CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) Quarterly Earnings Preview

• Vincent Andrews from Morgan Stanley sets a price target of $95 for CF Industries (NYSE:CF), indicating a potential increase of approximately 3.94%.
• CF Industries receives an upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting positive future stock price movements.
• The Zacks Consensus Estimate shows a favorable trend for CF Industries, with an upward trend in earnings estimates.

CF Industries (NYSE:CF) is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of agricultural fertilizers. The company plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector by providing essential nutrients that help increase crop yields. CF Industries competes with other major players in the fertilizer industry, such as Nutrien and Mosaic. The company is known for its strong production capabilities and extensive distribution network.

On June 26, 2025, Vincent Andrews from Morgan Stanley set a price target of $95 for CF Industries (NYSE:CF). At that time, the stock price was $91.40, suggesting a potential price increase of approximately 3.94% to reach the target. This target aligns with the positive outlook for CF Industries, as highlighted by its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks rating system, which focuses on changes in a company's earnings picture, indicates that CF Industries may experience upward stock price movements.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate, which aggregates EPS estimates from analysts, shows a favorable trend for CF Industries in the current and upcoming years. This suggests that the company may perform well in the near term, reflecting an upward trend in earnings estimates. 

During the trading day, CF Industries' stock reached a low of $91.37 and a high of $94.58. Over the past year, the stock has seen a high of $104.45 and a low of $67.34. The company's market capitalization stands at approximately $14.81 billion, with a trading volume of 2,811,503 shares on the NYSE. These figures highlight the stock's volatility and the potential for significant price movements.

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of nitrogen fertilizers. The company is set to release its quarterly earnings on October 30, 2024. Analysts predict an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.05 and revenue of approximately $1.29 billion. This release is crucial as it will provide insights into the company's financial health and market position.

Zacks Investment Research is assessing whether CF stock is undervalued. Their analysis uses the Zacks Rank system, which evaluates earnings estimates and revisions. Despite missing earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, Zacks predicts CF will beat expectations this time. This potential earnings beat could positively impact the stock price.

CF Industries has experienced a 4.1% stock increase over the past year, outperforming the Zacks Fertilizers industry, which saw a 9.8% decline. The company has benefited from strong demand for nitrogen fertilizers and lower natural gas costs. However, softer nitrogen prices may have impacted overall performance. Wall Street expects a year-over-year earnings increase, despite a revenue decline.

CF Industries' financial metrics provide further insights. The company has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.23, indicating investor willingness to pay for each dollar of earnings. Its price-to-sales ratio is 2.51, and the enterprise value to sales ratio is 2.74, reflecting market valuation. The debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59 suggests moderate debt levels, while a current ratio of 4.70 indicates strong liquidity.

The upcoming earnings call will be crucial for investors. Management's discussion will help determine the sustainability of any immediate stock price changes and future earnings expectations. If CF Industries surpasses earnings estimates, the stock may rise. Conversely, if earnings fall short, the stock could decline.

Ben Isaacson of Scotiabank recently updated the price target for CF Industries (CF:NYSE) to $80, suggesting a potential increase of about 7.5% from its current trading price of $74.415. This adjustment, announced on May 6, 2024, reflects a positive outlook on the company's future performance. The announcement came shortly after CF Industries held its first quarter earnings conference call for 2024, which provided investors and analysts with important insights into the company's financial health and strategic direction.

During the earnings call on May 2, 2024, CF Industries' executives, including CEO Tony Will and EVP and COO Chris Bohn, discussed the company's performance in the first quarter of the year. The call was attended by analysts from leading financial institutions, indicating significant interest in CF Industries' business operations and future prospects. This level of engagement from the financial community underscores the importance of CF Industries in the market and its potential for growth.

The company's stock, currently trading at $75.28, has shown resilience and growth, with a 1.60% increase noted. This positive movement in the stock price, fluctuating between $73.92 and $75.32 on the day of the announcement, demonstrates investor confidence in CF Industries. The company's market capitalization stands at approximately $13.76 billion with a trading volume of 831,340 shares, highlighting its significant presence on the New York Stock Exchange.

CF Industries' performance over the past year, with stock prices ranging from a low of $60.08 to a high of $87.9, further supports Isaacson's optimistic price target. The company's ability to navigate market fluctuations and maintain a strong position in the industry is evident from its stock performance and market capitalization. This, combined with the insights shared during the first quarter earnings call, provides a solid foundation for Isaacson's price target adjustment.

The update from Scotiabank, as highlighted by TheFly and coupled with the details shared during the earnings call, paints a promising picture for CF Industries. The company's strategic initiatives and financial performance are key factors driving the positive outlook from analysts and investors alike. As CF Industries continues to execute on its business plan, the potential for reaching the new price target set by Ben Isaacson seems well within reach, reflecting the company's strong position in the market and its potential for future growth.

RBC Capital analysts upgraded CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) to Outperform from Sector Perform and raised their price target to $135 from $110, noting they expect the company to benefit from a favorable nitrogen market outlook and attractive US/International Market energy spreads, that are likely to persist long-term.

The analysts also believe the company has demonstrated a track record of strong operations and execution, and see potential upward Street estimate revisions and strong cash flow ($4.2 billion, 21% yield in 2023 and $2.8 billion, 14% yield in 2024) driving share price upside.

In the near term, the analysts see the potential for significant upward estimate revisions as the Street appears to be discounting very conservative nitrogen price forecasts.

Analysts at RBC Capital provided their outlook on CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) ahead of its Q4 results, expecting the company to deliver a solid quarter with a positive outlook.

Nitrogen prices continued to strengthen during the quarter as European natural gas prices set record highs, resulting in temporary shut-downs and pushing up the global cost curve, which benefited the company as a North American producer using lower-cost natural gas along with higher production quarter-over-quarter after recovering from Hurricane Ida impacts in Q3. The company raised 2021 EBITDA guidance to $2.65-2.85 billion in early December, which implies around $1.2-1.3 billion EBITDA guidance for Q4.

The analysts believe nitrogen prices should stay relatively strong through 2022, with potential upside, which supports strong cash generation that can be deployed to share buybacks and investments into low-carbon ammonia growth.

Analysts at RBC Capital provided their outlook on CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) ahead of its Q4 results, expecting the company to deliver a solid quarter with a positive outlook.

Nitrogen prices continued to strengthen during the quarter as European natural gas prices set record highs, resulting in temporary shut-downs and pushing up the global cost curve, which benefited the company as a North American producer using lower-cost natural gas along with higher production quarter-over-quarter after recovering from Hurricane Ida impacts in Q3. The company raised 2021 EBITDA guidance to $2.65-2.85 billion in early December, which implies around $1.2-1.3 billion EBITDA guidance for Q4.

The analysts believe nitrogen prices should stay relatively strong through 2022, with potential upside, which supports strong cash generation that can be deployed to share buybacks and investments into low-carbon ammonia growth.