Viterra Merger Will Expand Global Agricultural And Renewable Footprint

Key Takeaways

• The Viterra merger and strategic investments expand Bunge's global reach, drive higher-margin growth, and boost competitiveness in high-growth and specialty markets.
  
• Rising demand for renewable fuels and sustainability initiatives increase vegetable oil consumption, reduce operational risks, and enhance long-term earnings quality and market appeal.
  
• Ongoing regulatory, integration, and operational challenges threaten margin growth and revenue stability, while heavy investments and market volatility heighten risks to earnings and supply chain resilience.

Catalysts

Operates as an agribusiness and food company worldwide.

• The completion and integration of the Viterra merger provides substantial cost and commercial synergies, expands Bunge's global origination, processing, and distribution footprint, and positions the company to capture greater market share in high-growth markets-set to drive higher topline growth and improved operating margins.
  
• Rising global population, higher protein consumption, and emerging market growth continue to drive long-term demand for agricultural products, feed grains, and edible oils-creating sustained volume growth and supporting resilient revenue streams.
  
• Growing demand for renewable fuels and favorable policy shifts (such as Brazil's B15 biodiesel mandate and U.S. RVO/45Z incentives) are increasing global vegetable oil consumption, boosting both pricing power and throughput for Bunge's oilseed processing business-positively influencing revenues and gross margins.
  
• Organic investments in crush expansions (e.g., Morristown, Destrehan) and value-added product lines (specialty oils, plant-based proteins) are expected to ramp up in late 2024 and beyond, enhancing capacity, shifting product mix toward higher-margin offerings, and supporting long-term net margin expansion.
  
• Digital supply chain advancements and robust sustainability initiatives, combined with a strengthened balance sheet and ample liquidity, are reducing operational risks, lowering costs, and positioning Bunge to attract ESG-focused customers and investors-supporting higher earnings quality and valuation multiples.

Bunge Global Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Bunge Global's revenue will grow by 3.3% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 2.1% today to 2.0% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to remain at the same level they are now, that being $1.1 billion (with an earnings per share of $8.84). The analysts are largely in agreement about this estimate.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 15.8x on those 2028 earnings, up from 14.0x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Food industry at 19.6x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 5.12% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.4%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Bunge Global Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• Increased regulatory uncertainty and changes in biofuel policy, particularly in the U.S. and Brazil, have directly impacted refined and specialty oils performance and created market volatility; this could depress margins and earnings if subsidies or mandates change unfavorably or customer demand remains inconsistent.
  
• The company is facing softness in certain segments, notably refined and specialty oils and merchandising, and expects these headwinds to persist, potentially offsetting operational gains from processing and putting pressure on revenue and net margin growth.
  
• Bunge has ongoing heavy capital expenditure requirements for organic investments (plant upgrades, expansions, sustainability/digital initiatives) that, while potentially value-accretive, carry execution risk, may be delayed (e.g., European plant), and can strain free cash flow and ROIC in the medium term if returns do not materialize as planned.
  
• The recent large-scale merger and integration with Viterra creates execution and synergy-capture risk; if cost and commercial synergies are delayed, missed, or offset by integration expenses, the anticipated step change in scale and margins may disappoint and impact earnings growth.
  
• Secular risks such as climate change, evolving trade flows (including "untraditional" commodity routes), and persistent policy/market volatility in key regions (South America, China, Europe) can inject earnings unpredictability and challenge Bunge's ability to consistently optimize its global supply chain, thereby weakening long-term revenue and margin stability.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of $87.625 for Bunge Global based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $100.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $74.0.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $56.6 billion, earnings will come to $1.1 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 15.8x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.4%.
  
• Given the current share price of $76.34, the analyst price target of $87.62 is 12.9% higher.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.