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3 Reasons to Sell Monsanto Today

By Dave Mock – Updated Apr 6, 2017 at 11:31AM

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Not everyone is on the buy side.

Acting on panic never helps investors, but it's still a good idea to question why you're really buying individual investments.

Consider seed giant Monsanto (NYSE: MON). Though the global agriculture sector holds tremendous promise, you'll find that a few of the 3,065 Motley Fool CAPS members who weigh in on the company offer reasons to be bearish.

Here at The Motley Fool, we like to consider both the good and the bad sides of an investment, so in this article, I'm highlighting three of the main bearish arguments on Monsanto. Be sure to read the bullish side as well, and then weigh in with your own comments below or rate Monsanto in CAPS.                                              

1.  Unhappy customers
Monsanto has experienced backlash from some of its customers, who have complained of high seed prices and lower-than-expected yields on certain products. While rival DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been able to raise prices recently, Monsanto has lowered prices and unbundled product offerings to appease unhappy customers, leaving some investors concerned about the possibility of eroding margins.   

2. Competitive threats
Monsanto faces serious competitive threats on several fronts, threats that could continue to pressure the stock. Cheaper generic Chinese glyphosate weed killer is killing its Roundup sales, as companies like Origin Agritech (Nasdaq: SEED) get in on the action. And some seed missteps have opened the door for rival DuPont to steal market share in North American corn and soybean seed sales.              

3. Earnings struggle
In their most recent quarters, Mosaic's (NYSE: MOS) and PotashCorp's (NYSE: POT) profits more than doubled on strong fertilizer demand, and Roundup lawn products marketer Scotts Miracle-Gro's (NYSE: SMG) profit increased by 19%. But Monsanto's aforementioned woes led to a 45% drop in fiscal-third-quarter earnings, and management cut its full-year earnings estimate. With Deere (NYSE: DE) recently forecasting strong farm equipment sales, some investors see better ways to play the agriculture sector.

To see details of what CAPS members are saying now about Monsanto, just click on over to Motley Fool CAPS and have a look -- or add your own thoughts directly to this story in the comments box below.

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor service looks for companies with strong management poised to beat the market over the long haul. To see all the stocks that have helped Tom and David Gardner beat the market by 67 points on average, take a free 30-day trial.

Fool contributor Dave Mock votes for three as the number of the day. He doesn't own shares of companies mentioned here. Monsanto is an Inside Value selection. Motley Fool Options has recommended a synthetic long position on Monsanto.

True to its name, The Motley Fool is made up of a motley assortment of writers and analysts, each with a unique perspective; sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we all believe in the power of learning from each other through our Foolish community. The Fool's disclosure policy is taking names, so be on your best behavior.

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Stocks Mentioned

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company Stock Quote
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
DD
Monsanto Company Stock Quote
Monsanto Company
MON
Nutrien Stock Quote
Nutrien
POT
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Stock Quote
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
SMG
$49.95 (-1.71%) $0.87
The Mosaic Company Stock Quote
The Mosaic Company
MOS
$48.53 (-7.60%) $-3.99
Deere & Company Stock Quote
Deere & Company
DE
$334.22 (-3.44%) $-11.91
Origin Agritech Limited Stock Quote
Origin Agritech Limited
SEED
$8.79 (-8.01%) $0.77

*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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