Cottage Street Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 67.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 29,938 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 12,104 shares during the quarter. CF Industries comprises about 1.3% of Cottage Street Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Cottage Street Advisors LLC’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $3,589,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of CF. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in CF Industries during the second quarter worth about $1,410,607,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in CF Industries in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $198,857,000. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in shares of CF Industries during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $186,353,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in shares of CF Industries during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $157,850,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 407.5% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,352,013 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $170,136,000 after purchasing an additional 1,085,612 shares during the last quarter. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
CF Industries Stock Performance Shares of CF Industries stock opened at $120.90 on Monday. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a one year low of $75.42 and a one year high of $141.96. The company has a market cap of $18.30 billion, a PE ratio of 8.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a current ratio of 4.86. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $123.78 and a 200-day simple moving average of $120.19.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.63 by ($0.90). The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a net margin of 27.12% and a return on equity of 24.41%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.37 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.90 EPS for the current fiscal year. CF Industries Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.79%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their target price on shares of CF Industries from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on CF Industries in a research report on Friday, September 25th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $162.00 target price on the stock. Scotiabank raised their price target on CF Industries from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce restated a “neutral” rating and set a $129.00 price target on shares of CF Industries in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on CF Industries from $135.00 to $115.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, CF Industries presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $121.11.
Check Out Our Latest Report on CF
CF Industries Company Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc is a global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products. The company produces ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid, which are used primarily in agricultural fertilizers and a range of industrial applications. CF Industries also supplies products such as diesel exhaust fluid and other nitrogen-based solutions.
The company serves agricultural and industrial customers in North America and internationally. Its manufacturing and distribution operations include facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, supported by an extensive logistics and distribution network.
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Krilogy Financial LLC increased its position in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 155.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 31,089 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 18,925 shares during the period. Krilogy Financial LLC’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $3,773,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its holdings in CF Industries by 20,006.3% in the 3rd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 150,194 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $19,025,000 after acquiring an additional 149,447 shares during the last quarter. Vann Equity Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of CF Industries by 127.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vann Equity Management LLC now owns 8,797 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,071,000 after purchasing an additional 4,926 shares during the period. Saudi Central Bank boosted its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 86.8% during the second quarter. Saudi Central Bank now owns 10,753 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,164,000 after purchasing an additional 4,996 shares during the last quarter. S&CO Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CF Industries during the second quarter worth $2,630,000. Finally, Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of CF Industries during the second quarter worth $10,108,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
CF opened at $119.51 on Thursday. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 1 year low of $75.42 and a 1 year high of $141.96. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $123.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $120.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a current ratio of 4.86. The company has a market cap of $18.09 billion, a PE ratio of 8.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.53.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.63 by ($0.90). CF Industries had a net margin of 27.12% and a return on equity of 24.41%. The business had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.45 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.37 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.90 earnings per share for the current year. CF Industries Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 17.79%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts recently commented on CF shares. Scotiabank upped their target price on CF Industries from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 10th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $129.00 price target on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on CF Industries in a report on Friday, September 25th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $162.00 price target for the company. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $115.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, KeyCorp began coverage on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $115.00 price objective for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $121.11.
Read Our Latest Report on CF Industries
CF Industries Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CF) is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.
CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
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NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC boosted its stake in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 553.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 103,390 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 87,572 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC owned about 0.07% of CF Industries worth $12,950,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vertrix Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in CF Industries in the 3rd quarter valued at $3,604,000. Balefire LLC increased its holdings in CF Industries by 36.8% in the third quarter. Balefire LLC now owns 8,197 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $976,000 after buying an additional 2,207 shares in the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital raised its holdings in CF Industries by 409.2% during the third quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 15,654 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,962,000 after purchasing an additional 12,580 shares during the last quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC raised its stake in shares of CF Industries by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 55,706 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,417,000 after buying an additional 874 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Douglas Lane & Associates LLC raised its position in CF Industries by 465.0% during the third quarter. Douglas Lane & Associates LLC now owns 609,443 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $76,313,000 after acquiring an additional 501,586 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages have recently issued reports on CF. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on CF Industries from $140.00 to $135.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $140.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 15th. set a $115.00 target price on shares of CF Industries and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, October 5th. KeyCorp initiated coverage on CF Industries in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $115.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of CF Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, July 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $121.11.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CF CF Industries Trading Up 2.7% Shares of NYSE CF opened at $114.53 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $17.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.22 and a beta of 0.53. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $75.42 and a 12-month high of $141.96. The company has a current ratio of 4.86, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $123.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $120.59.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.63 by ($0.90). The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a return on equity of 24.41% and a net margin of 27.12%. The firm’s revenue was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.37 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.90 EPS for the current year.
CF Industries Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio is presently 17.79%.
CF Industries Company Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CF) is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.
CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
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GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 616.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 54,379 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 46,790 shares during the quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $6,797,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its holdings in CF Industries by 2,298.8% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 97,462 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $12,297,000 after acquiring an additional 93,399 shares in the last quarter. Sapient Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 176.8% in the third quarter. Sapient Capital LLC now owns 13,939 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,708,000 after purchasing an additional 8,904 shares in the last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of CF Industries by 340.6% in the third quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 3,736 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $467,000 after purchasing an additional 2,888 shares during the last quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of CF Industries by 306.5% in the third quarter. Everhart Financial Group Inc. now owns 13,753 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,704,000 after purchasing an additional 10,370 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vann Equity Management LLC increased its stake in shares of CF Industries by 127.3% during the 3rd quarter. Vann Equity Management LLC now owns 8,797 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,071,000 after purchasing an additional 4,926 shares in the last quarter. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
More CF Industries News Here are the key news stories impacting CF Industries this week:
Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend maintained: CF Industries declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share, equivalent to $2.40 annually and an indicated 2.1% yield. The dividend is payable November 30 to shareholders of record November 16. The continued payout may appeal to income-focused investors. CF Industries Declares Quarterly Dividend Positive Sentiment: Strong cash flow supports capital allocation: Recent analysis highlights CF Industries’ ability to use cash flow for strategic investments, debt reduction and shareholder returns. Continued cash generation could support growth and improve balance-sheet strength. CF Industries Strong Cash Flow Analysis Neutral Sentiment: Next earnings catalyst scheduled: CF Industries will report third-quarter and nine-month 2026 results after the market closes on November 4, followed by a conference call. Investors will be looking for evidence that operating performance and fertilizer-market conditions are improving. CF Industries Dividend and Earnings Schedule Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance remains cautious: RBC Capital kept a Hold rating, while another recent report placed a $115 price target, suggesting limited near-term upside from current levels. RBC Capital Maintains Hold Rating Negative Sentiment: Prior earnings miss remains an overhang: CF Industries previously reported earnings and revenue below analyst expectations, despite year-over-year revenue growth. That performance may be contributing to investor caution until the November results provide updated guidance. CF Industries Trading Down 0.8% Shares of CF opened at $113.47 on Friday. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $75.42 and a fifty-two week high of $141.96. The company has a market capitalization of $17.17 billion, a PE ratio of 8.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.22 and a beta of 0.53. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $123.88 and a two-hundred day moving average of $120.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a current ratio of 4.86. CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.63 by ($0.90). The business had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a return on equity of 24.41% and a net margin of 27.12%.CF Industries’s revenue for the quarter was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.37 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.9 EPS for the current year.
CF Industries Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be paid a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.79%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CF has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank upped their target price on CF Industries from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 10th. BNP Paribas Exane dropped their price target on CF Industries from $140.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on CF Industries from $133.00 to $115.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded CF Industries from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price objective on CF Industries from $115.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $121.11.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on CF Industries
CF Industries Company Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CF) is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.
CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
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CF Industries ve druhém čtvrtletí 2026 vytvořila peněžní tok z provozní činnosti ve výši 878 milionů USD a v červenci 2026 zvýšila čtvrtletní dividendu o 20 % na 0,60 USD na akcii.
Key Takeaways CF Industries generated $878 million in operating cash flow in the second quarter of 2026.CF repurchased $245 million of shares and raised its quarterly dividend 20% to 60 cents.Strong cash flow and a solid balance sheet support growth investments and shareholder returns. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) generated healthy cash flow in the second quarter, supported by strong operational performance, strategic execution and supportive nitrogen-industry fundamentals. Its net cash provided by operating activities totaled $878 million in the second quarter. Its cash and cash equivalents were roughly $2.5 billion at the end of the quarter.
Net cash from operating activities rose to $1.37 billion in the first half of 2026 from $1.15 billion a year earlier. The trailing 12-month free cash flow was $1.82 billion. Notably, CF generated net cash from operating activities of $2.75 billion and free cash flow of $1.79 billion in 2025, up roughly 21% and 24% year over year, respectively.
CF’s substantial cash flows and strong balance sheet enable it to finance its strategic growth investment, pay down debt and drive shareholder value. The company returned $1.7 billion to its shareholders in 2025. It repurchased 16.6 million shares for $1.34 billion during 2025.
The company repurchased 2.2 million shares for $245 million in the first half of 2026, including 2 million shares for $230 million in the second quarter. Since the current $2 billion program began in October 2025, the company has repurchased 5.6 million shares for about $523 million, leaving roughly $1.48 billion authorized through 2029 as of June 30, 2026. In July 2026, the board also raised the quarterly dividend by 20% to 60 cents per share, reinforcing management’s stated commitment to return capital while funding high-return investments.
The company is expected to continue generating significant free cash flow, leveraging its high-margin business, strategic execution and favorable global nitrogen industry dynamics. This would allow CF to invest in growth opportunities and enhance returns to its shareholders.
Among its peers, Nutrien Ltd. (NTR - Free Report) generated solid cash flows in the second quarter, thanks to higher fertilizer benchmark pricing. NTR’s cash provided by operating activities was $2.48 billion in the second quarter. Nutrien returned $848 million to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the first half of 2026.
The Mosaic Company’s (MOS - Free Report) cash flow from operating activities totaled $167.4 million in the second quarter, down from $609.5 million a year ago. Mosaic’s free cash flow was negative $152.9 million in the quarter. MOS expects free cash flow to improve through the remainder of 2026, driven by lower capital expenditures and an expected release of working capital.
CF’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesCF Industries has gained 29.1% in the past year compared with the Zacks Fertilizers industry’s decline of 48%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, CF is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 10.24, a 26.5% discount relative to the industry average of 13.93X. It carries a Value Score of A.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CF’s 2026 and 2027 earnings implies a year-over-year rise of 57.3% and a decline of 29.6%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 and 2027 have been trending lower over the past 60 days.
MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB ve třetím čtvrtletí koupila 149 447 akcií společnosti CF Industries a zvýšila svůj podíl na 150 194 akcií v hodnotě 19,025 milionu USD.
MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB grew its stake in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 20,006.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 150,194 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after purchasing an additional 149,447 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB owned approximately 0.10% of CF Industries worth $19,025,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. S&CO Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of CF Industries in the 2nd quarter worth $2,630,000. Teamwork Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in CF Industries during the second quarter worth about $10,108,000. Saudi Central Bank grew its stake in shares of CF Industries by 86.8% in the 2nd quarter. Saudi Central Bank now owns 10,753 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,164,000 after buying an additional 4,996 shares during the period. Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. grew its stake in shares of CF Industries by 27.1% in the 2nd quarter. Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. now owns 62,022 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $6,708,000 after buying an additional 13,220 shares during the period. Finally, AIA Group Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of CF Industries during the 1st quarter worth approximately $3,428,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. HSBC decreased their price objective on CF Industries from $130.00 to $121.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded CF Industries from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $98.00 to $110.00 in a report on Monday, September 28th. Weiss Ratings raised CF Industries from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of CF Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of CF Industries from $115.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $121.11.
