Archer Daniels Midland Co. reports earnings for its fiscal first quarter on Tuesday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

BY THE NUMBERS: Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect a profit of 55 cents on revenue of $8.94 billion.

ANALYST TAKE: Citigroup analyst David Driscoll said he expects ADM's oilseed business to be an important factor in earnings growth.

``Strong fundamentals in this segment are helped by strong biodiesel demand,'' he wrote in an Oct. 17 research note. Driscoll also expects ethanol to perform well because semiannual contracts for April through September were signed at higher levels than contracts last year.

Finally, the analyst said he expects ADM's high-fructose corn syrup business to improve due to a double-digit price increase for the product.

Merrill Lynch analyst Eric Serotta also believes oilseed fundamentals are strong. ``We expect corn processing operating profit to more than double driven by higher ethanol and high fructose corn syrup pricing,'' he wrote in an Oct. 18 note to clients. Serotta expects improved ethanol results compared to last year.

``Key issues we will be focusing on: global oilseed trends; net corn costs; ethanol demand and prices; and early commentary on 2007 high-fructose corn syrup pricing,'' he wrote.

OVERVIEW: During the quarter, ethanol producers' shares declined as crude oil prices eased. Bear Stearns analyst Ann Duignan said in August that ethanol prices will likely slip long term as supply increases and the industry's distribution system builds up.

In July, ADM said it would build a biodiesel plant with a capacity of 180,000 metric tons in Rondonopolis, Brazil. The plant will use soybean oil as its feedstock and will be built next to ADM's existing soybean crushing plant in the region. It is expected to be in operation by the first half of 2007.

A government mandate requires that all diesel fuel sold in Brazil include 2 percent biodiesel beginning in 2008 and 5 percent biodiesel beginning in 2013.

The Brazil plant was announced under the leadership of South American Operations President, Matthew Jansen, who, in August, was named president of ADM's grain group.

He was replaced by Domingo Lastra, who, prior to heading South American operations, was director of origination, ports, logistics and fertilizers for the region.

ADM, which also processes cocoa, said in September it would its expand its industrial chocolate making offerings in Europe by acquiring Classic Couverture, a U.K.-based chocolate maker.

WHATS AHEAD: In October, ADM said it would buy the remaining 50-percent stake in International Malting Co. it does not already own for an undisclosed amount. The company began as a joint venture between ADM and French company Lesaffre Yeast Co. to distribute malt to the brewing, distilling and food industries from plants in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S.

STOCK PERFORMANCE: Shares declined about 8 percent during the quarter but are up about 54 percent for the year.

Archer Daniels Midland, based in Decatur, Ill., processes oilseeds, corn and wheat to make soybean, peanut and other oilseed products. The company also produces ethanol from corn.