What is Land O’Lakes’s stock price, and are they publicly traded? Unfortunately, investors cannot purchase shares of Land O’Lakes because it is a private company. However, Ingredion (NYSE: INGR), Lamb Weston (NYSE: LW), and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) are agricultural stock symbols that traders can invest in.
Is it just me, or is a nice slice of buttered bread one of the best things in the world? Although many people have allergies, high-quality dairy products are some of the best foods. Think of things like real butter, milk, and cheese. Investing in agriculture and farming has long been a strategy for people seeking exposure to the growing population.
The one thing we all need is food; for a vast majority of the population, that comes in the form of food products we buy and do not harvest ourselves.
When I look for companies to write about, I like to think about brands I use and buy for myself. I also like to look at unique corporate structures that would interest investors. In this article, I’ll discuss investing in Land O’Lakes stock, the corporate history, and investing in other agricultural and food companies.
Is Land O’Lakes Publicly Traded?
Land O’Lakes is not a public company, so you cannot buy Land O’Lakes stock on any exchange. The corporate structure of Land O’Lakes is interesting.
There are typical executive-level positions like CEO and CFO, but technically, the farmers who make up the cooperative own it. It is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that has remained private since its establishment in 1921.
Despite that fall in revenue, profits rose by 5.0% due to higher prices for its products. Land O’Lakes is a major player in the dairy industry; if it were public, it would be a great stock to own to gain agricultural exposure.
Keep reading if you’re interested in investing in stocks like Land O’Lakes. In the next section, I will cover some of the best agricultural and food stocks to own.
Land O’Lakes Company Overview
Land O’Lakes is a unique company in its structure and the products it provides to consumers. It was founded in 1921 in St. Paul, Minnesota, when members of 320 regional creameries created the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association to improve the quality of butter and its marketing in the area. The ultimate goal was to increase the profitability of dairy farmers.
The Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association established guidelines and a grading system for member creameries. As a result, this led to a more uniform butter and a higher product quality for consumers. During a contest in 1924, the sweet cream butter was named Land O’Lakes. The name came from the nickname for the State of Minnesota, the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”.
This name became so popular and synonymous with butter in the area that the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association changed its organization’s name to Land O’Lakes in 1926.
Land O’Lakes is a cooperative, which means it does not operate in the same way as most corporations. In a cooperative, members band together for the greater good of a product or industry. In this case, Land O’Lakes started to help protect the quality of butter and other dairy products in Minnesota.
Members get a democratic vote in business decisions, although many still have a normal corporate executive structure. For example, Land O’Lakes has more than 4,000 farmers and a president and CEO named Beth Ford. Can you buy Land O’Lakes stock?
Land O’Lakes Revenue and Financial Overview
|
Year
|
Estimated Revenue ($bn)
|
2025 (est.) |
$18.0 |
|---|---|
|
2024 |
$17.9 |
|
2023 |
$17.0 |
|
2022 |
$16.0 |
|
2021 |
$14.9 |
Public Agriculture Companies to Consider
| Symbol | Name |
|---|---|
| DE | Deere & Company |
| INGR | Ingredion Inc |
| LW | Lamb Weston Holdings |
| NTR | Nutrien Ltd |
| ADM | Archer-Daniels-Midland |
Agriculture is one of the backbones of the global economy. Nearly every country produces food based on access to natural resources. Commodities like corn, wheat, and even cattle are valuable resources that can feed billions of people each day.
If you’re looking to invest in agriculture and food companies, you’ve come to the right place. Here are my choices for the best agriculture stocks since you can’t trade Land O’Lakes stock.
Deere & Company (NYSE: DE)
Deere & Company, better known as John Deere, is an American manufacturer of agricultural equipment and heavy machinery.
This company was founded in 1837 and remains the industry leader. In 2023, John Deere reported more than $61 billion in annual revenue. Deere & Company is not just an agricultural leader but a bellwether stock for the health of the US and global economies.
Over the past five years, John Deere stock has returned an impressive 145% to shareholders. The stock is a component of the benchmark S&P 500 index and the more exclusive S&P 100 index. John Deere is a $100 billion megacap company that pays a quarterly dividend with a current yield of 1.47%.