Get Our Latest Analysis on CF Industries CF Industries Stock Up 0.0% NYSE:CF opened at $115.04 on Monday. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 52 week low of $75.42 and a 52 week high of $141.96. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $124.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $121.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.22 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a quick ratio of 4.32, a current ratio of 4.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.63 by ($0.90). CF Industries had a net margin of 27.12% and a return on equity of 24.41%. The firm had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.45 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.37 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.9 EPS for the current year.
CF Industries Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th were paid a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. This is a positive change from CF Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. CF Industries’s payout ratio is 17.79%.
CF Industries Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CF) is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.
CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
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Akcie výrobců hnojiv v pondělí klesly poté, co Trump uvedl, že USA jsou blízko dohody o nákupu draslíku z Běloruska. Nutrien spadl o více než 4 %, Mosaic a Intrepid Potash o více než 2 % a CF Industries asi o 3 %.
Shares of major fertilizer producers fell Monday after President Trump said the United States was nearing a deal to purchase potash from Belarus.
Nutrien (NYSE:NTR) shares slid over 4% to $73.97, Mosaic Co (NYSE:MOS) fell over 2% to $23.77, Intrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI) dropped over 2% to $36.70, and CF Industries (CF Industries Holdings Inc (NYSE:CF)) slid roughly 3%.
“The United States is working on a massive Deal with respect to the purchase of Potash from Belarus,” Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform, on Monday morning.
“The pricing would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada, very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers,” he further wrote.
The proposed deal could disrupt the North American potash market, where Canadian producers have traditionally held a dominant position.
Lower-priced imports from Belarus could pressure margins for US and Canadian fertilizer companies.
Potash is a key ingredient in fertilizers used in agriculture to improve crop yields.
The US currently relies heavily on Canadian imports to meet domestic demand for the crop nutrient.
The potential Belarus deal comes as Washington and Ottawa remain locked in a wider tariff dispute, with the US imposing tariffs on Canadian goods and Canada responding with retaliatory measures.
Corient Private Wealth LP lessened its holdings in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 65.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 51,963 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 98,475 shares during the quarter. Corient Private Wealth LP’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $5,626,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Amundi grew its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 50.4% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 1,356,819 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $146,888,000 after buying an additional 454,529 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its holdings in CF Industries by 253.0% in the 2nd quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 68,103 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $7,373,000 after buying an additional 48,811 shares during the period. Groupe la Francaise lifted its position in shares of CF Industries by 17.2% during the 2nd quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 56,553 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,122,000 after buying an additional 8,299 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new position in shares of CF Industries during the second quarter valued at $44,614,000. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital raised its position in CF Industries by 21.1% in the 2nd quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 3,074 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $359,000 after purchasing an additional 536 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp started coverage on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $115.00 price objective on the stock. HSBC lowered their target price on shares of CF Industries from $130.00 to $121.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of CF Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on CF Industries from $86.00 to $106.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded CF Industries from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $116.47.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on CF CF Industries Price Performance Shares of CF opened at $127.76 on Friday. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $75.42 and a 12-month high of $141.96. The stock has a market cap of $19.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.47, a P/E/G ratio of 0.26 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a quick ratio of 4.32, a current ratio of 4.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The business’s fifty day moving average is $125.63 and its 200 day moving average is $120.86.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.63 by ($0.90). The company had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a return on equity of 24.41% and a net margin of 27.12%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.37 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
CF Industries Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th were paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. This is a positive change from CF Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. CF Industries’s payout ratio is currently 17.79%.
CF Industries Profile (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc is a global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and nitric acid, which are used primarily in agriculture to support crop production. Its industrial products also serve customers in areas such as emissions control, plastics, resins, chemicals and other manufacturing applications.
CF Industries operates production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and supplies agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.
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Akcie CF Industries za tři měsíce vzrostly o 24,3 % díky silné poptávce po dusíku a vyšším cenám. Firma zároveň odkoupila 5,6 milionu akcií za 523 milionů USD a zvýšila čtvrtletní dividendu.
Key Takeaways CF Industries' shares have rallied 24.3% over the past three months, outpacing the industry.Nitrogen supply is expected to remain constrained through 2026 and 2027 as demand outpaces capacity. CF Industries repurchased 5.6 million shares for $523 million and raised its quarterly dividend. CF Industries Holdings, Inc.’s (CF - Free Report) shares have rallied 24.3% over the past three months. The company has also outperformed the Zacks Fertilizers industry’s 19.1% rise over the same time frame.
CF Industries’ shares have rallied on expectations of strong nitrogen demand, firm selling prices and tightening global supply. The company’s robust cash flow, higher shareholder returns and growth investments have further supported investor sentiment.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s take a look at the factors that are driving CF stock.
CF Industries Gains From Higher Prices and Nitrogen DemandCF Industries should benefit from durable nitrogen demand through 2026 and into 2027. Management expects global nitrogen demand to remain constructive as lower prices entering the second half of 2026 encourage deferred purchases. India, Southeast Asia and other markets are expected to import urea at or above second-half 2025 levels.
The company projects Indian urea imports of 10-11 million metric tons in 2026 and Brazilian imports of 7-8 million metric tons, with Brazil demand weighted to the second half. In North America, July 2026 ammonia and UAN fill programs saw firm uptake while channel inventories are projected below average. Over the long term, management expects global nitrogen capacity additions under construction to lag demand growth over the next four years, tightening the supply-demand balance.
