ADM is committed to resiliency but these efforts may not resolve emergencies timely or effectively, and the associated liability which could result from these risks may not always be covered by or could exceed liability insurance.

The Company’s operations rely on dependable and efficient transportation services, the disruption of which could result in difficulties supplying materials to the Company’s facilities and impair the Company’s ability to deliver products to its customers in a timely manner.  The Company relies on access to navigable rivers and waterways in order to fulfill its transportation obligations more effectively.  In addition, if certain non-agricultural commodity raw materials, such as water or certain chemicals used in the Company’s processing operations, are not available, the Company’s business could be disrupted.  Any major lack of available water for use in certain of the Company’s processing operations could have a material adverse impact on operating results.  Certain factors which may impact the availability of non-agricultural commodity raw materials are out of the Company’s control including, but not limited to, disruptions resulting from weather, high or low river water conditions, economic conditions, manufacturing delays or disruptions at suppliers, shortage of materials, interruption of energy supply, and unavailable or poor supplier credit conditions.

The Company’s operating costs and the selling prices of certain finished products are sensitive to changes in energy prices.  The Company’s processing plants are powered principally by electricity, natural gas, and coal.  The Company’s transportation operations are dependent upon diesel fuel and other petroleum-based products.  Significant increases in the cost or access of these items, including any consequences of regulation or taxation of greenhouse gases, could adversely affect the Company’s production costs and operating results. The Company continues to use internal and external resources to identify opportunities and take action to reduce its energy intensity globally to meet its demand while mitigating the effects of climate change.

As the Company executes its growth strategy, through both organic and inorganic growth, it may encounter risks which could result in increased costs, decreased revenues, and delayed synergies. Growth in new geographies outside the U.S. can expose the Company to volatile economic, political, and regulatory risks that may negatively impact its operations and ability to achieve its growth strategy. Expanding businesses where the Company has limited presence may expose the Company to risks related to the inability to identify an appropriate partner or target and favorable terms, inability to retain/hire strategic talent, or integration risks that may require significant management resources that would have otherwise been available for ongoing growth or operational initiatives. Acquisitions may involve unanticipated delays, costs, and other problems. Due diligence performed prior to an acquisition may not identify a material liability or issue that could impact the Company’s reputation or adversely affect results of operations resulting in a reduction of the anticipated acquisition benefits. Additionally, acquisitions may involve integration risks such as: internal control effectiveness, system integration risks, the risk of impairment charges related to goodwill and other intangibles, ability to retain acquired employees, and other unanticipated risks.

 

The Company has $5.5 billion invested in or advanced to joint ventures and investments over which the Company has limited control as to governance and management activities.  Net sales to unconsolidated affiliates during the year ended December 31, 2022 were $7.8 billion.  Risks related to these investments may include: the financial strength of the investment partner; loss of revenues and cash flows to the investment partner and related gross profit; the inability to implement beneficial management strategies, including risk management and compliance monitoring, with respect to the investment’s activities; and the risk that the Company may not be able to resolve disputes with the partners.  The Company may encounter unanticipated operating issues, financial results, or compliance and reputational risks related to these investments. The Company mitigates this risk using controls and policies related to joint venture formation, governance (including board of directors’ representation), merger and acquisition integration management, and harmonization of joint venture policies with the Company’s policies and controls.

While ADM has effectively managed through the risks arising from the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and has implemented mitigation actions across global operations that have had a positive impact on its customers, employees, local communities, and other stakeholders, the Company could be materially impacted in the future if a more severe variant or other disease would arise causing disruptions far more severe than the Company has recently experienced. In such circumstances, ADM may be unable to perform fully on its contractual obligations, critical global supply chain and logistical networks may be affected, and costs and working capital needs may increase. These cost increases may not be fully recoverable or adequately covered by insurance. In addition, demand for certain products that ADM produces, particularly biofuels and ingredients that go into food and beverages that support the food services channels, could be materially impacted from a prolonged regional or global outbreak, leading to government-imposed lockdowns, quarantines, or other restrictions.

The availability and prices of agricultural commodities are subject to wide fluctuations, including impacts from factors outside the Company’s control such as changes in market conditions, weather conditions, crop disease, plantings, government programs and policies, climate change, competition, and changes in global demand, which could adversely affect the Company’s operating results.  The Company uses a global network of procurement, processing, and transportation assets, as well as robust communications between global commodity merchandiser teams, to continually assess price and basis opportunities. Management-established limits (including a corporate wide value-at-risk metric), with robust internal reporting, help to manage risks in pursuit of driving performance. Additionally, the Company depends globally on agricultural producers to ensure an adequate supply of the agricultural commodities.

Reduced supply of agricultural commodities and rising costs of non-agricultural commodity raw materials could adversely affect the Company’s profitability by increasing the cost of raw materials and/or limiting the Company’s ability to procure, transport, store, process, and merchandise agricultural commodities and products in an efficient manner. High and volatile commodity and non-agricultural commodity prices can place more pressures on short-term working capital funding. Conversely, if supplies are abundant and crop production globally outpaces demand for more than one or two crop cycles, price volatility is somewhat diminished. This could result in reduced operating results due to the lack of supply chain dislocations and reduced market spread and basis opportunities.

The Company has certain finished products, such as ethanol and biodiesel, which are closely related to, or may be substituted for, petroleum products, or in the case of ethanol, blended into gasoline to increase octane content. Therefore, the selling prices of ethanol and biodiesel can be impacted by the selling prices of gasoline, diesel fuel, and other octane enhancers.  A significant decrease in the price of gasoline, diesel fuel, or other octane enhancers could result in a significant decrease in the selling price of the Company’s ethanol and biodiesel. The Company uses derivative contracts as anticipatory hedges for both purchases of commodity inputs and sales of energy-based products in order to protect itself in the near term against these price trends and to protect and maximize processing margins.

The Company conducts its business and has substantial assets located in many countries and geographic areas. While 64 percent of the Company’s long-lived assets are located in the United States, the Company also has significant operations in both developed areas (such as Western Europe, Canada, and Brazil) and emerging market areas. One of the Company’s strategies is to expand the global reach of its core model, which may include expanding or developing its business in emerging market areas. Both developed and emerging market areas are subject to impacts of economic downturns, including decreased demand for the Company’s products, and reduced availability of credit, or declining credit quality of the Company’s suppliers, customers, and other counterparties. In addition, emerging market areas could be subject to more volatile operating conditions including, but not limited to, logistics limitations or delays, labor-related challenges, epidemic outbreaks and economic recovery, limitations or regulations affecting trade flows, local currency concerns, and other economic and political instability.  Political fiscal instability could generate intrusive regulations in emerging markets, potentially creating unanticipated assessments of taxes, fees, increased risks of corruption, etc. Economic downturns and volatile market conditions could adversely affect the Company’s operating results and ability to execute its long-term business strategies, although the nature of many of the Company’s products (i.e. food and feed ingredients) is less sensitive to demand reductions in any economic downcycles. The Company mitigates this risk in many ways, including country risk and exposure analysis, government relations and tax compliance activities, and robust ethics compliance training requirements.

