Agrium Q4 profit falls two-thirds as fertiliser market slump weighs

Calgary, Alberta-based fertiliser producer Agrium, which controls the largest retail distribution network in North America, has reported a 67% slide in net fourth-quarter earnings attributable to equity holders, to $67-million, or $0.49 a share. The company, which is in the process of merging with Canadian counterpart PotashCorp of Saskatchewan to create a new $36-billion entity, attributed the lower net earnings to lower year-on-year nutrient pricing.