We recently compiled a list of the 7 Best Vertical Farming and Hydroponic Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL) stands against the other vertical farming and hydroponic stocks.

The agriculture sector has always been crucial to both the global economy and everyday life. However, to meet rising food demands, harmful farming practices have been widely adopted, contributing to climate change, deforestation, and soil degradation. As a result, sustainable and eco-friendly farming innovations have become essential. Vertical and hydroponic farming are two such innovations, offering environmentally friendly and efficient methods for producing crops in a way that reduces the strain on the planet.

Sector Performance

The broader market had a strong performance in 2024, largely driven by technology stocks in the first half, resulting in a roughly 18.0% year-to-date (YTD) increase. However, future performance remains uncertain due to ongoing market volatility.

In 2022, inflationary pressures in the U.S. reached a peak, fueled by rising input costs for energy, transportation, and labor. Since then, inflation has gradually decreased, providing relief for businesses across sectors. Inflation continues to ease as the annual inflation rate slowed for a fifth consecutive month to 2.5% in August 2024, the lowest since February 2021. This has led to lower costs associated with these essential elements of vertical farming, improving margins. Additionally, lower energy costs due to reduced inflation can make hydroponic and vertical farming more financially sustainable, as these farms rely heavily on controlled environments.

Overall, food and farming companies are still grappling with the lingering effects of inflation, particularly elevated commodity prices, as the farm products sector has underperformed with a 7.0% YTD decline.

That said, the shift toward more “value-driven” consumer spending could boost demand for vertical farming produce. As consumers look for affordable, fresh, and local food sources, vertical farms can offer year-round, sustainably grown produce with minimal transportation costs, making it a competitive option in a price-sensitive market.

Vertical Farming & Hydroponic Market

Vertical farming involves growing crops on vertical surfaces instead of traditional horizontal fields. By using vertically stacked layers, farmers can produce more food in the same or even less space. Often, vertical farms are incorporated into structures like greenhouses or skyscrapers. Hydroponics, a soil-free method of growing plants using water and nutrients, is a highly efficient approach that uses less space and water than traditional farming. According to Markets and Markets, the global vertical farming market is projected to grow from $5.1 billion in 2023 to $15.3 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 24.7%.

A new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Virginia Tech suggests that technologies like controlled environment agriculture and agrivoltaics may play a key role in the future of farming. Researchers highlight that these innovative approaches could boost yields, improve nutrition, enhance access to local foods, and provide better year-round availability of fresh produce compared to traditional large-scale outdoor farming.

Between 2009 and 2019, the number of controlled environment agriculture operations in the U.S. more than doubled to nearly 3,000, with crop production increasing by 56%, rising from 502 million pounds to 786 million pounds. By 2019, over 60% of tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce in controlled environments were grown using hydroponics.

As of 2021, most of the approximately 300 agrivoltaics sites were solar farms with pollinator-friendly vegetation. Around 35 of these sites combined solar panels with vegetation grazed by sheep, while few included specialty crops like blueberries.

Challenges in Vertical Farming

Vertical farming faces challenges like high energy costs and labor expenses, leading to the failure of many ventures. However, advancements in technology have begun to address these issues, making vertical farms more viable. A prime example is Bowery Farming, founded in 2015 by Irving Fain in New York. Bowery produces a variety of fruits and vegetables in smart indoor farms located within 200 miles of major cities, using technology to automate and optimize the entire value chain.

As such, we have compiled a list of some of the best vertical farming and hydroponic stocks to buy today since they may well skyrocket sometime in the near future.

Methodology

For this list, we scanned Insider Monkey’s Q2 2024 database and selected companies involved in the Vertical Farming and Hydroponic industry, focusing on areas relevant to sustainable agriculture and innovative farming technologies. We picked seven companies with strong balance sheets and solid financials and ranked them in ascending order of hedge funds having stakes in them. For stocks with the equal number of hedge fund holders, we used their upside as the tiebreaker.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 3

Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL) is a leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), offering locally grown, organic, and sustainable produce. Available in over 5,000 U.S. stores, the company is innovating CEA with sustainable packaging, safety-in-farming protocols, and patented technologies like GreenThumb software and self-watering displays. Edible Garden operates advanced greenhouses and facilities in New Jersey and Michigan, alongside a network of contract growers near major U.S. markets.

In Q2 2024, Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL) reported $4.2 million in revenue, a slight YoY increase driven by core products like cut herbs and vitamin supplements. The company’s strategic exit from lower-margin products, such as the floral segment, contributed to a more disciplined approach. A 37% drop in the cost of goods sold and a shift away from third-party growers boosted gross profit by 157%. Despite these improvements, net losses remained high due to increased interest expenses and one-time charges related to debt extinguishment.

Additionally, Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL) faces liquidity challenges, with $2.188 million in cash as of June 30, up from $510,000 in December 2023. The company used $5.649 million in cash for operations in the first half of 2024 and has a working capital deficit of $2.315 million. To address this, the company raised $6 million through public equity offerings and is focusing on cost-saving measures to improve cash flow.

Edible Garden AG’s stock decline of 28.37% in the past month and 89.96% YTD is driven by inflation, rising interest rates, and liquidity concerns. Additionally, supply chain constraints and higher input costs have pressured margins, which, combined with the company’s reliance on external financing, may have contributed to the negative sentiment surrounding the stock.

However, with streamlined operations, expanding product lines, and partnerships like UNFI, Edible Garden AG Incorporated (NASDAQ:EDBL) is positioned for future growth and potential positive cash flow. On September 9, the company announced its participation in ECRM’s Vitamin and Sports Nutrition Session to showcase its Kick Sports Nutrition line, aiming to expand visibility and business opportunities with health-conscious athletes through 1-on-1 meetings with buyers.

As of Q2 2024, three hedge funds, with a combined investment of $0.3 million, are bullish on the stock, according to Insider Monkey’s database, earning it a place on our list of the best vertical farming and hydroponic stocks to buy.

Overall EDBL ranks 5th on our list of the best vertical farming and hydroponic stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of EDBL as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than EDBL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA ‘Has Become A Wasteland’.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.