The Company faces significant competition in each of its businesses and has numerous competitors, who can be different depending upon each of the business segments in which it participates.  The Company competes for the acquisition of inputs such as raw materials, transportation services, and other materials and supplies, as well as for workforce and talent. Competition impacts the Company’s ability to generate and increase its gross profit as a result of the following factors:  Pricing of the Company’s products is partly dependent upon industry processing capacity, which is impacted by competitor actions to bring idled capacity on-line, build new production capacity or execute aggressive consolidation; many of the products bought and sold by the Company are global commodities or are derived from global commodities that are highly price competitive and, in many cases, subject to substitution; significant changes in exchange rates of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar, particularly the currencies of major crop growing countries, could also make goods and products of these countries more competitive than U.S. products; improved yields in different crop growing regions may reduce the reliance on origination territories in which the Company has a significant presence; and continued merger and acquisition activities resulting in further consolidations could result in greater cost competitiveness and global scale of certain players in the industry, especially when acquirers are state-owned and/or backed by public funds and have profit and return objectives that may differ from publicly traded enterprises. To compete effectively, the Company focuses on safely improving efficiency in its production and distribution operations, developing and maintaining appropriate market presence, maintaining a high level of product safety and quality, supporting socially responsible and sustainable practices, promoting environmental responsibility, and working with customers to develop new products and tailored solutions.

The Company is subject to industry-specific risks which include, but are not limited to: launch of new products by other industries that can replace the functionalities of the Company’s production; shifting consumer preferences; and product safety and quality. In the case of the Nutrition business, while maintaining efficient and cost-effective operations are important, the ability to drive innovation and develop quality nutritional and wellness solutions for human and animal needs are key factors to remain competitive in the nutrition market. Certain of the Company’s merchandised commodities and finished products are used as ingredients in livestock and poultry feed.  The Company is subject to risks associated with economic, product quality, feed safety or other factors which may adversely affect the livestock and poultry businesses, including the outbreak of disease in livestock and poultry, for example African swine fever, which could adversely affect demand for the Company’s products used as ingredients in feed.  In addition, ADM’s increased investment in the flavors and ingredients businesses exposes the Company to increased risks related to rapidly changing consumer preferences and the impacts these changes could have on the success of certain of the Company’s customers. The Company continually assesses opportunities and demand in various regions.

 

The Company has a Chief Risk Officer who oversees the ERM Program and regularly reports to the Board of Directors on the myriad of risks facing the Company and the Company’s strategies for mitigating those risks. The Company’s business is affected by fluctuations in agricultural commodity cash prices and derivative prices, transportation costs, energy prices, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, and equity markets.  The Company monitors position limits and counterparty risks and engages in other strategies and controls to manage these risks. The Company regularly reports its aggregate commodity risk exposures to the Board of Directors through the ERM process. The Company has an established commodity merchandising governance process that ensures proper position reporting and monitoring, limits approvals, and executes training on trade compliance, commodity regulatory reporting controls, and other policies. The Company’s risk monitoring efforts may not be successful at detecting a significant risk exposure.  If these controls and strategies are not successful in mitigating the Company’s exposure to these fluctuations, it could adversely affect the Company’s operating results.

The Company is subject to federal, state, and local regulations on manufacturing or labeling; socially acceptable and sustainable farming practices; environmental, health, and safety regulations; and customer product liability claims. The liability which could result from certain of these risks may not always be covered by, or could exceed liability insurance related to product liability and food safety matters maintained by the Company. The Company has a particularly strong capability and culture around occupational health and safety and food safety; however, risks to the Company’s reputation may exist due to potential negative publicity caused by product liability, food safety, occupational health and safety, workforce diversity, and environmental matters. The Company is continuing to further diversity throughout the organization and deploy additional food safety and security procedures and controls to appropriately mitigate the risks of any adulteration of the Company’s products in the supply chain and finished products in production and distribution networks. In addition, the Company conforms to management systems, such as the International Organization for Standardization or other recognized global standards.

The Company requires significant capital, including continuing access to credit markets, to operate its current business and fund its growth strategy.  The Company’s working capital requirements, including margin requirements on open positions on futures exchanges, are directly affected by the price of agricultural commodities, which may fluctuate significantly and change quickly.  The Company also requires substantial capital to maintain and upgrade its extensive network of storage facilities, processing plants, refineries, mills, ports, transportation assets, and other facilities to keep pace with competitive developments, technological advances, regulations, and changing safety standards in the industry.  Moreover, the expansion of the Company’s business and pursuit of acquisitions or other business opportunities may require significant amounts of capital.  Access to credit markets and pricing of the Company’s capital is dependent upon maintaining sufficient credit ratings from credit rating agencies.  Strong credit ratings allow the Company to access cost competitive tier one commercial paper markets. If the Company is unable to maintain sufficiently high credit ratings, access to these commercial paper and other debt markets and costs of borrowings could be adversely affected.  If the Company is unable to generate sufficient cash flow or maintain access to adequate external financing, including as a result of significant disruptions in the global credit markets, it could restrict the Company’s current operations and its growth opportunities. The Company manages this risk with constant monitoring of credit/liquidity metrics, cash forecasting, and routine communications with credit rating agencies regarding risk management practices and diversifying sources of liquidity.

ADM’s assets and operations could be subject to extensive property damage and business disruption from geopolitical conflicts, acts of terrorism (e.g. purposeful adulteration of the Company’s products), and war. The assets and operations located in the region affected by the conflict in Ukraine are at an increased risk to property damage, inventory loss, business disruption, and expropriation. The conflict could continue to impact global margins due to increased commodity, energy, and input costs. The Black Sea region is a major exporter of wheat and corn to the world, and the disruption of supply could cause volatility in prices and margins of these commodities and related products. In addition to ADM’s operations, one of the Company’s joint ventures is also exposed to the same risks. While the Company has a robust trade sanctions compliance program, there is a risk that ADM and its related parties could trade with a sanctioned partner due to the number of sanctions taken against Russia. The Company may also face increased cyber risk given that Russia is known to have extensive capabilities to engage in cyber attacks. Trade receivables may be at risk of higher defaults, and other third-party risks could affect ADM’s ability to obtain inputs if suppliers are unable to perform or face insolvency, as certain supplies may not be attainable due to sanctions and/or restrictions on cross-border payment transactions. The Company could be materially impacted if, in the worst-case scenario, the conflict advances to other countries. In such circumstances, trade policies and the Company’s critical global supply chain and logistical networks could be affected, impairing the Company’s ability to satisfy contractual obligations and impacting working capital requirements. Insurance may not adequately cover these risks. In addition, provisions for certain products that ADM produces, particularly those that support the food services channels, could be materially impacted. The Company continues to monitor the conflict in Ukraine along with other political tensions and evaluate alternatives to mitigate the impacts of these risks.