Higher selling prices lifted second-quarter 2026 net sales to $2.22 billion from $1.89 billion a year earlier, with prices higher across all segments. CF operated at 98% of available ammonia capacity in the first half, helping it capture favorable market conditions despite the Yazoo outage. The Iran conflict disrupted Middle East trade, with management estimating losses of 4-4.5 million metric tons of urea and about 1 million tons of ammonia. Prices returned to pre-conflict levels by quarter-end, but management expects supply to remain constrained through 2026 and into 2027 as geopolitical risks and European production economics limit availability.
CF Industries Balances Growth and Capital ReturnsCF Industries continues to deploy cash through buybacks and dividends. It repurchased 2.2 million shares for $245 million in the first half of 2026, including 2 million shares for $230 million in the second quarter. Since the current $2 billion program began in October 2025, the company has repurchased 5.6 million shares for about $523 million, leaving roughly $1.48 billion authorized through 2029 as of June 30, 2026. In July 2026, the board also raised the quarterly dividend by 20% to 60 cents per share, reinforcing management’s stated commitment to return capital while funding high-return investments.
CF Industries ended the second quarter with $2.48 billion of cash and cash equivalents, including $341 million held by Blue Point One, while long-term debt was essentially unchanged at $3.22 billion. Net cash from operating activities rose to $1.37 billion in the first half of 2026 from $1.15 billion a year earlier. Trailing 12-month free cash flow was $1.82 billion. Management expects CF-funded capital expenditures of about $950 million in 2026, excluding the Yazoo City rebuild. Blue Point’s partners fund the joint venture according to ownership interests. Permits received in July 2026 allow construction to commence in August. This financial capacity supports growth investment alongside ongoing capital returns.
CF’s Zacks Rank & Key PickCF currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Worthington Steel, Inc. (WS - Free Report) , Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) and Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) . WS sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while CRS and AVNT carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WS’ current-year earnings stands at $3.4 per share, implying a 52.5% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice, with the negative average surprise being 13.8%. Shares of the company have fallen about 20.4% over the past three months.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ current-year earnings is pegged at $13.28 per share, implying a 23.4% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 8.4%. Shares of CRS have fallen around 25.1% over the past three months.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVNT’s current-year earnings is pegged at $3.2 per share, indicating a 13.5% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 3.4%. Shares of AVNT have surged around 9.3% over the past three months.
CF Industries za měsíc po posledních výsledcích přidala asi 18,1 % a překonala S&P 500. Zisk i výnosy za 2. čtvrtletí sice meziročně vzrostly, ale oba ukazatele zaostaly za odhady.
A month has gone by since the last earnings report for CF Industries (CF - Free Report) . Shares have added about 18.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is CF due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.
CF Industries’ Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates Despite Strong Nitrogen PricingCF Industries reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $4.73 per share, up 99.6% from $2.37 in the year-ago quarter. The figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.65 by 16.3%.
Net sales increased 17.6% year over year to $2.22 billion but missed the consensus estimate of $2.43 billion by 8.7%. Higher average selling prices across all segments supported growth, while total sales volume declined 15.3% to 4.25 million tons.
Segmental Review Ammonia segment net sales rose 19.3% year over year to $586 million. Adjusted gross margin increased to $288 million from $188 million. An increase in the average selling price more than offset a decline in sales volume. Higher prices supported profitability, while lower supply availability and maintenance costs remained headwinds.
Granular Urea segment net sales climbed 38.8% to $759 million. Adjusted gross margin advanced to $551 million from $351 million. Sales volume and the average selling price rose. Greater product availability and a production mix favoring granular urea supported volumes, while stronger pricing lifted margins despite higher natural gas costs.
UAN segment net sales edged up 0.5% to $613 million. Adjusted gross margin rose to $403 million from $342 million. A rise in the average selling price offset a reduction in sales volume. Lower global demand and a production mix favoring granular urea pressured volumes, while higher freight, distribution and natural gas costs partly offset the pricing benefit.
AN segment’s net sales decreased 39.3% to $71 million. The segment recorded an adjusted gross loss of $1 million compared with an adjusted gross margin of $35 million a year earlier. Sales volume plunged because of lost production at the Yazoo City Complex, outweighing an increase in the average selling price. Higher purchased ammonia costs and outage-related expenses also pressured results.
Financials As of June 30, 2026, CF Industries had cash and cash equivalents of $2.48 billion. Long-term debt was $3.22 billion. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $878 million in the second quarter. CF Industries repurchased 2 million shares for $230 million during the quarter. The company bought back 2.2 million shares for $245 million in the first half, leaving roughly $1.48 billion under its current authorization.
Outlook CF Industries expects full-year 2026 gross ammonia production of approximately 9.5 million tons, including the effect of the ongoing Yazoo City outage. Management expects ammonia, AN solution, nitric acid, UAN solution and urea liquor production at the complex to resume during the first half of 2027. The company projects 2026 capital expenditures of about $1.3 billion on a consolidated basis.
Management expects nitrogen supply to remain constrained and demand to remain constructive through the end of 2026 and into 2027. Lower nitrogen prices entering the second half of 2026 are expected to support demand in India, Southeast Asia, Brazil and other import markets. North American nitrogen demand for the 2027 growing season is also expected to remain firm.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates revision.
The consensus estimate has shifted -20% due to these changes.
VGM ScoresAt this time, CF has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
OutlookEstimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Interestingly, CF has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry PlayerCF belongs to the Zacks Fertilizers industry. Another stock from the same industry, Mosaic (MOS - Free Report) , has gained 8.7% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026.
Mosaic reported revenues of $2.82 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -6%. EPS of $0.13 for the same period compares with $0.51 a year ago.
Mosaic is expected to post earnings of $0.09 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -91.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -64.2%.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Mosaic. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of D.
CF Industries za tři měsíce vzrostla o 14,6 % díky silné poptávce po dusíku, vyšším cenám a napjatější globální nabídce. Firma zároveň odkoupila 2,2 milionu akcií v první polovině roku a zvýšila čtvrtletní dividendu o 20 %.
