We recently compiled a list of the 15 Biggest Agriculture Stocks in 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) stands against the other agriculture stocks. We also discuss the increase in technology adoption in the industry to improve operations in agriculture and farming.
The agriculture sector is crucial for food security and economic stability. It extends beyond farm businesses to include other farm-related industries in the United States. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, agriculture, food, and related industries contributed over $1.5 trillion to the American economy in 2023, representing 5.5% of the GDP.
The output of farm businesses stood at $222.3 billion, or 0.8% of the GDP. However, economists believe agriculture’s overall contribution is much higher than this figure because numerous players in various sectors rely on agricultural inputs and contribute added value to the economy.
READ ALSO: 13 Best Farmland and Agriculture Stocks To Invest In According to Hedge Funds and 8 Best Fertilizer Stocks To Buy Now.
According to McKinsey, the global food and agribusiness industry is valued at over $5 trillion, and given current trends, this number is expected to rise further. By 2050, caloric demand is projected to grow by 70%, while crop demand for human consumption and animal feed is forecast to soar by at least 100%.
The surge in population worldwide continues to lead to an increased demand for food, necessitating innovative agricultural practices. Recent trends have highlighted a shift toward the adoption of technology in agriculture and farming, which aims to enhance sustainable production.
A 2024 survey by a leading consultancy firm has revealed a growing trend among farmers for technology adoption, with a 3 percent increase since 2022 in farmers who are using or are willing to adopt digital technology to improve operations. North America continues to lead agricultural technology adoption, while Latin America experienced the fastest rate of growth – 10% – between 2022 and 2024.
The United States has the highest rate of technology adoption, with 61% of the farmers using or willing to adopt digital agronomy, and 51% for precision agriculture hardware, while the adoption rate for remote-sensing technologies among American farmers stood at 38%. More than two-thirds of farmers were using or willing to adapt to farm management software. The study also highlighted that large farms were 45% more likely to adopt agriculture technology than smaller farms, citing scale factors to generate positive ROI.
The growing focus on sustainable practices and innovative technologies among farmers to enhance their productivity not only bodes well for the future of the agriculture industry but also presents an opportunity for organizations that provide these technologies to cater to farmers’ diverse needs across different regions.
Methodology
For this article, we sifted through screeners to get a pool of stocks in the agricultural inputs and farm products industries. We also referred to our previous articles on the industry to further enrich our list of stocks. From there, we picked the top 15 companies with the highest market cap, as of the close of the day on Friday, January 31, 2025. The 15 biggest agriculture stocks are ranked in ascending order of market cap.
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).
A laboratory technician pouring a specialty blend of industrial chemicals into a beaker.
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM)
Market Cap: $11.03 billion
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) is a Chilean chemical company that produces a wide range of products, such as specialty plant nutrients, iodine, lithium, potassium chloride, and other chemicals. For the last five decades, the company has been committed to the agriculture sector and has provided nutritional solutions for high-value crops worldwide.
During its Q3 2024 earnings call on November 19, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) reported a net income of $131.4 million, or 46 cents per share. This was down 72.6% from last year. The company’s revenue came in at $1.08 billion, which was also 41.5% lower compared to Q3 2023. SQM’s financial performance was pressured during the quarter by weaker year-over-year pricing.
However, in an encouraging trend, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) experienced positive volume growth in most business segments compared to last year. The fertilizer markets are showing great recovery. The Specialty Plant Nutrition business line saw a 21% year-over-year increase in volume and a revenue growth of 12%. The company is also seeing strong demand for iodine, resulting in an increase in both volume and revenue from last year. In lithium, SQM had a sales volume of over 51,000 metric tons, which was up 18% year-over-year. This demonstrated strong demand, mainly driven by EV sales growth in China.
While demand remains robust, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) conceded the challenges associated with a 24% drop in average realized lithium prices from Q2 2024 due to oversupply in the market. However, it is confident that it enjoys a strong competitive edge in the lithium market and will continue to work on its ongoing projects, which will position the company to harvest benefits as the world transitions to clean energy.
Wall Street analysts anticipate a 21% uptick, on average, in Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM)’s share price. Investor sentiment continues to improve as well. According to Insider Monkey’s database for Q3 2024, 12 hedge funds held a stake in the company, up from 9 at the end of Q2.
Overall SQM ranks 8th on our list of the biggest agriculture stocks in 2025. While we acknowledge the potential of SQM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that 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 SQM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