The Company’s operating results could be affected by political instability and by changes in monetary, fiscal, trade, and environmental policies, laws, regulations, and acquisition approvals, creating risks including, but not limited to: changes in a country’s or region’s economic or political conditions, local labor conditions and regulations, and safety and environmental regulations; reduced protection of intellectual property rights; changes in the regulatory or legal environment; restrictions on currency exchange activities; currency exchange fluctuations; burdensome taxes and tariffs; enforceability of legal agreements and judgments; adverse tax, administrative agency or judicial outcomes; and regulation or taxation of greenhouse gases.  International risks and uncertainties, including changing social and economic conditions as well as terrorism, political hostilities, and war, could limit the Company’s ability to transact business in these markets. The Company has historically benefited from the free flow of agricultural and food and feed ingredient products from the U.S. and other sources to markets around the world. Increases in tariff and restrictive trade activities around the world (e.g., the U.S.-China trade relations dispute, Iran sanctions) could negatively impact the Company’s ability to enter certain markets or the price of products may become less competitive in those markets.

 

The Company’s operations rely on certain key IT systems, some of which are dependent on services provided by third parties, to provide critical data connectivity, information, and services for internal and external users.  These interactions include, but are not limited to: ordering and managing materials from suppliers; risk management activities; converting raw materials to finished products; inventory management; shipping products to customers; processing transactions; summarizing and reporting financial results of operations; human resources benefits and payroll management; and complying with regulatory, legal or tax requirements. The Company is implementing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and integrating it with various third party service providers on a worldwide basis as part of its ongoing business transformation program, which is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of certain financial and business transaction processes and the underlying systems environment. This will mitigate the instability of aging legacy systems and manual processes.

Increased IT security and social engineering threats and more sophisticated computer crime, including advanced persistent threats, pose a potential risk to the security of the Company’s IT systems, networks, and services, as well as the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of the Company’s third party data. The Company is subject to a variety of laws and regulations in the United States and other jurisdictions regarding privacy, data protection, and data security, including those related to the collection, storage, handling, use, disclosure, transfer, and security of personal data. Compliance with and interpretation of various data privacy regulations continue to evolve and any violation could subject the Company to legal claims, regulatory penalties, and damage to its reputation. The Company has put in place security measures to prevent, detect, and mitigate cyber-based attacks, and has instituted control procedures for cybersecurity incident responses and disaster recovery plans for its critical systems. In addition, the Company monitors this risk on an ongoing basis to detect and correct any breaches, and reports metrics on the quality of the Company’s data security efforts and control environment to the highest level of management and to the Board of Directors. However, if the Company’s IT systems are breached, damaged, or cease to function properly due to any number of causes, such as catastrophic events, power outages, security breaches, or cyber-based attacks, and the Company’s disaster recovery plans do not effectively mitigate the risks on a timely basis, the Company may suffer significant interruptions in its ability to manage its operations, loss of valuable data, actual or threatened legal actions, and damage to its reputation, which may adversely impact the Company’s revenues, operating results, and financial condition.

The Company does business globally, connecting crops and markets in over 190 countries, and is required to comply with laws and regulations administered by the United States federal government as well as state, local, and non-U.S. governmental authorities in numerous areas including: accounting and income taxes, anti-corruption, anti-bribery, global trade, trade sanctions, privacy and security, environmental, product safety, and handling and production of regulated substances.  The Company frequently faces challenges from U.S. and foreign tax authorities regarding the amount of taxes due including questions regarding the timing, amount of deductions, the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions, and further risks related to changing tax laws domestically and globally. Any failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations or appropriately resolve these challenges could subject the Company to administrative, civil, and criminal remedies, including fines, penalties, disgorgement, injunctions, and recalls of its products, and damage to its reputation.

Agricultural production and trade flows are subject to government policies, mandates, regulations, and trade agreements, including taxes, tariffs, duties, subsidies, incentives, foreign exchange rates, and import and export restrictions, including policies related to genetically modified organisms, traceability standards, sustainable practices, product safety and labeling, renewable fuels, and low carbon fuel mandates. These policies can influence the planting of certain crops; the location and size of crop production; whether unprocessed or processed commodity products are traded; the volume and types of imports and exports; the availability and competitiveness of feedstocks as raw materials; the viability and volume of production of certain of the Company’s products; and industry profitability.  For example, changes in government policies or regulations of ethanol and biodiesel including, but not limited to, changes in the Renewable Fuel Standard program under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 in the United States, including the treatment of small refinery exemptions, can have an impact on the Company’s operating results.  International trade regulations can adversely affect agricultural commodity trade flows by limiting or disrupting trade between countries or regions. Regulations of financial markets and instruments, including the Dodd-Frank Act, Consumer Protection Act, and the European Market Infrastructure Regulation, create uncertainty and may lead to additional risks and costs, and could adversely affect the Company’s futures commission merchant business and its agricultural commodity risk management practices. Future government policies may adversely affect the supply of, demand for, and prices of the Company’s products; adversely affect the Company’s ability to deploy adequate hedging programs; restrict the Company’s ability to do business in its existing and target markets; and adversely affect the Company’s revenues and operating results.

The Company’s strategy involves expanding the volume and diversity of crops it merchandises and processes, expanding the global reach of its core model, expanding its value-added product portfolio, and expanding the sustainable agriculture programs and partnerships it participates in. Government policies including, but not limited to, antitrust and competition law, trade restrictions, food safety regulations, sustainability requirements, and traceability, can impact the Company’s ability to execute this strategy successfully.

The Company’s operations are such that most products are efficiently processed near the source of raw materials.  Consequently, the Company has many plants strategically located in agricultural commodity producing areas.  The annual volume of commodities processed will vary depending upon availability of raw materials and demand for finished products. The Company also owns approximately 160 warehouses and terminals primarily used as bulk storage facilities and has 64 innovation centers. Processing plants and procurement facilities owned or leased by unconsolidated joint ventures are not included in the tables below.

To enhance the efficiency of transporting large quantities of raw materials and finished products between the Company’s procurement facilities and processing plants and also the final delivery of products to its customers around the world, the Company owns approximately 1,800 barges, 10,000 rail cars, 240 trucks, 1,200 trailers, 120 boats, and 3 oceangoing vessels; and leases, under operating leases, approximately 700 barges, 20,000 rail cars, 380 trucks, 500 trailers, 22 boats, and 24 oceangoing vessels.

The daily capacities of the processing plants and storage capacities of the procurement facilities that the Company owns or leases, under operating leases, are as follows:

The Company is routinely involved in a number of actual or threatened legal actions, including those involving alleged personal injuries, employment law, product liability, intellectual property, environmental issues, alleged tax liability (see Note 13 in Item 8 for information on income tax matters), and class actions. The Company also routinely receives inquiries from regulators and other government authorities relating to various aspects of its business, and at any given time, the Company has matters at various stages of resolution. The outcomes of these matters are not within the Company’s complete control and may not be known for prolonged periods of time. In some actions, claimants seek damages, as well as other relief, including injunctive relief, that could require significant expenditures or result in lost revenues. In accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Company records a liability in its consolidated financial statements for material loss contingencies when a loss is known or considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a known or probable loss is a range, and no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other, the minimum amount of the range is accrued. If a material loss contingency is reasonably possible but not known or probable, and can be reasonably estimated, the estimated loss or range of loss is disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. When determining the estimated loss or range of loss, significant judgment is required to estimate the amount and timing of a loss to be recorded. Estimates of probable losses resulting from litigation and governmental proceedings involving the Company are inherently difficult to predict, particularly when the matters are in early procedural stages, with incomplete facts or legal discovery; involve unsubstantiated or indeterminate claims for damages; potentially involve penalties, fines, disgorgement, or punitive damages; or could result in a change in business practice. See Note 20 in Item 8 for information on the Company’s legal proceedings.