Key Takeaways CF Industries shares rallied 14.6% in three months, outpacing the Fertilizers industry's 5.3% growth. Strong nitrogen demand, higher prices and tighter global supply support CF Industries' outlook through 2027. CF Industries repurchased 2.2 million shares in the first half and raised its quarterly dividend 20%. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) shares have rallied 14.6% in the past three months. The company has also outperformed the Zacks Fertilizers industry’s 5.3% growth over the same time frame.
CF Industries’ rally is supported by strong nitrogen demand, higher fertilizer prices and a tightening global supply-demand balance, reinforced by geopolitical disruptions that constrain supply. Robust cash flow, aggressive share buybacks and a 20% dividend increase further strengthen investor confidence and shareholder returns.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s take a look at the factors that are driving CF stock.
CF Industries Benefits From Durable Nitrogen DemandCF Industries is expected to benefit from durable nitrogen demand through 2026 and into 2027. Management expects global nitrogen demand to remain constructive as lower prices entering the second half of 2026 encourage deferred purchases. India, Southeast Asia and other markets are expected to import urea at or above second-half 2025 levels.
The company projects Indian urea imports of roughly 10-11 million metric tons in 2026 and Brazilian imports of roughly 7-8 million metric tons, with Brazil demand weighted to the second half. In North America, July 2026 ammonia and UAN fill programs saw firm uptake while channel inventories are projected below average. Management expects global nitrogen capacity additions under construction to lag demand growth over the next four years, tightening the supply-demand balance.
Higher selling prices lifted second-quarter 2026 net sales to $2.22 billion from $1.89 billion a year earlier, with prices higher across all segments. CF operated at 98% of available ammonia capacity in the first half, helping it capture favorable market conditions despite the Yazoo outage.
The Iran conflict disrupted Middle East trade, with management estimating losses of 4-4.5 million metric tons of urea and about 1 million tons of ammonia. Prices returned to pre-conflict levels by quarter-end, but management expects supply to remain constrained through 2026 and into 2027 as geopolitical risks and European production economics limit availability.
CF Industries Expands Shareholder Returns Through BuybacksCF Industries continues to deploy cash through buybacks and dividends. It repurchased 2.2 million shares for $245 million in the first half of 2026, including 2 million shares for $230 million in the second quarter. Since the current $2 billion program began in October 2025, the company has repurchased 5.6 million shares for about $523 million, leaving roughly $1.48 billion authorized through 2029 as of June 30, 2026. In July 2026, the board also raised the quarterly dividend by 20% to 60 cents per share.
CF Industries ended the second quarter with $2.48 billion of cash and cash equivalents, including $341 million held by Blue Point One, while long-term debt was essentially unchanged at $3.22 billion. Net cash from operating activities rose to $1.37 billion in the first half of 2026 from $1.15 billion a year earlier. Trailing 12-month free cash flow was $1.82 billion. Management expects CF-funded capital expenditures of about $950 million in 2026, excluding the Yazoo City rebuild. Blue Point’s partners fund the joint venture according to ownership interests. Permits received in July 2026 allow construction to commence in August.
CF’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksCF currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Worthington Steel, Inc. (WS - Free Report) , Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) and Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) . WS currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while CRS and AVNT carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WS’ current-year earnings stands at $3.4 per share, implying a 52.5% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice, with the negative average surprise being 13.8%. Shares of the company are down around 21.4% in the past three months.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ current-year earnings is pegged at $13.09 per share, implying a 21.7% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 8.4%. Shares of CRS have fell around 2.2% in the past three months.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVNT’s current-year earnings is pegged at $3.2 per share, indicating a 13.5% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 3.4%. Shares of AVNT have surged around 25.1% in the past three months.
CF Industries a partneři zahájili výstavbu nízkouhlíkového amoniakového závodu Blue Point One za 3,7 mld. USD v Louisianě. Po dokončení má mít kapacitu 1,4 milionu tun ročně a zachytit asi 98 % CO2.
Key Takeaways CF Industries and partners have begun construction of the $3.7B Blue Point One low-carbon ammonia plant.Blue Point One is set for 1.4M metric tons of annual capacity and is expected to start production in 2029.The plant is designed to capture and permanently sequester about 98% of carbon dioxide from production. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) , JERA Co. and Mitsui & Co. have begun the construction of Blue Point One, a $3.7 billion low-carbon ammonia plant in Louisiana. The project is expected to strengthen CF’s position in the evolving low-carbon ammonia market by serving both traditional agricultural customers and emerging energy applications.
Blue Point One will have an annual production capacity of 1.4 million metric tons, making it the world’s largest low-carbon ammonia plant upon completion. The facility is expected to begin production in 2029. The project brings together the world’s largest producer of ammonia and Japan's largest energy company, JERA Co., with a pioneering investment and trading company, Mitsui & Co.
The project will use autothermal reforming technology and is designed to capture and permanently sequester approximately 98% of the carbon dioxide generated during production. This is expected to give the facility one of the lowest environmental footprints among large-scale ammonia plants.
CF Industries owns a 40% stake in the joint venture, with JERA holding 35% and Mitsui owning 25%. CF Industries will also invest an additional $550 million in shared infrastructure to support future ammonia production and fertilizer upgrades.
The development is further supported by Linde’s investment of more than $400 million in an on-site air-separation unit, while a joint venture between 1PointFive and Enbridge will transport and permanently sequester the captured carbon dioxide.
CF shares have gained 43.9% over the past year against the industry’s 43.5% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CF’s Zacks Rank & Key PicksCF currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Neo Performance Materials Inc. (NOPMF - Free Report) , Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) and Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) .
