Birth woes
OPINION: What does the birth rate in China have to do with stock trading? Just ask a2 Milk Company.
Listed New Zealand company the a2 Milk Company - once a darling of the stock exchange - is the subject of takeover rumours.
Australian media reports that the world's largest dairy company Nestlé is eyeing the underfire manufacturer of A2-protein milk.
a2 Milk's market capitalisation had fallen from $16.1 billion to $4.7b over the past year. As the pandemic distrupted sales of its infant formula to Chinese consumers through the daigou channel, falling infant births in China and excess supply of its products also curbed consumer demand. The company had struggled to get on top of these challenges which resulting in it downgrading its earnings guidance four times in nine months.
The takeover rumour though has boosted the share price.
Fonterra’s impending exit from the Australian dairy industry is a major event but the story doesn’t change too much for farmers.
Expect greater collaboration between Massey University’s school of Agriculture and Environment and Ireland’s leading agriculture university, the University College of Dublin (UCD), in the future.
A partnership between Torere Macadamias Ltd and the Riddet Institute aims to unlock value from macadamia nuts while growing the next generation of Māori agribusiness researchers.
A new partnership between Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and NZAgbiz aims to make evidence-based calf rearing practices accessible to all farm teams.
Despite some trying circumstances recently, the cherry season looks set to emerge on top of things.
Changed logos on shirts otherwise it will be business as usual when Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses are expected to change hands next month.