None.

PART II

Common Stock Market

The Company’s common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ADM”.

The number of registered stockholders of the Company’s common stock at December 31, 2022, was 8,153.

(1)  Total shares purchased represent those shares purchased in the open market as part of the Company’s publicly announced stock repurchase program described below, shares received as payment for the exercise price of stock option exercises, and shares received as payment for the withholding taxes on vested restricted stock awards. During the three-month period ended December 31, 2022, there were 2,502 shares purchased in the open market or shares received as payments for the exercise price of stock option exercises and withholding taxes on vested restricted stock awards.  

 

(2) On November 5, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to 100,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock during the period commencing January 1, 2015 and ending December 31, 2019. On August 7, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the extension of the stock repurchase program through December 31, 2024 and the repurchase of up to an additional 100,000,000 shares under the extended program.

The graph below compares the Company’s common stock with those of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Consumer Staples Index.  The graph assumes an initial investment of $100 on December 31, 2017 and assumes all dividends have been reinvested through December 31, 2022.

COMPARISON OF 60 MONTH CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN

The consolidated financial statements presented in Item 8 herein reflect immaterial revisions to certain line items in the consolidated statements of earnings and statements of cash flows presented in the Company’s press release filed on January 26, 2023 announcing fourth quarter and annual results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2022. The revisions to the consolidated statements of earnings did not impact gross profit and earnings before income taxes, and the revisions to the consolidated statements of cash flows did not impact net cash provided by operating activities. Further, these revisions did not affect the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss), balance sheets, and statements of shareholders’ equity.

The Company’s recent significant portfolio actions and announcements include:

Sustainability is a key driver of ADM’s expanding portfolio of environmentally responsible, plant-derived products. Consumers today increasingly expect their food and drink to come from sustainable ingredients, produced by companies that share their values and ADM is continually finding new ways to meet those needs through its portfolio actions.

The Company’s strategic transformation is focused on three strategic pillars: Productivity, Innovation, and Culture.

The Productivity pillar includes (1) advancing the roles of the Company’s Centers of Excellence in procurement, supply chain, and operations to deliver additional efficiencies across the enterprise; (2) continued roll out of the 1ADM business transformation program and implementation of improved standardized business processes; and (3) increased use of technology, analytics, and automation at production facilities, in offices, and with customers.

Innovation activities include expansions and investments in (1) improving the customer experience, including leveraging producer relationships and enhancing the use of state-of-the-art digital technology to help customers grow; (2) sustainability-driven innovation, which encompasses the full range of products, solutions, capabilities, and commitments to serve customers’ needs; and (3) growth initiatives, including organic growth to support additional capacity and meet growing demand, and mergers and acquisitions opportunities.

The Culture pillar focuses on enabling collaboration, teamwork, and agility from process standardization and digitalization and ADM’s DE&I work which brings new perspectives and expertise to the Company’s decision-making.

ADM will support the three pillars with investments in technology, which include expanding digital capabilities and investing further in product research and development. All of these efforts will continue to be strengthened by the Company’s ongoing commitment to Readiness.

The Company’s Ag Services and Oilseeds operations are principally agricultural commodity-based businesses where changes in selling prices move in relationship to changes in prices of the commodity-based agricultural raw materials. As a result, changes in agricultural commodity prices have relatively equal impacts on both revenues and cost of products sold. Therefore, changes in revenues of these businesses do not necessarily correspond to the changes in margins or gross profit. Thus, gross margins per volume or metric ton are more meaningful than gross margins as percentage of revenues.

The Company’s Carbohydrate Solutions operations and Nutrition businesses also utilize agricultural commodities (or products derived from agricultural commodities) as raw materials. However, in these operations, agricultural commodity market price changes do not necessarily correlate to changes in cost of products sold. Therefore, changes in revenues of these businesses may correspond to changes in margins or gross profit. Thus, gross margin rates are more meaningful as a performance indicator in these businesses.

The Company has consolidated subsidiaries in more than 70 countries.  For the majority of the Company’s subsidiaries located outside the United States, the local currency is the functional currency except certain significant subsidiaries in Switzerland where Euro is the functional currency, and Brazil and Argentina where U.S. dollar is the functional currency. Revenues and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the weighted average exchange rates for the applicable periods. For the majority of the Company’s business activities in Brazil and Argentina, the functional currency is the U.S. dollar; however, certain transactions, including taxes, occur in local currency and require remeasurement to the functional currency. Changes in revenues are expected to be correlated to changes in expenses reported by the Company caused by fluctuations in the exchange rates of foreign currencies, primarily the Euro, British pound, Canadian dollar, and Brazilian real, as compared to the U.S. dollar.

The Company measures its performance using key financial metrics including net earnings, gross margins, constant currency revenue and operating profit, segment operating profit, adjusted segment operating profit, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted EBITDA, manufacturing expenses, selling, general, and administrative expenses, return on invested capital, economic value added, and operating cash flows before working capital. The Company’s financial results can vary significantly due to changes in factors such as fluctuations in energy prices, weather conditions, crop plantings, government programs and policies, trade policies, changes in global demand, general global economic conditions, changes in standards of living, and global production of similar and competitive crops. Due to these unpredictable factors, the Company undertakes no responsibility for updating any forward-looking information contained within “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

ADM employs approximately 640 people in Ukraine and operates an oilseeds crushing plant, a grain port terminal, inland and river silos, and a trading office. Most of the facilities have been temporarily idled since February 24, 2022, some of which were brought back online during the quarter ended September 30, 2022, due in part to the opening of the Black Sea grain export corridor. The Company’s footprint in Russia is limited to operations related to the production and transport of essential food commodities and ingredients.

On February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine. While the Company’s Ukraine and Russian operations have historically represented less than 1.0% of consolidated revenues, the direct and indirect impacts of the ongoing military action could negatively affect ADM’s future operating results. The conflict in Ukraine has created disruptions in global supply chains and has created dislocations of key agricultural commodities. The indirect impact of these dislocations on the Company’s operating results will be a function of a number of variables including supply and demand responses from the rest of the world as well as the length of the conflict and the condition of the agricultural industry and export infrastructure after the conflict ends. For more information, refer to Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors”.

As of December 31, 2022, ADM’s assets in Ukraine consisted primarily of current assets that were less than 1% of the Company’s total current assets and an immaterial amount of non-current assets. Of the total current assets in Ukraine, majority related to inventories that represented less than 1% of ADM’s total inventories.

