IntrinsicIntrinsic
← All summaries

CHS INC

CHSCL
Financials & Chart →

Business Summary

CHS Inc. is the nation's leading integrated agricultural cooperative, owned by farmers, ranchers, and member cooperatives across the United States, with preferred shares listed on Nasdaq. The company operates in three reportable segments: Energy, Ag, and Nitrogen Production, along with a Corporate and Other category. The Energy segment refines and markets petroleum products, the Ag segment originates and markets grain, oilseed, agronomy products, and renewable fuels, and the Nitrogen Production segment consists of an equity method investment in CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC. The company's operations are global, with grain marketing offices in Europe, Latin America, South America, and Asia, and it faces structural forces such as commodity price volatility, seasonality, and government regulations, including the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The company describes itself as the nation's largest cooperative energy company based on revenues and identifiable assets, and the nation's largest cooperative marketer of grain and oilseed based on grain sales. Primary competitors named in the filing include major integrated petroleum companies such as Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy, and Phillips 66, as well as large distributors of agricultural products like ADM, Bunge, and Cargill. Competitive advantages cited include the Cenex brand, a network of nearly 1,200 sites, and strategic investments such as the 8.38% membership interest in CF Nitrogen, which provides access to up to 1.1 million tons of granular urea and 580,000 tons of urea ammonium nitrate annually through fiscal 2096.

The company generates revenue through the sale of refined petroleum products, grain and oilseed origination and marketing, wholesale agronomy sales, renewable fuels production, and retail sales of farm supplies. Revenue is primarily transactional, driven by commodity prices and volumes, with no significant recurring revenue streams described. Primary customer segments include member cooperatives, individual agricultural producers, and nonmember customers, both domestically and internationally. The company operates through a cooperative structure where earnings from patronage business are allocated to members, while nonpatronage earnings are retained as unallocated capital reserves.

The Energy segment derives revenues from refining, wholesaling, and retailing petroleum products, processing crude oil at refineries in Laurel, Montana, and McPherson, Kansas. The Laurel refinery processes approximately 65,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing about 38% gasoline, 43% diesel fuel and other distillates, 12% asphalt, 6% petroleum coke, and 1% other products. The McPherson refinery processes approximately 115,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing about 50% gasoline, 43% diesel fuel and other distillates, 5% petroleum coke, and 2% other products. The segment sold approximately 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline and approximately 1.7 billion gallons of diesel fuel in fiscal 2025, and for fiscal 2025, approximately 75% of refined petroleum products sold were produced at its refineries and approximately 25% were obtained from third parties. The segment also operates 10 refined product terminals, nine propane terminals, three asphalt terminals, and one lubricants blending and packaging facility.

The Ag segment includes global grain and processing, ag retail, and wholesale agronomy businesses. The oilseed processing business crushes approximately 147 million bushels of soybeans and canola annually, producing approximately 3.1 million short tons of meal and flour and 1.9 billion pounds of edible and inedible oil annually. The renewable fuels business annually produces 267 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol, 71 million pounds of inedible corn oil, and 645,000 tons of dried distillers grains with solubles. The ag retail business operates approximately 400 agri-operations locations through 28 business units, and the wholesale agronomy business operates 11 warehouse terminals and 28 distribution warehouses. The wholesale crop protection business operates a bulk chemical rail terminal in Brooten, Minnesota, with more than 6 million gallons of chemical storage capacity. The Nitrogen Production segment consists of an approximate 8.38% membership interest in CF Nitrogen, with an investment of approximately $2.5 billion as of August 31, 2025. Corporate and Other includes CHS Capital, which provides loans to member cooperatives and individual producers, and CHS Hedging, a registered futures commission merchant. The investment in Ventura Foods was $527.2 million as of August 31, 2025, and the investment in Ardent Mills was $237.1 million as of August 31, 2025.

During fiscal 2025, the company received notice from the EPA that its petitions for small refinery exemptions for the Laurel, Montana, refinery were granted in full or in part for compliance years 2019 through 2024, resulting in a benefit of approximately $90 million during the fourth quarter. The company completed a planned major maintenance shutdown at its McPherson, Kansas, refinery during the third quarter of fiscal 2025. The Board of Directors authorized approximately $30.0 million of fiscal 2025 patronage-sourced earnings to be paid to member-owners during fiscal 2026, and approximately $90.0 million of equity redemptions to be distributed in fiscal 2026. The company expects total capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $575.1 million , compared to capital expenditures of $728.6 million in fiscal 2025. The company expects total major maintenance for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $53.3 million , compared to major maintenance of $271.4 million in fiscal 2025.

