Agrium Inc. (AGU) reported adjusted net earnings of 29 cents per share in the third quarter of 2009, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 32 cents. Year over year, earnings declined a significant 87% on lower volumes and prices. Revenues were down 41% year over year to $1.9 billion on weak corn prices and lower consumption of crop protection products at retail level.  Retail segment: Retail segment revenues plunged 25% to $1.2 billion in the quarter on a 41% decline in crop nutrient sales to $345 million due to a significant decline in crop nutrient prices. Crop nutrient volumes in the quarter remained flat. Gross profit from the crop nutrients business almost halved to $31 million. Crop protection sales were $768 million in the quarter, down 12% from the same period last year. The decline was driven by lower volumes for fungicides and lower pricing for glyphosate products. ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 28, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Johnson Controls (JCI), CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF), Agrium Inc. (AGU), Terra Industries Inc. (TRA) and Hospira (HSP).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s AnalystBlog:

Johnson Controls Maintains Profits

Johnson Controls (JCI) posted a profit of $402 million or 52 cents per share, excluding non-recurring items, for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2009. This was above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 48 cents per share. The

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CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) posted earnings of 78 cents in the third quarter of 2009, down from the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01. Reported earnings were down 18% from 82 cents reported in the same quarter of the previous year on lower fertilizer sales. Sales of $430.1 million in the quarter reflected a decline of 58% year over year, primarily driven by lower price realizations for all products. Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment Nitrogen segment sales totaled $276.1 million, down 54% from $599.1 million in the 2008 third quarter on a 3% decline in volumes to 1.2 million tons. The quarter’s volume included about 132,000 tons of UAN and urea exports. Overall, average nitrogen selling prices remained depressing. Selling price for ammonia declined to $355 per ton from $571 in the second quarter of 2008. For UAN, the selling price was down to $155 per ton ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Abington Bancorp Inc (ABBC) Agrium Inc (AGU) Allis-Chalmers Energy Inc (ALY) Amerigas Partners LP (APU) Ameristar Casinos Inc (ASCA) Badger Meter Inc (BMI) BlueLinx Holdings Inc (BXC) Brinker International Inc (EAT) British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) Brookfield Properties Corp (BPO) Cbeyond Inc (CBEY) Clarient Inc (CLRT) CRA International Inc (CRAI) Dynamic Materials Corp (BOOM) EnPro Industries Inc (NPO) First Bancorp (FBP) First Commonwealth Financial Corp (FCF) ...

Deerfield-based CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) filed a lawsuit against Terra Industries Inc. (TRA) to force the company to convene a shareholder meeting for a business combination being pushed by CF.

Fertilizer maker Terra responded that its board has decided to hold an annual meeting on Nov. 19. The company had postponed the meeting when larger rival CF Industries launched an unsolicited bid in April this year. In its statement, CF noted that Terra's last annual general meeting (AGM) was held nearly 16 months ago and according to law, AGMs must be held on an annual basis.

Terra repeatedly rebuffed CF’s takeover bid stating that the offer substantially undervalues the company. CF’s all-stock offer for Terra Industries has expired and the company does not plan to extend the offer because of opposition from Terra's board. However, CF stated that it continues to pursue Terra.

CF is offering a 35% premium in

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CRWENewswire.com is pleased to announce a stock highlight on Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH), Agrium Inc. (TSX:AGU) (NYSE:AGU) We encourage investors to join and receive CRWENewswire.com FREE e-mail news and stock watch alerts at http://www.crwenewswire.com/?p=2546 and view our full disclaimer.

Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the leader in Business Process Management (BPM) software solutions, announced August 4, 2009 financial results for the second quarter and first six months of 2009. Total revenue for the second quarter of 2009 increased 25% to $63.9 million compared to the second quarter of 2008. Net income for the second quarter of 2009 was $11.2 million compared to $2.9 million for the second quarter of 2008. Total revenue for the first six months of 2009 increased 27% to $126.2 million compared to the same period last year. Net income for the first six months of 2009 was $19.9

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IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ — SectorWatch.biz announces the availability of MarketStats for leading Water Resource equities in the news and driving markets today. MarketStats offers a perspective on the aforementioned equities and the opportunity for investors to respond with articles, blogs and opinions.

Investors can view MarketStats by visiting: www.SectorWatch.biz -a division of FiSpace.net, a dynamic social networking site for investors.

Today’s MarketStats for Agricultural Remediation and Water Resource Companies include SIONIX Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: SINX), Converted Organics Inc. (Nasdaq: COIN), Pall Corporation (NYSE: PLL), Terra Industries Inc. (NYSE: TRA), Agrium Inc. (NYSE: AGU), and PowerShares Water Resources (NYSEArca: PHO)

View a fact sheet with a link to an audio interview on SIONIX Corp. here:

http://www.smallcapvoice.com/sinx/factsheet.html

SIONIX designs "Safe Water Systems" that require uninterrupted water supplies with many applications in mind, such as defense, government facilities, emergency water supplies during natural disasters,

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It has been recently reported that Canpotex – a partnership between Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT), Agrium Inc. (AGU) and Mosaic Co. (MOS) – has agreed to supply potash to India at $460 per ton. This is much lower than potash prices of about $700 per ton agreed upon with India last year.

Canpotex is a part of the potash cartel that controls about 75% of the global potash capacity. Besides Canpotex, the potash cartel comprises three Russian producers (Uralkali, Belaruskali, and Silvinit) and a German producer – K+S.

The price of potash – an essential crop nutrient – was obstinately high on top of falling demand. To keep pricing unaffected, the fertilizer cartel had deliberately curtailed production. About 40% of the global potash production capacity has been idled since the second half of 2008.

The recent price cut by Canpotex has indeed followed the footsteps of Silvinit and K+S,

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Recently, reports claimed that a Russian potash producer has settled with India on a supply contract price that is 25% lower than its last year’s contract. This is expected to significantly hurt the pricing power of the potash cartel, as the rest of the world is likely to follow suit.

The potash cartel comprises Canpotex – a partnership between Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT), Agrium Inc. (AGU) and Mosaic Co. (MOS) – besides three Russian and one German producer. Together, they account for 75% of the global potash capacity.

The price of potash – an essential crop nutrient – remained obstinately higher on top of falling demand. The fertilizer cartel had deliberately curtailed production to keep pricing unaffected. About 40% of the global potash production capacity has been idled since the second half of 2008.

Canpotex has succeeded in maintaining its price level recently by signing contracts with customers in

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Agrium Inc (AGU) Benchmark Electronics Inc (BHE) Blyth Inc (BTH) Brandywine Realty Trust (BDN) Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc (BBW) Callaway Golf Co (ELY) Ciena Corp (CIEN) Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF) Cintas Corp (CTAS) Denison Mines Corp (DNN) DRI Corp (TBUS) Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (ETH) Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc (FDP) Georgia Gulf Corp (GGC) Harsco Corp (HSC) IMS Health Inc (RX) Independent Bank Corp (IBCP) Integra Bank Corp (IBNK) Irwin Financial Corp (IFC) ITT Corp (ITT) Kelly Services Inc (KELYA) Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) Legacy Bancorp Inc (LEGC) Liberty Property Trust (LRY) LSI Industries Inc (LYTS) MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc (MSM) Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC) ...