Although the business might seem boring, the returns to shareholders have already proven how great a company this is to invest in. However, you may be surprised to hear it as a Land O’Lakes stock competitor.
Ingredion Inc (NYSE: INGR)
We go from one of the world’s most recognizable brands to an $8 billion company that most have probably not heard of. Ingredion is an American food and beverage company that produces food additives like artificial sweeteners.
The company primarily makes starch-based products from corn, tapioca, potatoes, and grains. Ingredion can trace its roots back to 1906, but its current iteration started in 1997.
As for the stock, Ingredion has returned more than 65% over the past five years. INGR is a component of the S&P 400 midcap index with a market capitalization of just over $8.8 billion.
Ingredion also pays a dividend each quarter to shareholders with a current annualized yield of 2.36%. As a result, it’s a good Land O’Lakes stock alternative.
Lamb Weston Holdings (NYSE: LW)
Lamb Weston is a food processing company primarily making frozen potato products. It was founded in 1950 and is in the heart of potato country in Eagle, Idaho.
Lamb Weston produces potato-based products like frozen French fries, waffles, hash browns, tater tots, and sweet potatoes.
The stock has not performed as well as other companies on this list. Lamb Weston has a market capitalization of just below $10 billion and pays a quarterly dividend with a yield of 2.19%.
Nutrien Ltd (NYSE: NTR)
Nutrien is a Canadian fertilizer company and the world’s largest potash producer. It started in 2018 after a merger between PotashCorp and Agrium.
In 2023, Nutrien reported annual revenue of more than $29 billion US dollars, more than its market capitalization of 32 billion Canadian dollars. Nutrien is in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but it has operations worldwide and more than 500,000 global customers.
This stock is dual-listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE. Over the past five years, shares of NTR have returned a modest loss of about 7.0%. According to its Canadian-listed stock, NTR pays a quarterly dividend with an annualized yield of 4.58%.
Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: ADM)
Archer-Daniels-Midland, or ADM, is an American food processing and commodities trading corporation. It was established in 1902 in Minnesota but is now in Chicago, Illinois.
This company focuses on the processing and harvesting of various crops, including seeds for oil and cereal grains for food products. It also specializes in agricultural transport and storage services.
ADM’s stock has performed admirably and better than others on my list. Over the past five years, it has returned about 52% to shareholders, which isn’t quite market-beating but a solid return when you include the company’s dividends. It currently pays out a quarterly distribution with an annualized yield of 3.20%.
Final Thoughts on Land O’Lakes Stock
Agriculture will always be a necessity for human existence. Investing in food sources has and should remain a positive strategy. We’ll always need food to survive, and we rely on these companies to produce food.
Land O’Lakes is a company that focuses on dairy products like butter. It’s a unique company as it is a cooperative. Therefore, more than 3,000 farmers and their members own it.
It has an executive team like any other corporation, but most of its decisions are voted upon by its members. As of 2025, Land O’Lakes stock is unavailable. Even though there’s no Land O’Lakes stock, there are several agriculture companies that traders can invest in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Land O’Lakes on the Stock Market?
No, Land O’Lakes is a privately owned and operated cooperative. It is owned by over 3,000 farmers and its members and managed by an executive team. Land O’Lakes has been a private company since it started in 1921.
Who Owns Land O’Lakes Company?
Land O’Lakes is a cooperative, which means it adheres to its members. At the same time, it does have an executive team that manages the operations, and the members of the cooperative vote on many of the company’s decisions.
Is Land O’Lakes a Profitable Company?
Yes, Land O’Lakes is a profitable company. Although the corporate structure is unique, the company’s purpose is still to turn a profit at the end of the day. In 2023, Land O’Lakes reported $17.0 billion in revenue, increasing its profit margins by 5.0%.
What is Land O’Lakes Best Known For?
Butter! Land O’Lakes makes dairy products, but it started making high-quality butter. The company now makes dozens of other dairy products, but will always be known for its Land O’Lakes sweet cream butter.