CF Industries (NYSE:CF) Shares Up 7.2% After Strong Earnings

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF)’s share price rose 7.2% on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $105.27 and last traded at $102.72. Approximately 1,571,503 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 31% from the average daily volume of 2,261,891 shares. The stock had previously closed at $95.82.

The basic materials company reported $2.59 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.53 by $0.06. CF Industries had a return on equity of 19.84% and a net margin of 20.54%.The firm had revenue of $1.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.78 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.89 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.8% on a year-over-year basis.

CF Industries Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. CF Industries’s payout ratio is presently 24.10%.

CF Industries News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting CF Industries this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 and full‑year results beat expectations — CF reported stronger-than-expected Q4 EPS and revenue, solid adjusted EBITDA and full‑year net earnings, which underpinned a positive outlook on margins and shareholder returns. Business Wire: CF Reports Full Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Operational recovery and 2026 output guidance — management anticipates ~9.5 million tons of ammonia production in 2026 as the Yazoo City recovery continues, which supports revenue/volume recovery prospects. MSN: CF anticipates 9.5M tons ammonia output in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish analyst moves — BMO raised its price target to $115 (outperform) and Wells Fargo lifted its PT to $113 (overweight), signaling upside from some institutional analysts. MarketScreener: BMO raises PT to $115 MarketScreener: Wells Fargo raises PT to $113
• Neutral Sentiment: Company materials and call available — full earnings slide deck and the earnings‑call transcript were published, giving investors detailed guidance and machinery for modeling. Slide Deck Seeking Alpha: Q4 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Cost and volume headwinds — coverage and analyst notes flagged lower volumes and rising natural‑gas costs that could pressure margins if fertilizer prices soften, a risk highlighted in several earnings writeups. Zacks: Q4 beat but higher gas costs and lower volumes noted
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious analyst stance — JPMorgan raised its PT to $94 but kept a neutral rating; that PT sits below the current market level and may cap near‑term upside for some investors. MarketScreener: JPMorgan raises PT to $94 (neutral)

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on CF. Wolfe Research raised shares of CF Industries from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Bank of America cut their price objective on CF Industries from $83.00 to $78.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of CF Industries from $80.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Scotiabank dropped their target price on CF Industries from $90.00 to $82.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of CF Industries from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, CF Industries has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $93.93.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On CF Industries

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 78.0% in the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 292 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC increased its position in CF Industries by 396.2% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 387 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 309 shares during the period. Eastern Bank purchased a new position in CF Industries in the third quarter worth $35,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of CF Industries by 46.3% in the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 493 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Finally, Peterson Wealth Services boosted its holdings in CF Industries by 451.3% during the third quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 441 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 361 shares in the last quarter. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

CF Industries Stock Down 2.3%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 3.37 and a quick ratio of 1.99. The company has a market capitalization of $15.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.79 and a beta of 0.70. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $86.51 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $85.17.

CF Industries Company Profile

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.