Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of mini-conglomerate The Andersons (Nasdaq: ANDE) jumped as much as 10.1% over the weekend on heavy trading volume.

So what: The U.S. Agriculture Department just changed its methodology for setting insurance rates on corn and soy crops, which will help The Andersons' grain-marketing operations in 2012. This is the same piece of news that lifted stodgy Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM) to a 4% weekend jump.

Now what: The Andersons doesn't live and die by grain sales alone, of course. Like Otter Tail (Nasdaq: OTTR), this small cap has expanded into a surprising range of loosely related industries such as railcar rentals, crop nutrients, and a chain of specialty food stores. However, fellow Fool Jacob Roche looks at this diversified business model and sees the company riding sector effects more than executing on a solid plan. Jacob doesn't like that at all. Moreover, Otter Tail's utility services power a much fatter dividend payout than The Andersons' corn crops do. If you're choosing between these two micro-conglomerates, I think the scales tip pretty clearly in Otter Tail's favor.

Interested in more info about The Andersons? Add it to My Watchlist.