While NOPMF currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), CRS and AVNT carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NOPMF’s 2026 earnings is pinned at $1.4 per share, indicating a 185.71% year-over-year increase. NOPMF’sshares have gained 91.6% over the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ fiscal 2027 earnings is pegged at $12.92 per share, indicating a rise of 20.07% year over year. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.39%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVNT’s current-year earnings is pinned at $3.2 per share, indicating a 13.48% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 3.4%. AVNT’s shares have gained 20.3% over the past year.
CF Industries ve 2. čtvrtletí vykázala EPS 4,73 USD a tržby 2,22 miliardy USD, obojí pod odhady. Zároveň zvýšila čtvrtletní dividendu na 0,60 USD na akcii.
Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF – Free Report) by 27.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 62,022 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 13,220 shares during the period. CF Industries comprises about 2.8% of Deane Retirement Strategies Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. Deane Retirement Strategies Inc.’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $6,708,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in CF Industries by 3.4% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,458,907 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $579,062,000 after buying an additional 146,682 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its holdings in CF Industries by 15.3% during the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,587,999 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $321,852,000 after buying an additional 476,769 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in CF Industries by 12.0% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,570,249 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $276,123,000 after buying an additional 381,716 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its position in CF Industries by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 3,287,256 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $302,428,000 after acquiring an additional 11,792 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in CF Industries by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,147,611 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $243,436,000 after acquiring an additional 163,320 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.06% of the company’s stock.
CF Industries Trading Up 0.0% Shares of NYSE:CF opened at $114.39 on Monday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $114.22 and its 200 day moving average is $113.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 4.86 and a quick ratio of 4.32. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 1 year low of $75.42 and a 1 year high of $141.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 0.39.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.63 by ($0.90). CF Industries had a return on equity of 24.41% and a net margin of 27.12%.The business had revenue of $2.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.45 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.37 EPS. CF Industries’s revenue was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 15.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
CF Industries Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th will be paid a $0.60 dividend. This is a boost from CF Industries’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 14.83%.
Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently commented on CF. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on CF Industries from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $129.00 target price on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of CF Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 18th. Zacks Research lowered shares of CF Industries from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $140.00 to $135.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $116.25.
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Key CF Industries News Here are the key news stories impacting CF Industries this week:
Positive Sentiment: CF Industries is beginning construction on its approximately $4 billion Blue Point blue ammonia project in Louisiana. The project could expand the company’s lower-carbon ammonia business and support long-term growth. CF Industries to begin construction of $4bn Louisiana blue ammonia project Positive Sentiment: Management is targeting approximately $3.3 billion in mid-cycle EBITDA by 2030 and indicated that higher construction costs are improving the economics of new nitrogen capacity. Tight industry fundamentals are expected to persist into 2027, potentially supporting pricing and margins. CF Industries targets $3.3B mid-cycle EBITDA by 2030 Positive Sentiment: CF Industries reportedly hinted at developing a second blue ammonia plant, potentially strengthening its competitive position as some rivals retreat from similar projects. CF Industries hints at second blue ammonia plant as rivals retreat Neutral Sentiment: The company’s earnings call emphasized greater mid-cycle earnings power and favorable nitrogen-market fundamentals, but the benefits are longer term and depend on successful project execution and sustained pricing. CF Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Mid-Cycle Earnings Power Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter earnings fell short of expectations: EPS was $4.73 versus a $5.63 consensus, while revenue of $2.22 billion also missed estimates. Lower volumes and a Yazoo City outage offset stronger nitrogen pricing, putting near-term pressure on the stock. CF Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates Despite Strong Nitrogen Pricing About CF Industries (Free Report)
CF Industries Holdings, Inc is a leading global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products for agricultural and industrial customers. The company specializes in the production of ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), nitric acid and ammonium nitrate, which serve as key inputs for fertilizer blends, industrial chemicals and other downstream applications.
Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, CF Industries operates production facilities and distribution terminals across North America and the United Kingdom.
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CF Industries oznámila za první pololetí upravený zisk před úroky, daněmi, odpisy a amortizací (EBITDA) ve výši 2,2 miliardy USD a za 2. čtvrtletí 1,2 miliardy USD díky silné poptávce po dusíku a omezené nabídce.
Not Just Oil: 3 Fertilizer Stocks Boosted by Hormuz ClosureCF Industries NYSE: CF reported first-half 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $2.2 billion and second-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $1.2 billion, as tight global nitrogen supply-demand conditions and strong operating performance supported results.
Net earnings attributable to common stockholders totaled $1.3 billion, or $8.71 per diluted share, for the first half, including $727 million, or $4.73 per diluted share, in the second quarter, Chief Financial Officer Andrew Scribner said during the company’s earnings call.
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Top 3 Bank Stocks to Watch as Fed Rate Cuts LoomPresident and CEO Chris Bohn said the company operated its available ammonia capacity at nearly 98% during the first half. He also highlighted a trailing 12-month incident rate of 0.16 incidents per 200,000 hours worked, which he said was below industry averages.
Supply Constraints Support Nitrogen Market Chief Commercial Officer Bert Frost said global nitrogen prices rose during the first half as an already-tight market was further constrained by supply disruptions associated with the conflict with Iran. While some customers in regions with later application seasons deferred purchases amid higher prices, North American agricultural demand remained strong through most of the period, particularly for ammonia and urea.
Regional Bank Buybacks: 5 Institutions Making Big MovesCF Industries shifted production toward urea from UAN during the first half, Frost said, while also delivering its second-highest first-half diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF, volumes. DEF was the company’s highest-margin product during the period.
Purchasing slowed in North America during June as the nitrogen distribution channel reduced inventories to low levels. However, Frost said those inventory positions supported strong participation in the company’s UAN and ammonia fill programs in July. CF Industries built a UAN order book extending into November and expects a strong fall ammonia season, he said.