This section of the Form 10-K generally discusses 2022 and 2021 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2022 and 2021. Discussions of 2020 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2021 and 2020 are not included in this Form 10-K, and can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

The Company is subject to a variety of market factors which affect the Company’s operating results. In Ag Services and Oilseeds, strong global demand continued due to a short crop in South America. The conflict in Ukraine resulted in even tighter global stocks of commodities and created high volatility, which had a positive impact on North and South American origination prices. Global Trade results were driven by market disconnects, tight supply, strong destination marketing margins, and firm ocean freight rates. North American origination was negatively impacted by weather-related supply disruption and delayed planting and lower river levels. Crushing margins continued to benefit from strong protein and renewable diesel demand and tight oilseeds stocks. In Refined Products and Other, margins were driven by strong oil demand and tight supply with volatile energy markets driving up biodiesel margins. In Carbohydrate Solutions, demand for starches and sweeteners was solid with margins remaining steady despite higher input costs. Ethanol demand for domestic gasoline was lower, in part due to high gas prices, while export demand remained strong, driven by favorable blending economics and government incentives. Corn milling margins benefited from strong co-product results, as prices for oil and feed products rose in line with higher underlying corn prices. Corn costs were volatile and higher, in part due to a relatively low projected corn stocks-to-use ratio and uncertainty caused by the conflict in Ukraine. Nutrition benefited from overall strong demand in various food, beverage, and dietary supplement categories. In Human Nutrition, demand for flavors, flavor systems, specialty proteins, bioactives, and fibers was strong, but higher energy, transportation, and raw material costs, and a strong U.S. dollar adversely impacted results. In Animal Nutrition, amino acids pricing and margins improved due to a tighter global supply environment but the devaluation of certain currencies, a bird flu outbreak, and weak demand in other product lines, with some premix and additives customers cutting products out of formulation due to increased ingredient, freight, and energy costs, adversely impacted results. Increased competition in Brazil also contributed to the weak demand in that country. ADM’s productivity initiatives are improving the Company’s capabilities to help mitigate the impact of inflation.

Net earnings attributable to controlling interests increased 60% or $1.6 billion, to $4.3 billion. Segment operating profit increased 41% or $1.9 billion, to $6.5 billion, and included a net charge of $100 million consisting of charges totaling $147 million related to the impairment of certain assets, restructuring, and contingencies/settlements, partially offset by gains on the sale of certain assets of $47 million. Included in segment operating profit in the prior year was a net charge of $136 million consisting of charges totaling $213 million related to the impairment of certain assets, restructuring, and settlement, partially offset by gains on the sale of ethanol and certain other assets of $77 million. Adjusted segment operating profit (a non-GAAP measure) increased $1.9 billion to $6.6 billion due primarily to higher results in most businesses except in Vantage Corn Processors. Corporate results in the current year were a net charge of $1.3 billion and included a mark-to-market gain of $9 million on the conversion option of the exchangeable bonds issued in August 2020. Corporate results in the prior year were a net charge of $1.3 billion and included a pension settlement charge of $83 million, loss on debt extinguishment of $36 million, a mark-to-market gain of $19 million on the conversion option of the exchangeable bonds issued in August 2020, acquisition-related expenses of $7 million, and a restructuring charge of $4 million.

Processed volumes by product for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are as follows (in metric tons):

The Company generally operates its production facilities, on an overall basis, at or near capacity, adjusting facilities individually, as needed, to react to the current margin environment and seasonal local supply and demand conditions. The overall decrease in oilseeds processed volumes was primarily related to decreased crush rates resulting from the decline in seeds availability, a temporarily idled facility in Paraguay due to crop failure, weather-related challenges, and the indefinite shutdown of a Ukraine facility since February 2022. The overall decrease in corn processed volumes was primarily related to reduced volumes of fuel alcohol due to market conditions, the sale of the Peoria, Illinois facility in November 2021, and logistical challenges surrounding railcar availability since the second quarter of 2022.

Revenues by segment for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:

Revenues and cost of products sold in agricultural merchandising and processing businesses are significantly correlated to the underlying commodity prices and volumes. In periods of significant changes in market prices, the underlying performance of the Company is better evaluated by looking at margins since both revenues and cost of products sold, particularly in Ag Services and Oilseeds, generally have a relatively equal impact from market price changes which generally result in an insignificant impact to gross profit.

Revenues increased $16.3 billion to $101.6 billion due to higher sales prices ($17.1 billion), partially offset by lower sales volumes ($0.8 billion). Higher sales prices of corn, wheat, oil, soybean, and meal, and higher sales volumes of rice, flavors, biodiesel, and corn, were partially offset by lower sales prices of rice and flavors, and lower sales volumes of wheat and oil. Ag Services and Oilseeds revenues increased 19% to $79.6 billion due to higher sales prices ($14.3 billion), partially offset by lower sales volumes ($1.8 billion). Carbohydrate Solutions revenues increased 26% to $14.0 billion due to higher sales prices ($2.6 billion) and higher sales volumes ($0.3 billion), despite the loss of USD-grade industrial alcohol volumes from the divested Peoria, Illinois facility. Nutrition revenues increased 14% to $7.6 billion due to higher sales prices ($0.2 billion) and higher sales volumes ($0.7 billion).

Cost of products sold increased $14.7 billion to $94.0 billion due principally to higher average commodity costs and higher manufacturing expenses. Manufacturing expenses increased $0.9 billion to $7.0 billion due principally to higher energy costs, higher maintenance expenses, increased operating supplies, and higher salaries and benefit costs.

Foreign currency translation impacts decreased revenues by $2.6 billion and cost of products sold by $2.4 billion.

Gross profit increased $1.6 billion or 26%, to $7.6 billion due to higher results in Ag Services and Oilseeds ($1.3 billion), Starches and Sweeteners ($477 million), and Nutrition ($149 million), partially offset by lower results in Vantage Corn Processors ($352 million). These factors are explained in the segment operating profit discussion on page 35.

Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased 12% to $3.4 billion due principally to provisions for bad debt, higher IT and project-related expenses, higher salaries and benefit costs, increased travel expenses, and amortization of intangibles from new acquisitions.

Asset impairment, exit, and restructuring costs decreased $98 million to $66 million. Charges in the current year consisted of $37 million of impairments related to certain long-lived assets and $28 million of restructuring charges, presented as specified items within segment operating profit, and $1 million of restructuring charges in Corporate. Charges in the prior year consisted primarily of $125 million of impairments related to certain long-lived assets, goodwill, and other intangible assets and $35 million of restructuring charges, presented as specified items within segment operating profit, and $4 million of restructuring charges in Corporate.

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates increased $237 million to $832 million due to higher earnings from the Company’s investments in Wilmar and Olenex.

Loss on debt extinguishment in the prior year of $36 million was related to the early redemption of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.750% notes due in March 2025.

Interest and investment income increased $197 million to $293 million due primarily to higher interest income, partially offset by lower revaluation gains of $37 million compared to $49 million in the prior period.

Interest expense increased $131 million to $396 million due to higher long-term debt balances and increased short-term rates on the Company’s U.S. and European commercial paper borrowing programs. Interest expense in the current year also included a $9 million mark-to-market gain adjustment related to the conversion option of the exchangeable bonds issued in August 2020 compared to a $19 million mark-to-market gain adjustment in the prior year.

