Check out why Noble could hit near-record gains in Q3

It'll be a sweet success.

According to CIMB, Noble is about to enter a fresh chapter of growth. New sugar assets in Brazil should bump up agriculture earnings, while industry dynamics appears to have improved with its peers not only reporting stronger earnings but also expressing increased optimism.

Here's more from CIMB:

With sugar harvesting peaking in 3Q, Noble could be on its way to near-record profits in 3Q12. We keep our EPS pending its results on 8 Nov, but raise our target price as we roll it forward to 10.1x CY14 P/E (0.5 SD below 5-year mean).

Agribusinesses have recovered from a bout of dismal earnings. Industry profits have rebounded. The US drought has created opportunities for supply chain managers which are able to procure supplies amid crop scarcity and deliver grains where they are needed.

Operating conditions have normalised; even oilseed crush margins had improved during the quarter. The turning point has come for global agribusiness giants with Bunge’s profits doubling and Cargill’s quadrupling.

ADM is the exception as this US-focused company has been hit by crop shortages from the droughts. Noble is about to enter a fresh phase of growth. We see two propellers.

First, improving industry dynamics and dislocations in trade flows as international buyers turn to non-US origins for grains, a market it can tap given its origination points in South America.

Second, new assets (e.g. Brazil sugar mills) and contracts (UK power distribution) that should spur its growth from FY12.