The company expects the global nitrogen market to remain tight into 2027. Frost cited higher capital costs, permanent capacity closures, limited new capacity additions, geopolitical uncertainty, elevated logistics and insurance costs, and high liquefied natural gas prices affecting marginal producers.
China is expected to export urea volumes similar to last year, according to Frost. While those exports are needed to meet global demand, he said they are not expected to materially loosen market conditions. CF Industries also expects purchasing activity to recover in deferred markets, including Brazil and India, while North American demand remains firm through upcoming application seasons.
Higher Construction Costs Raise Mid-Cycle Outlook Management raised its baseline mid-cycle outlook, projecting approximately $2.9 billion in EBITDA and $1.7 billion in free cash flow. Scribner said the revised outlook reflects higher construction costs for new nitrogen capacity in regions with low-cost natural gas, which have narrowed the historic cost advantage those locations held over North American projects.
During the question-and-answer session, Bohn said the company’s assumed NOLA urea price increased to $385 per short ton from $355 per short ton. Of the $30 increase, he estimated that roughly $10 could be linked to structural changes associated with geopolitical disruptions, including higher freight, insurance and risk-related costs. The remainder principally reflects higher capital costs, he said.
Scribner said the company’s analysis assumes a 1.3 million- to 1.4 million-ton capacity site with capital spending of approximately $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion, natural gas costs of $3.50, and a 10% to 12% financial return.
By 2030, CF Industries expects initiatives already underway to lift mid-cycle EBITDA to approximately $3.3 billion. Scribner said that expected $400 million increase includes about $300 million from the Blue Point project and $100 million from additional carbon-capture benefits at Donaldsonville and Yazoo City.
Blue Point and Yazoo City Projects Advance Bohn said Blue Point has received all necessary construction permits, nearly all long-lead equipment has been ordered, and module fabrication is expected to begin later this year. Construction is expected to begin in August, accelerating the company’s capital-expenditure pace.
CF Industries expects 2026 capital expenditures of approximately $1.3 billion, with the company’s share totaling about $950 million. Bohn said roughly 50% of Blue Point capital expenditures are fixed through engineering, module-yard work and certain lump-sum turnkey infrastructure contracts.
At Yazoo City, the company now expects operations to resume during the first half of 2027, rather than late 2026. Bohn said the revised schedule primarily reflects longer procurement timelines for electrical equipment.
The site will no longer produce prilled ammonium nitrate. Instead, it will produce ammonia, ammonium nitrate solution and DEF, changes management said are intended to improve the complex’s operational and logistics flexibility. Scribner said CF Industries has recorded nearly $50 million in equipment impairments connected with Yazoo City and has received about $75 million in insurance recoveries to date, including property damage and business interruption proceeds.
Cash Flow, Dividend and Share Repurchases Trailing 12-month net cash from operations was approximately $3 billion and free cash flow was approximately $1.8 billion, Scribner said. Over that period, CF Industries returned nearly $1.3 billion to shareholders, including $958 million used to repurchase 10.6 million shares and $314 million in dividend payments.
In July, the board increased the quarterly dividend 20% to $0.60 per share. Since the start of 2021, shares outstanding have declined 29%, while the company’s dividend has doubled, Scribner said.
Bohn said CF Industries remains committed to share repurchases and views its shares as undervalued. Management said its capital-allocation priorities remain strategic growth investments, share repurchases and dividends.
The company also said its low-carbon ammonia sales program continued to gain momentum. About 10% of ammonia sales volume in the first half was low carbon and earned an average premium of more than $20 per ton, according to Frost.
About CF Industries (NYSE:CF)CF Industries Holdings, Inc is a leading global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products for agricultural and industrial customers. The company specializes in the production of ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), nitric acid and ammonium nitrate, which serve as key inputs for fertilizer blends, industrial chemicals and other downstream applications.
Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, CF Industries operates production facilities and distribution terminals across North America and the United Kingdom.
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CF Industries (CF - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $4.73 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.65 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.37 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -16.28%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this fertilizer maker would post earnings of $2.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.89, delivering a surprise of +18.93%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
CF, which belongs to the Zacks Fertilizers industry, posted revenues of $2.22 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.74%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.89 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
CF shares have added about 52.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 13%.
What's Next for CF?While CF has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for CF was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $3.71 on $1.98 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $16.69 on $8.7 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Fertilizers is currently in the bottom 28% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE - Free Report) , another stock in the broader Zacks Basic Materials sector, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.
This ethanol production, marketing and commodities company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.65 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +258.5%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 11.3% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
Green Plains Renewable Energy's revenues are expected to be $528.9 million, down 4.3% from the year-ago quarter.
CF Industries čeká za 2. čtvrtletí tržby 2 434,7 mil. USD, tedy meziročně o 28,8 % více, díky silné poptávce po dusíkatých hnojivech. Zisk ale může tlumit vyšší cena zemního plynu.
Key Takeaways CF reports Q2 results on Aug. 5 after beating earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters.CF is expected to post higher Q2 sales as strong nitrogen demand and pricing support performance.CF may face pressure from higher natural gas costs despite expected gains in sales volumes and pricing. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) is set to release second-quarter 2026 results after the closing bell on Aug. 5.
The company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the last four quarters at an average of 11.4%. The benefits of healthy nitrogen fertilizer demand in major markets and higher nitrogen prices are expected to reflect on its second quarter performance.
CF’s shares have gained 27.6% in a year, outperforming the Zacks Fertilizers industry’s 47.9% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.
What do CF’s Revenue Estimates Indicate?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CF’s second-quarter consolidated sales is currently pegged at $2,434.7 million, calling for an increase of 28.8% from the year-ago quarter’s tally.
Factors at Play for CF StockCF Industries is expected to have benefited from strong global demand for nitrogen fertilizers fueled by robust agricultural needs. Global nitrogen requirements are expected to have remained strong in the June quarter due to healthy industrial demand and farmer economics.