Other income - net of $358 million increased $264 million. Current year income included a legal recovery related to the 2019 and 2020 closure of the Company’s Reserve, Louisiana, export facility of $110 million, net foreign exchange gains of $105 million, a $50 million one-time payment from the USDA Biofuel Producer Recovery Program, gains on disposals of individually insignificant assets in the ordinary course of business, and the non-service components of net pension benefit income of $25 million, partially offset by other net expense. Prior year income included gains on the sale of ethanol and certain other assets and disposals of individually insignificant assets in the ordinary course of business, net foreign exchange gains of $24 million, the non-service components of net pension benefit income of $33 million, and other income, partially offset by a non-cash pension settlement charge of $83 million related to the purchase of group annuity contracts that irrevocably transferred the future benefit obligations and annuity administration for certain salaried and hourly retirees and terminated vested participants under the Company’s ADM Retirement Plant and ADM Pension Plan for Hourly-Wage Employees.

Segment operating profit, adjusted segment operating profit (a non-GAAP measure), and earnings before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:

Ag Services and Oilseeds operating profit increased 58%. Ag Services results were significantly higher versus the prior year. Global trade results were higher, driven by strong performances in destination marketing and global ocean freight. North American origination volumes were lower but margins were higher year-over-year. South America results were higher, driven by better origination margins on good demand for grain. Crushing was higher year-over-year driven by robust protein and renewable diesel demand. Positive net timing effects in the current year versus negative timing effects in the prior year helped drive higher year-over-year results. Refined Products and Other results were higher than the prior year, driven by higher margins due to strong oils demand. Biodiesel margins also benefited from direct sales compared to the historical auction sales. Equity earnings from Wilmar were higher versus the prior year.

Carbohydrate Solutions operating profit increased 6%. Starches and Sweeteners, including ethanol production from the wet mills, delivered higher results versus the prior year, driven by solid margins across sweeteners and starches, strong contributions from corn co-products, and effective risk management, partially offset by weaker ethanol margins. Sales volumes for starches and sweeteners continued their recovery and the biosolutions platform continued to deliver revenue growth as demand for plant-based products expanded into more diverse applications. Vantage Corn Processors results were lower versus the prior year as ethanol margins decreased from the 2021 strong positioning gains and industrial alcohol results from the now-sold Peoria, Illinois facility, partially offset by the $50 million one-time payment from the USDA Biofuel Producer Recovery Program.

Nutrition operating profit increased 7%. Human Nutrition delivered higher year-over-year results. Flavors results were lower driven by demand fulfillment challenges, the impact of the strong U.S. dollar in EMEA, softer demand in Asia Pacific, and higher costs in North America. Strong sales growth in alternative proteins, including contribution from the Sojaprotein acquisition, and good demand for texturants offset some higher operating costs to help deliver better year-over-year results in Specialty Ingredients. Health and Wellness was also higher year-over-year, powered by probiotics, including the contribution from the November 2021 Deerland Probiotics and Enzymes acquisition, and robust demand for fiber and Vitamin E. Animal Nutrition profits were higher than the prior year due primarily to strength in amino acids.

Other Business operating profit increased 568%. Higher short-term interest rates drove improved earnings in ADM Investor Services and improved underwriting performance resulted in better captive insurance results.

Corporate results were a net charge of $1.3 billion in the current year compared to $1.3 billion in the prior year. Interest expense-net increased $56 million due primarily to higher long-term debt balances and increased average rates on the Company’s U.S. and European commercial paper borrowing programs. Unallocated corporate costs increased $69 million due primarily to higher IT and project-related costs and higher costs in the Company’s centers of excellence, partially offset by lower incentive compensation accruals. Loss on debt extinguishment in the prior year related to the early redemption of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.750% notes due in March 2025. Gain on debt conversion option was related to the mark-to-market adjustment of the conversion option of the exchangeable bonds issued in August 2020. Impairment, restructuring, and settlement charges in the prior year included a non-cash pension settlement charge of $83 million related to the purchase of group annuity contracts that irrevocably transferred the future benefit obligations and annuity administration for certain salaried and hourly retirees and terminated vested participants under the Company’s ADM Retirement Plan and ADM Pension Plan for Hourly-Wage Employees to independent third parties, and individually insignificant restructuring charges. Other income in the current year included investment revaluation gains of $37 million, the non-service components of net pension benefit income of $25 million, and foreign exchange gains from hedge activity, partially offset by railroad maintenance expenses of $67 million. Other income in the prior year included investment revaluation gains of $49 million, the non-service components of net pension benefit income of $16 million, and foreign exchange gains from hedge activity, partially offset by railroad maintenance expenses of $67 million.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses adjusted earnings per share (EPS), adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted segment operating profit, non-GAAP financial measures as defined by the SEC, to evaluate the Company’s financial performance. These performance measures are not defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should be considered in addition to, and not in lieu of, GAAP financial measures.

Adjusted EPS is defined as diluted EPS adjusted for the effects on reported diluted EPS of specified items. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before taxes, interest, and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for specified items. The Company calculates adjusted EBITDA by removing the impact of specified items and adding back the amounts of interest expense and depreciation and amortization to earnings before income taxes. Adjusted segment operating profit is segment operating profit adjusted, where applicable, for specified items.

Management believes that adjusted EPS, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted segment operating profit are useful measures of the Company’s performance because they provide investors additional information about the Company’s operations allowing better evaluation of underlying business performance and better period-to-period comparability. Adjusted EPS, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted segment operating profit are not intended to replace or be an alternative to diluted EPS, earnings before income taxes, and segment operating profit, respectively, the most directly comparable amounts reported under GAAP.

The table below provides a reconciliation of diluted EPS to adjusted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

The tables below provide a reconciliation of earnings before income taxes to adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA by segment for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

A Company objective is to have sufficient liquidity, balance sheet strength, and financial flexibility to fund the operating and capital requirements of a capital intensive agricultural commodity-based business.  The Company depends on access to credit markets, which can be impacted by its credit rating and factors outside of ADM’s control, to fund its working capital needs and capital expenditures. The primary source of funds to finance ADM’s operations, capital expenditures, and advancement of its growth strategy is cash generated by operations and lines of credit, including a commercial paper borrowing facility and accounts receivable securitization programs.  In addition, the Company believes it has access to funds from public and private equity and debt capital markets in both U.S. and international markets.

Cash provided by operating activities was $3.5 billion in 2022 compared to $6.6 billion in 2021. Working capital changes as described below decreased cash by $1.5 billion in the current year compared to an increase of $2.7 billion in the prior year. Segregated investments increased approximately $1.5 billion due to increased trading activity in the Company’s futures commission and brokerage business. Trade receivables increased $1.7 billion primarily due to higher revenues. Inventories increased $0.3 billion due to higher inventory prices, partially offset by lower inventory volumes. Trade payables increased $1.4 billion due to increased payables related to inventory purchases and higher costs and expenses from increased operating activity during the fourth quarter of the current year compared to the same period last year. Payables to brokerage customers increased $0.9 billion due to increased customer trading activity in the Company’s futures commission and brokerage business.

