Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting CF Industries Stock Will Climb or Sink?
Sohini Mondal
Barchart
Wed May 14, 11:37AM CDT
With a market cap of $14.9 billion, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of nitrogen-based products used in fertilizer, energy, emissions abatement, and industrial processes. Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, the company operates major production facilities in North America and serves customers across the globe.
Shares of CF Industries have outperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. CF has risen nearly 15% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 12.2%. Moreover, CF stock has increased marginally on a YTD basis, closely aligning SPX's marginal gain.
Looking closer, the fertilizer maker has also outpaced the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLB) 7.5% decline over the past 52 weeks.
Shares of CF Industries recovered marginally following its Q1 2025 report on May 7 due to better-than-expected results, including EPS of $1.85 and net sales of $1.7 billion. Higher global energy costs drove increased average selling prices across key products, while improved production boosted sales volumes. Notably, the Ammonia segment saw a 29% year-over-year sales increase to $520 million and UAN sales rose 11% to $470 million, both exceeding expectations.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December 2025, analysts expect CF's EPS to decline 2.4% year-over-year to $6.58. However, the company's earnings surprise history is promising. It beat the consensus estimates in the last four quarters.
Among the 17 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on five “Strong Buy” ratings, 11 “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
On May 14, Barclays raised its price target for CF Industries to $91 while maintaining an “Equal Weight” rating, citing strong fertilizer prices and solid market demand as key drivers of expected performance gains.
As of writing, CF is trading below the mean price target of $88. The Street-high price target of $110 implies a modest potential upside of 28.8% from the current price levels.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
