Analyst Starts MON, POT, AGU, TRA at Buy, MOS, CF, at Neutral; MOO ETF Moving Higher

An analyst at Sterne Agee has initiated coverage on some of the major ag and fertilizer-related stocks this morning. These names were extremely momentous during the summer months last year as oil and commodity prices soared, and with both of these sectors on the rise again, the ag play could come back to the market.

• Monsanto (NYSE: MON) started at Buy. Shares of Monsanto are up 22% year-to-date.
  
• Potash (NYSE: POT) started at Buy with a $150 price target. With Potash shares trading around $117.67 today, the analysts price target represents potential upside of about 27% from current levels. Potash stock has surged more than 60% year-to-date.
  
• Agrium (NYSE: AGU) started at Buy with a $62 price target. Based on today's current price of $50.08, Sterne Agee's target suggests potential price appreciation of 24%. AGU has risen more than 45% year-to-date.
  
• Terra Industries (NYSE: TRA) started at Buy with a $35 price target. Shares of Terra are up 1.8% to $28.48, indicating possible upside of about 23% from current levels. The stock has rocketed more than 70% higher this year.
  
• Mosaic (NYSE: MOS) started at Neutral with a $63 price target. Despite the Neutral rating, Sterne Agee's price target represents potential upside of about 13%. Shares of Mosaic are up 60% year-to-date.
  
• CF Industries (NYSE: CF) started at Neutral with a $95 target. With shares of CF jumping more than 3% to $82.91 this morning, the analysts target suggests possible price appreciation of more than 14%. The stock is up 68% on a year-to-date basis.

The Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (NYSE: MOO), commonly referred to as just "the MOO", is a great way to track the broad ag/fertilizer sector. Shares of the ETF, which sees pretty decent volume (about 1.3 million trades a day), are currently up about 1.1%. To add some perspective, the MOO is up more than 37% since the beginning of 2009.

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