Cash used in investing activities was $1.4 billion this year compared to $2.7 billion last year. Capital expenditures in the current year were $1.3 billion compared to $1.2 billion in the prior year. Net assets of businesses acquired in the prior year of $1.6 billion were related to the acquisitions of P4, Sojaprotein, and Deerland. Proceeds from sales of assets and businesses of $0.1 billion in the current year related to the sale of certain assets compared to $0.2 billion in the prior year related to the sale of the ethanol production complex in Peoria, Illinois and certain other assets.

Cash used in financing activities was $2.5 billion this year compared to $1.1 billion last year. Long-term debt borrowings in the current year of $0.8 billion consisted of the $750 million aggregate principal amount of 2.900% Notes due 2032. Long-term debt borrowings in the prior year of $1.3 billion consisted of the $750 million aggregate principal amount of 2.700% Notes due 2051 issued on September 10, 2021 and the €0.5 billion aggregate principal amount of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2022 issued in a private placement on March 25, 2021. The Company expects to apply an amount equal to the proceeds from the borrowings in the current year to finance or refinance eligible green projects and/or eligible social projects. Proceeds from the borrowings in the prior year were used to redeem debt and for general corporate purposes. Long-term debt payments in the current year of $0.5 billion consisted of the €0.5 billion aggregate principal amount of fixed-to-floating rate senior notes due 2022 issued in a private placement on March 25, 2021. Long-term debt payments in the prior year of $0.5 billion consisted of the early redemption of the $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.750% notes due 2025 in September 2021. Net payments on short-term credit arrangements were $0.4 billion in the current year compared to $1.1 billion in the prior year. Share repurchases in the current year were $1.5 billion compared to an insignificant amount in the prior year. Dividends paid in the current year were $0.9 billion compared to $0.8 billion in the prior year.

At December 31, 2022, ADM had $1.0 billion of cash and cash equivalents and a current ratio, defined as current assets divided by current liabilities, of 1.5 to 1.  Included in working capital is $9.0 billion of readily marketable commodity inventories.  At December 31, 2022, the Company’s capital resources included shareholders’ equity of $24.3 billion and lines of credit, including the accounts receivable securitization programs described below, totaling $12.4 billion, of which $9.3 billion was unused.  ADM’s ratio of long-term debt to total capital (the sum of long-term debt and shareholders’ equity) was 24% and 26% at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company uses this ratio as a measure of ADM’s long-term indebtedness and an indicator of financial flexibility.  The Company’s ratio of net debt (the sum of short-term debt, current maturities of long-term debt, and long-term debt less the sum of cash and cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities) to capital (the sum of net debt and shareholders’ equity) was 25% and 28% at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.  Of the Company’s total lines of credit, $5.0 billion supported the commercial paper borrowing programs, against which there was $0.3 billion of commercial paper outstanding at December 31, 2022.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $1.0 billion of cash and cash equivalents, $0.5 billion of which is cash held by foreign subsidiaries whose undistributed earnings are considered indefinitely reinvested. Based on the Company’s historical ability to generate sufficient cash flows from its U.S. operations and unused and available U.S. credit capacity of $5.7 billion, the Company has asserted that these funds are indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S.

The Company has accounts receivable securitization programs (the “Programs”) with certain commercial paper conduit purchasers and committed purchasers. The Programs provide the Company with up to $2.6 billion in funding against accounts receivable transferred into the Programs and expand the Company’s access to liquidity through efficient use of its balance sheet assets (see Note 19 in Item 8 for more information and disclosures on the Programs). As of December 31, 2022, the Company utilized $2.6 billion of its facility under the Programs.

On November 5, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to 100,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock during the period commencing January 1, 2015 and ending December 31, 2019. On August 7, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the extension of the stock repurchase program through December 31, 2024 and the repurchase of up to an additional 100,000,000 shares under the extended program. The Company has acquired approximately 112.2 million shares under this program and its extension as of December 31, 2022.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company has total available liquidity of $10.3 billion comprised of cash and cash equivalents and unused lines of credit.

In 2023, the Company expects capital expenditures of $1.3 billion and additional cash outlays of approximately $1.0 billion in dividends and up to $1.0 billion in opportunistic share repurchases, subject to other strategic uses of capital and the evolution of operating cash flows and the working capital position throughout the year.

The Company’s purchase obligations as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $15.8 billion and $18.6 billion, respectively. The change is primarily related to a decrease in obligations to purchase agricultural commodity inventories and other commitments. As of December 31, 2022, the Company expects to make payments related to purchase obligations of $14.8 billion within the next twelve months. The Company’s other material cash requirements within the next 12 months include commercial paper outstanding of $0.3 billion, current maturities of long-term debt of $0.9 billion, interest payments of $0.3 billion, operating lease payments of $0.3 billion, transition tax liability of $37 million, and pension and other postretirement plan contributions of $107 million. The Company expects to make payments related to purchase obligations and other material cash requirements beyond the next twelve months of $16.8 billion.

The Company’s credit facilities and certain debentures require the Company to comply with specified financial and non-financial covenants including maintenance of minimum tangible net worth as well as limitations related to incurring liens, secured debt, and certain other financing arrangements.  The Company was in compliance with these covenants as of December 31, 2022.

The three major credit rating agencies have maintained the Company’s credit ratings at solid investment grade levels with stable outlooks.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The process of preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the carrying values of the Company’s assets and liabilities as well as the recognition of revenues and expenses.  These estimates and judgments are based on the Company’s historical experience and management’s knowledge and understanding of current facts and circumstances.  Certain of the Company’s accounting policies and estimates are considered critical, as these policies and estimates are important to the depiction of the Company’s financial statements and require significant or complex judgment by management.  Critical accounting estimates are those estimates made in accordance with GAAP which involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on ADM’s financial condition and results of operations. Management has discussed with the Company’s Audit Committee the development, selection, disclosure, and application of these critical accounting policies and estimates.  Following are the accounting policies and estimates management considers critical to the Company’s financial statements.

Description: Certain of the Company’s inventory, inventory-related payables, and commodity derivative assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2022 are valued at estimated fair values, including $9.0 billion of merchandisable agricultural commodity inventories, $1.3 billion of commodity derivative assets, $1.3 billion of commodity derivative liabilities, and $1.3 billion of inventory-related payables.  Commodity derivative assets and liabilities include forward purchase and sales contracts for agricultural commodities. Merchandisable agricultural commodities are freely traded, have quoted market prices, and may be sold without significant additional processing.

Judgments and Uncertainties: Management estimates fair value for its commodity-related assets and liabilities based on exchange-quoted prices, adjusted for differences in local markets.  The Company’s inventory, inventory-related payables, and commodity derivative fair value measurements are mainly based on observable market quotations without significant adjustments and are therefore reported as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.  Level 3 fair value measurements of approximately $3.3 billion of assets and $0.7 billion of liabilities represent fair value estimates where unobservable price components represent 10% or more of the total fair value price.  For more information concerning amounts reported as Level 3, see Note 4 in Item 8.  