For fiscal 2025, total revenues were $35.5 billion , compared to $39.3 billion in fiscal 2024. Net income attributable to CHS was $597.9 million , compared to $1.1 billion in the prior year. Gross profit was $1.1 billion , down from $1.8 billion in fiscal 2024, and operating earnings were $90.8 million , compared to $584.4 million in the prior year. The effective tax rate for fiscal 2025 was 2.7% , compared to (0.4)% in fiscal 2024. Cash provided by operating activities was $635.8 million , down from $1.3 billion in fiscal 2024.

Business Outlook

Management states that it currently expects global supply and demand factors impacting energy and agricultural commodities to be unfavorable for the company in fiscal 2026, and that it currently expects the trend of reduced margins for energy and agricultural commodities to persist in fiscal 2026.

The company's growth vectors include maximizing its platforms through integrated supply chains and capitalizing on domestic and global opportunities. The company is focused on implementing agile, efficient, and sustainable technology platforms, including a multiyear enterprise resource planning system implementation that is expected to continue for the next several years. The company also highlights its investment in CF Nitrogen, which positions CHS and its members for long-term, dependable fertilizer supply, supply chain efficiency, and production economics, with the ability to source up to 1.1 million tons of granular urea and 580,000 tons of urea ammonium nitrate annually through fiscal 2096.

The company's growth strategy also includes expanding market access to add value for owners and transforming core businesses by capitalizing on changing market dynamics. The company is focused on building robust and efficient supply chains and achieving operational excellence and continuous improvement. The company notes that it will continue to execute its enterprise priorities for fiscal 2026, including maximizing its platforms through integrated supply chains and capitalizing on domestic and global opportunities, as it navigates less favorable market conditions for energy and agricultural commodities.

The filing does not provide specific margin or cost outlook targets for fiscal 2026. Management notes that marketing, general and administrative expenses decreased during fiscal 2025 primarily due to lower expenses for performance-based incentive compensation associated with lower profitability. The company expects total capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $575.1 million , compared to $728.6 million in fiscal 2025, and total major maintenance for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $53.3 million , compared to $271.4 million in fiscal 2025.

The company expects total capital expenditures for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $575.1 million , compared to capital expenditures of $728.6 million in fiscal 2025. The company expects total major maintenance for fiscal 2026 to be approximately $53.3 million , compared to major maintenance of $271.4 million in fiscal 2025. The company expects to pay dividends on its preferred stock of approximately $168.7 million during fiscal 2026. The Board of Directors authorized approximately $30.0 million of fiscal 2025 patronage-sourced earnings to be paid to member-owners during fiscal 2026, and approximately $90.0 million of equity redemptions to be distributed in fiscal 2026.

The company expects to pay dividends on its preferred stock of approximately $168.7 million during fiscal 2026. The Board of Directors authorized approximately $30.0 million of fiscal 2025 patronage-sourced earnings to be paid to member-owners during fiscal 2026, and approximately $90.0 million of equity redemptions to be distributed in fiscal 2026. The company had approximately $2.3 billion of preferred stock outstanding as of August 31, 2025.

Management identifies several headwinds and constraints for fiscal 2026, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, shifts in global trade flows for commodities, a weak export market for U.S.-sourced agricultural products, potential changes in U.S. trade policy, increased or fluctuating tariffs, a changing interest rate environment, and continued pricing pressures impacting costs of labor, freight, and materials. The company also notes that in May 2025, China's General Administration of Customers suspended soybean imports from CHS and certain other U.S. companies in connection with broader trade policy changes.

Additional constraints include unpredictable weather conditions due to climate change, which could impact demand and pricing for agricultural inputs and outputs. The company also faces risks from the Renewable Fuel Standard, noting that the EPA proposed standards for compliance years 2026 and 2027 that include a sizable increase in renewable fuel percentage standards, which could result in a significant increase in compliance costs. The company also notes that it may be eligible for small refinery exemptions for compliance years 2025 and beyond, but this is highly dependent on volumes of crude oil average throughput and the EPA's evaluation.

Risk Factors

The company's revenues, results of operations, and cash flows are materially and adversely affected by changes in commodity prices, with profitability in the Energy segment depending largely on the margin between the cost of crude oil and selling prices of refined products, which fluctuate widely due to factors including OPEC production controls, political instability, and domestic supply. The company is exposed to risk of nonperformance and nonpayment by counterparties, with credit risk from loans to individual producers and local cooperatives, where loans are typically secured by crops whose value may not be sufficient to satisfy repayment obligations due to weather or other factors. The company faces significant compliance costs and liabilities from environmental laws and regulations, including the Renewable Fuel Standard, where the price of RINs has been extremely volatile, with D6 ethanol RIN prices increasing by 24% and D4 biodiesel RIN prices increasing by 29% during fiscal 2025 compared to the prior year, negatively impacting earnings. Changes in trade policies, including the suspension of soybean imports by China in May 2025, could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, financial condition, and results of operations. The company's cooperative structure limits its ability to access equity capital, as it may not sell common stock and existing laws limit dividends on preferred stock to 8% per annum.

