Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM)
Archer-Daniels-Midland processes and trades agricultural commodities such as grains, oilseeds, and food ingredients.
ADM vs SYY: how the two businesses compare
- Similar size: SYY and ADM each brought in about $84.6B of yearly revenue.
- More profitable: SYY keeps 2 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 1 cents at ADM.
- More cash from each sale: ADM turns 7 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 3 cents at SYY.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
Sysco (SYY) and Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) reported similar revenue: $84.6B (fiscal year ended Jun 2026) versus $80.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). ADM's net margin was 1.3% and SYY's 2.1%. The SEC classifies them differently (Fats & Oils; Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Consumer Staples
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- ADM December 31 · SYY July 3
- Aug 21, 2026
ADM vs SYY: quick comparison
| Company fact | ADM | SYY |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | Sysco Corporation |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| SEC industry | Fats & Oils | Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | July 3 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-17 | 10-K · 2026-08-21 |
ADM vs SYY: audited financials
- Scale: revenue is roughly in line ($84.6B for SYY versus $80.3B for ADM).
- Net margin: nearly identical at 1.3% (ADM) and 2.1% (SYY).
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled ADM 6.8% of revenue, or 5.06× net income; SYY 3.1% of revenue, or 1.50× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 6 months apart (2025-12-31 for ADM, 2026-06-27 for SYY), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | ADM | SYY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $80.3B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $84.6B2025-06-29 to 2026-06-27 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $1.1B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.8B2025-06-29 to 2026-06-27 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $5.5B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $2.6B2025-06-29 to 2026-06-27 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $2.232025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $3.662025-06-29 to 2026-06-27 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 1.3%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 2.1%2025-06-29 to 2026-06-27 · SEC filing |
ADM: FY ending 2025-12-31 · SYY: FY ending 2026-06-27. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where ADM and SYY overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: ADM files as Fats & Oils; SYY as Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products.
- Offset fiscal calendars: ADM's year ends December 31 and SYY's July 3, about 6 months apart.
- Only ADM maps to Tariffs & trade.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Sysco Corporation (SYY)
Sysco is the largest US foodservice distributor, supplying food and equipment to restaurants and institutions.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves ADM
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for ADM. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-17.
What moves SYY
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for SYY. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-08-21.
The investment question
You now know how ADM and SYY are classified, when their fiscal years end, and where their exposures overlap. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
Members-only research
What members are reading this month
- Issue 07: The Vote That Knocked Almost a Quarter off Data Center Stocks
Texas has frozen new data center approvals since the summer. The vote extends that freeze, but it cannot unplug campuses that already have power. We map who is exposed, test whether the sell-off overshot and say where the real risk sits.
- Citadel bought the AI fire sale. The seller had run out of time.
Up 439% in the first half, down about 67% in July: how an AI hedge fund ended up selling a roughly $16 billion stock book to Citadel at a discount.
The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.
Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. ADM's fiscal year ends December 31, while SYY's ends July 3. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 4 matched transaction rows for ADM and 8 matched transaction rows for SYY. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
ADM primary filings
SYY primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
ADM vs SYY FAQs
Are ADM and SYY direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Archer-Daniels-Midland files as Fats & Oils and Sysco as Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is ADM or SYY the bigger company by revenue?
Sysco (SYY) and Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) reported similar revenue: $84.6B (fiscal year ended Jun 2026) versus $80.3B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). ADM's net margin was 1.3% and SYY's 2.1%. The SEC classifies them differently (Fats & Oils; Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, ADM or SYY?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this ADM vs SYY comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Sysco Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
ADM vs SYY compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
Members-only research
$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included