Sensitivity of Estimate to Change: Changes in the market values of these inventories and commodity contracts are recognized in the statement of earnings as a component of cost of products sold.  If management used different methods or factors to estimate market value, amounts reported could differ materially.  Additionally, if market conditions change subsequent to year-end, amounts reported in future periods could differ materially.

Description: The Company, from time to time, uses derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedges to hedge the purchase or sales price of anticipated volumes of commodities to be purchased and processed in a future month. See Note 5 in Item 8 for additional information.

Judgments and Uncertainties: Assuming normal market conditions, the change in the market value of such derivative contracts has historically been, and is expected to continue to be, highly effective at offsetting changes in price movements of the hedged item.

Sensitivity of Estimate to Change: Gains and losses arising from open and closed hedging transactions are deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of applicable income taxes, and recognized as a component of cost of products sold and revenues in the statement of earnings when the hedged item is recognized in earnings.  If it is determined that the derivative instruments used are no longer effective at offsetting changes in the price of the hedged item, then the changes in the market value of these exchange-traded futures and exchange-traded and over-the-counter (OTC) option contracts would be recorded immediately in the statement of earnings as a component of revenues and/or cost of products sold.  

Description: The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the applicable accounting standards. These standards prescribe a minimum threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the consolidated financial statements. Deferred taxes are recognized for the estimated taxes ultimately payable or recoverable based on enacted tax law. Changes in enacted tax rates are reflected in the tax provision as they occur.

Judgments and Uncertainties: ADM calculates its provision for income taxes based on the statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available to the Company in the various jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company uses judgment in evaluating the Company’s tax positions and determining its annual tax provision.

Sensitivity of Estimate to Change: While ADM considers all of its tax positions fully supportable, the Company faces challenges from U.S. and foreign tax authorities regarding the amount of taxes due. The Company recognizes a tax position in its consolidated financial statements when it is determined to be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, based on its technical merits. The position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. For example, the Company has received tax assessments from tax authorities in Argentina and the Netherlands, challenging income tax positions taken by subsidiaries of the Company. The Company evaluated its tax positions for these matters and concluded, based in part upon advice from legal counsel, that it was appropriate to recognize the tax benefits of these positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, based on their technical merits (see Note 13 in Item 8 for additional information).

Description: The Company’s acquisitions are accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 805, Business Combinations, as amended. The consideration transferred is allocated to various assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date with the residual allocated to goodwill. The Company accounts for any redeemable noncontrolling interest in temporary equity - redeemable noncontrolling interest at redemption value with periodic changes recorded in retained earnings.

Judgments and Uncertainties: Fair values allocated to assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations require management to make significant judgments, estimates, and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. Management makes estimates of fair values based upon assumptions it believes to be reasonable. These estimates are based upon historical experience and information obtained from the management of the acquired companies and are inherently uncertain. The estimated fair values related to intangible assets primarily consist of customer relationships, trademarks, and developed technology which are determined primarily using discounted cash flow models. Estimates in the discounted cash flow models include, but are not limited to, certain assumptions that form the basis of the forecasted results (e.g. revenue growth rates, customer attrition rates, and royalty rates). These significant assumptions are forward looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions.

Sensitivity of Estimate to Change: During the measurement period, which may take up to one year from the acquisition date, adjustments due to changes in the estimated fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed may be recorded as adjustments to the consideration transferred and related allocations. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or the final determination of the values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any such adjustments are charged to the consolidated statements of earnings.

Judgments and Uncertainties: The Company adopted the provisions of Topic 350, which permits, but does not require, a company to qualitatively assess indicators of a reporting unit’s fair value. If after completing the qualitative assessment, a company believes it is likely that a reporting unit is impaired, a discounted cash flow analysis is prepared to estimate fair value. Critical estimates in the determination of the fair value of each reporting unit include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows, revenue growth, and discount rates. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company evaluated goodwill for impairment using a qualitative assessment in five reporting units and using a quantitative assessment in two reporting units.

Sensitivity of Estimate to Change: The Company recorded goodwill impairment charges of $5 million and $1 million during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively (see Note 18 in Item 8 for more information). There was no goodwill impairment charge recorded for the year ended December 31, 2022. The estimated fair values of the reporting units evaluated for impairment using a quantitative assessment were substantially in excess of their carrying values. If management used different estimates and assumptions in its impairment tests, then the Company could recognize different amounts of expense over future periods.

The market risk inherent in the Company’s market risk sensitive instruments and positions is the potential loss arising from adverse changes in: commodity market prices as they relate to the Company’s net commodity position, foreign currency exchange rates, and interest rates as described below.

The availability and prices of agricultural commodities are subject to wide fluctuations due to factors such as changes in weather conditions, crop disease, plantings, government programs and policies, competition, changes in global demand, changes in customer preferences and standards of living, and global production of similar and competitive crops.

The Company manages its exposure to adverse price movements of agricultural commodities used for, and produced in, its business operations, by entering into derivative and non-derivative contracts which reduce the Company’s overall short or long commodity position.  Additionally, the Company uses exchange-traded futures and exchange-traded and over-the-counter option contracts as components of merchandising strategies designed to enhance margins.  The results of these strategies can be significantly impacted by factors such as the correlation between the value of exchange-traded commodities futures contracts and the cash prices of the underlying commodities, counterparty contract defaults, and volatility of freight markets. In addition, the Company, from time-to-time, enters into derivative contracts which are designated as hedges of specific volumes of commodities that will be purchased and processed, or sold, in a future month. The changes in the market value of such futures contracts have historically been, and are expected to continue to be, highly effective at offsetting changes in price movements of the hedged item. Gains and losses arising from open and closed designated hedging transactions are deferred in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes, and recognized as a component of cost of products sold or revenues in the statement of earnings when the hedged item is recognized.

The Company’s commodity position consists of merchandisable agricultural commodity inventories, related purchase and sales contracts, energy and freight contracts, and exchange-traded futures and exchange-traded and over-the-counter option contracts including contracts used to hedge anticipated transactions.

The fair value of the Company’s commodity position is a summation of the fair values calculated for each commodity by valuing all of the commodity positions at quoted market prices for the period, where available, or utilizing a close proxy.  The Company has established metrics to monitor the amount of market risk exposure, which consist of volumetric limits, and value-at-risk (VaR) limits. VaR measures the potential loss, at a 95% confidence level, that could be incurred over a one year period.  Volumetric limits are monitored daily and VaR calculations and sensitivity analysis are monitored weekly.

In addition to measuring the hypothetical loss resulting from an adverse two standard deviation move in market prices (assuming no correlations) over a one year period using VaR, sensitivity analysis is performed measuring the potential loss in fair value resulting from a hypothetical 10% adverse change in market prices.  The highest, lowest, and average weekly position for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 together with the market risk from a hypothetical 10% adverse price change is as follows:

The change in fair value of the average position was due to the decrease in prices of certain commodities and, to a lesser extent, the overall decrease in average quantities.