Can I buy stock in Cargill?

The general public can't buy stock in Cargill. It's a private, family-owned business. However, eligible employees can buy Cargill stock through its 401(k) and employee stock ownership plan.

Is Cargill publicly listed?

Cargill is not a publicly listed company. It is a private, family-owned business.

What is the share price of Cargill today?

Cargill isn't a publicly traded company, so it doesn't publish its private share price.

What company owns Cargill?

Cargill is a family-owned company. Descendants of the founder (the Cargill and MacMillan families) own an estimated 88% of the company's shares, according to Forbes.

Can You Invest in Cargill in 2026?

Can You Invest in Cargill Pre-IPO? Everything You Need to Know

By Matthew DiLallo – Updated Aug 4, 2026 at 11:33 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Cargill, the largest private agribusiness, generates $154 billion annually, staying privately owned.
Despite internal IPO pressures, Cargill remains private through internal financing options like ESPPs.
Investors can explore Cargill alternatives or related ETFs in the agricultural sector for similar investment opportunities.

Cargill is a giant in the agricultural industry. It generates roughly $154 billion in annual revenue by providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions, and industrial products to farmers and other customers. According to Forbes, Cargill's total sales made it the biggest privately held company in the country in 2025.

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A farmer standing in a field and holding a tablet. — Image source: Getty Images.

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The agricultural giant has a long and rich history. William Cargill founded the company in 1865, and it has remained in the hands of his descendants. While there has been some internal pressure to complete an initial public offering (IPO) over the years, Cargill has found ways to remain private.

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IPO

IPO (Initial Public Offering) is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public, making it a publicly traded entity.

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It seems unlikely that Cargill will go public anytime soon. However, investors interested in the agricultural giant have some alternative options to consider. Here's a look at everything you need to know about investing in Cargill if it goes public, and how to invest in stocks that are capitalizing on the trends that have enabled it to grow into the country's largest private company.

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Alternatives to Cargill stock

Unless you're an eligible employee, you can't buy Cargill stock. However, there are many ways to invest in the agricultural sector to capitalize on the same factors driving Cargill's growth. Three notable Cargill alternatives are:

The Mosaic Company

The Mosaic Company was formed in 2004 through the merger of fertilizer company IMC Global and Cargill's crop nutrition business. Cargill spun off its interest in The Mosaic Company to shareholders in 2011.

So, while an investment in The Mosaic Company doesn't provide investors with direct exposure to Cargill, it does give them an interest in one of its legacy businesses. Today, Mosaic is a leader in potash and phosphate mining, which are nutrients crucial for feeding crops and increasing yields.

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Bunge Global

Bunge Global (BG +3.21%) is the global leader in oilseed processing and a top producer and supplier of specialty plant-based oils and fats. It helps farmers and other companies produce food, feed, and fuel.

Bunge Global expanded its worldwide reach in 2023 by agreeing to acquire the agricultural products company Viterra with the help of several strategic and financial partners. The $8 billion deal faced some delays but was completed in July 2025.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM +3.46%) is a worldwide leader in human and animal nutrition. The company operates several agricultural businesses, including ag services and oilseeds, carbohydrate solutions, and nutrition. The company's products include flours, grains, starches, and sweeteners for human nutrition, animal feeds, and premix pet foods.

How to buy stocks similar to Cargill

Investors who want to buy one of these Cargill alternatives can purchase shares in any brokerage account. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to invest in companies like Cargill.

Open your brokerage account: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

Once you complete the order page, click to submit your trade and become a shareholder in one of these agricultural stocks while you wait to see whether Cargill ever goes public.

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If Cargill goes public, investors will follow a similar process to buy its IPO stock. If shares become available after an IPO, you would fill out the order page at your brokerage account with Cargill's selected stock ticker and submit your trade.

Should I invest in Cargill?

You can't invest in the private, family-owned company unless you are an eligible Cargill employee. Given its long history as a private company and its ability to avoid the pressure of going public, non-employees might never get the chance to invest in Cargill.

However, the general investing public does have alternatives to investing in Cargill. They can buy shares of publicly traded rivals, such as Archer-Daniels-Midland or Bunge, or consider investing in Mosaic, a company built on Cargill's legacy. Those agricultural stocks can all benefit from the same trends driving Cargill's growth.

ETFs with exposure to Cargill

Many investors prefer to invest passively rather than manage a stock portfolio. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are an easy way to invest passively.

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Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)

An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, allows investors to buy many stocks or bonds at once.

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Since Cargill is a private company, you can't gain exposure to its stock through an ETF. However, you can buy an ETF focused on agricultural stocks. Two of the largest agribusiness ETFs are:

VanEck Vectors Agribusiness ETF (MOO +1.41%): This ETF aims to track the agribusiness sector's performance, including companies involved in agrochemicals, animal health, fertilizers, and the trading of agricultural products. It held shares of 57 companies in mid-2026, including Archer-Daniels-Midland (5.1% of its holdings) and Bunge Global (3.2%) among its top 10 holdings. The fund had a 0.56% ETF expense ratio.
iShares Msci Global Agriculture Producers ETF (VEGI +2.04%): The fund provides exposure to companies producing fertilizer and agricultural chemicals, industrial products like farm machinery, and packaged foods and meats. It held shares in 128 companies in August 2026, including Archer-Daniels-Midland (7.1% of its assets), Bunge Global (2.5% of its assets), and Mosaic (1.3% of its holdings). The ETF had a 0.39% expense ratio.

The bottom line on Cargill

Cargill is a behemoth in the agricultural sector. It currently ranks as the largest privately held company in the country by revenue. It likely won't make the shift to the public markets anytime soon. Although that means the investing public can't buy Cargill shares, there are many other ways to invest in the agricultural sector.

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Investing in Cargill FAQ

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About the Author

Matt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock analyst specializing in the energy, industrials, and real estate sectors since 2012. He also covers dividend-paying stocks, pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.

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Matt DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Can You Invest in Cargill Pre-IPO? Everything You Need to Know

Key Points

IPO