Agrium Profit Beats Estimates on Fertilizer Sales

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Agrium Inc., North America’s third-largest fertilizer producer, reported fourth-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates as prices and demand for crop nutrients increased.

Net income surged to $158 million, or $1 a share, from $30 million, or 19 cents, a year earlier, the Calgary-based company said today in a statement. Earnings excluding stock-based compensation expenses, hedging gains and other one-time items were $1.38 a share, Agrium said. That topped the $1.15 average estimate of 22 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.