Demand in North America is being fueled by favorable farm economics. CF Industries is also seeing strong demand for urea from Brazil and India. These two countries are expected to remain significant importers of urea globally, driven by higher domestic requirements.
CF, on its first-quarter call, said the global nitrogen market remains tight in 2026 due to strong demand, geopolitical disruptions and constrained natural gas availability. The Middle East conflict has further tightened the global nitrogen supply-demand balance.
Higher demand is expected to have driven the company’s sales volumes in the second quarter. Our estimate for total sales volumes (thousand tons) is 5,740 for the second quarter, indicating a 14.3% year-over-year rise.
Higher nitrogen prices are also likely to have supported the company’s performance in the second quarter. In the first quarter, net sales rose roughly 19% year over year on pricing strength. The average selling prices for the company’s core products increased compared to the prior year, driven by supply disruptions and strong global nitrogen demand. The favorable pricing trends are expected to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter.
CF is expected to have faced headwinds from higher costs stemming from an uptick in natural gas prices. Higher prices of natural gas, a key feedstock for nitrogen fertilizer, have resulted in increased production costs for CF. It saw higher natural gas costs in the first quarter. The average cost of natural gas increased to $4.57 per MMBtu (million metric British thermal unit) from $3.68 per MMBtu a year ago, leading to a higher cost of sales. Natural gas prices have shot up in Europe and Asia due to constrained supply availability.
What Our Model Unveils for CF StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for CF this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here.
Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for CF is -0.18%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the second quarter is currently pegged at $5.65. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: CF currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Basic Materials Stocks That Warrant a LookHere are some companies in the basic materials space you may want to consider as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:
Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) , scheduled to release earnings on Aug. 6, has an Earnings ESP of +0.87% and carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for AVNT’s earnings for the second quarter is currently pegged at 89 cents.
Materion Corporation (MTRN - Free Report) , slated to release earnings on Aug. 5, has an Earnings ESP of +5.39% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The consensus mark for MTRN’s second-quarter earnings is currently pegged at $1.55.
Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) , scheduled to release earnings on Aug. 5, has an Earnings ESP of +2.21%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALB's earnings for the second quarter is currently pegged at $3.35. ALB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
CF Industries čeká za čtvrtletí zisk 5,65 USD na akcii, což je meziročně o 138,4 % více, při tržbách 2,43 miliardy USD. Výsledky mají být zveřejněny 5. srpna.
CF Industries (CF - Free Report) is expected to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.
The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on August 5. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus EstimateThis fertilizer maker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $5.65 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +138.4%.
Revenues are expected to be $2.43 billion, up 28.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.09% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for CF?For CF, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.18%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that CF will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that CF would post earnings of $2.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.89, delivering a surprise of +18.93%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
CF doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAnother stock from the Zacks Fertilizers industry, Mosaic (MOS - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.09 per share for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -82.4%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $3.05 billion, up 1.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Mosaic has been revised 2.8% down to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of +18.92%, reflecting a higher Most Accurate Estimate.
This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Mosaic will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
CF Industries schválila 20% zvýšení čtvrtletní dividendy na 60 centů na akcii, splatné 31. srpna 2026. Firma zároveň těží ze silné poptávky po dusíku a těsného globálního trhu v roce 2026.
Key Takeaways CF approved a 20% higher quarterly dividend of 60 cents per share, payable on Aug. 31, 2026. CF benefits from strong nitrogen demand, favorable pricing and a tight 2026 global market. CF returned $1.7 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and buybacks, backed by robust FCF. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) recently announced that its board has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 60 cents per share, representing a 20% increase from its previous quarterly dividend. The dividend will be paid on Aug. 31, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Aug. 14, 2026.
The higher dividend underscores management's confidence in the company's financial strength, cash flow generation and long-term earnings outlook. It also enhances shareholder returns and could improve the stock's attractiveness to income-oriented investors while signaling disciplined capital allocation.
CF Industries is benefiting from strong global demand for nitrogen fertilizers driven by healthy agricultural activity and improving industrial demand. Favorable farm economics and higher corn plantings in the United States are supporting nitrogen consumption, while demand in Brazil is expected to remain strong on increased corn acreage. In India, low inventories, reduced domestic production and supply disruptions due to the Iran war are expected to lift urea imports to 10-12 million metric tons in 2026, per CF’s estimates.
Per CF, the global nitrogen market is expected to remain tight in 2026 as strong demand is met with constrained supply. Geopolitical disruptions, limited natural gas availability and the Middle East conflict have tightened the global supply-demand balance. These market conditions helped drive a 19% year-over-year increase in first-quarter net sales through higher selling prices, and CF Industries is expected to continue benefiting from favorable nitrogen pricing.
CF Industries continues to enhance shareholder returns through strong cash generation and disciplined capital allocation. The company generated $1.79 billion in free cash flow in 2025, up 24% year over year, while net cash from operating activities increased 21% to $2.75 billion. It ended the first quarter with about $2 billion in cash, and its strong free cash flow conversion highlights the efficiency of its operations.
The company returned $1.7 billion to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases, including $1.34 billion used to buy back 16.6 million shares. Since launching its current $2 billion buyback program in October 2025, it has repurchased 3.6 million shares for about $293 million.
Shares of CF are up 26.1% in the past year compared with the industry’s 51.5% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
CF’s Zacks Rank & Other Key PicksCF currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Other top-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space include CSW Industrials, Inc. (CSW - Free Report) , Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. (IDR - Free Report) and Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO - Free Report) . CSW, IDR and SCCO carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CSW’s current-year earnings stands at $12.52 per share, implying a 20.6% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 3.8%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IDR’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.52 per share, implying a 33.3% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 68.7%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SCCO’s current-year earnings is pegged at $7.8 per share, indicating a 48.9% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 9.1%.