Management Priorities

Management's message emphasizes that the company's Ag segment performed well, although down from strong results in the prior year, mainly due to softening grain and oilseed product margins, lower oilseed crush margins, declining commodity prices, and global market conditions. Despite strong volumes, the Energy segment results declined significantly from the prior year, driven by decreased Western Canadian Select crude oil discounts, unfavorable crack spreads, and expected lower sales of produced, higher-margin refined products as a result of planned major maintenance at the McPherson refinery. Equity method investments continued to provide solid contributions, including strong results from investments in CF Nitrogen and Ventura Foods. Management states that it currently expects global supply and demand factors impacting energy and agricultural commodities to be unfavorable for the company in fiscal 2026, and that it currently expects the trend of reduced margins for energy and agricultural commodities to persist in fiscal 2026. The strategic priorities emphasized for fiscal 2026 include maximizing platforms through integrated supply chains and capitalizing on domestic and global opportunities.

View Source Annual Report on SEC.gov ↗

References

  1. [1] Item 1, Business — Energy
  2. [2] Item 1, Business — Nitrogen Production
  3. [3] Item 1, Business — Energy
  4. [4] Item 1, Business — Energy
  5. [5] Item 1, Business — Energy
  6. [6] Item 1, Business — Energy
  7. [7] Item 1, Business — Energy
  8. [8] Item 1, Business — Energy
  9. [9] Item 1, Business — Energy
  10. [10] Item 1, Business — Energy
  11. [11] Item 1, Business — Energy
  12. [12] Item 1, Business — Energy
  13. [13] Item 1, Business — Energy
  14. [14] Item 1, Business — Energy
  15. [15] Item 1, Business — Energy
  16. [16] Item 1, Business — Energy
  17. [17] Item 1, Business — Energy
  18. [18] Item 1, Business — Energy
  19. [19] Item 1, Business — Energy
  20. [20] Item 1, Business — Energy
  21. [21] Item 1, Business — Energy
  22. [22] Item 1, Business — Ag
  23. [23] Item 1, Business — Ag
  24. [24] Item 1, Business — Ag
  25. [25] Item 1, Business — Ag
  26. [26] Item 1, Business — Ag
  27. [27] Item 1, Business — Ag
  28. [28] Item 1, Business — Ag
  29. [29] Item 1, Business — Ag
  30. [30] Item 1, Business — Ag
  31. [31] Item 1, Business — Ag
  32. [32] Item 1, Business — Ag
  33. [33] Item 1, Business — Nitrogen Production
  34. [34] Item 1, Business — Nitrogen Production
  35. [35] Item 1, Business — Corporate and Other
  36. [36] Item 1, Business — Corporate and Other
  37. [37] Item 7, MD&A — Operating Metrics
  38. [38] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  39. [39] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  40. [40] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  41. [41] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  42. [42] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  43. [43] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  44. [44] Item 1, Business — The Company
  45. [45] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  46. [46] Item 1, Business — The Company
  47. [47] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  48. [48] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  49. [49] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  50. [50] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  51. [51] Item 7, MD&A — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  52. [52] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  53. [53] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  54. [54] Item 7, MD&A — Cash Flows
  55. [55] Item 7, MD&A — Cash Flows
  56. [56] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  57. [57] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  58. [58] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  59. [59] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  60. [60] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  61. [61] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  62. [62] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  63. [63] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  64. [64] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  65. [65] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  66. [66] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  67. [67] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  68. [68] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  69. [69] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  70. [70] Item 7, MD&A — Liquidity and Capital Resources
  71. [71] Item 7, MD&A — Operating Metrics
  72. [72] Item 7, MD&A — Operating Metrics
  73. [73] Item 1A, Risk Factors
  74. [74] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  75. [75] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  76. [76] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  77. [77] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  78. [78] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  79. [79] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  80. [80] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  81. [81] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Statements of Operations
  82. [82] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Balance Sheets
  83. [83] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Balance Sheets
  84. [84] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Balance Sheets
  85. [85] Item 8, Financial Statements — Consolidated Balance Sheets
  86. [86] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  87. [87] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  88. [88] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  89. [89] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  90. [90] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  91. [91] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  92. [92] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  93. [93] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  94. [94] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  95. [95] Item 7, MD&A — Results of Operations
  96. [96] Item 7, MD&A — Operating Metrics

Analysis on 6/21/2026