Key Points
- EVP Susan Menzel sold 3,914 CF Industries shares on March 3 at an average price of $106.09 for about $415,236, trimming her stake by 4.61% and leaving her with 81,003 shares (~$8.59M).
- Shares rose roughly 6.2% to $117.66 on heavy volume after CF reported a Q performance that beat estimates (EPS $2.59 vs. $2.53; revenue $1.87B, +22.8%) and the company pays a $0.50 quarterly dividend (1.7% yield).
- DOJ antitrust probe into the U.S. fertilizer market is a major near-term risk for CF, even as analysts raise price targets and option activity signals short-term bullish sentiment.
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF - Get Free Report) SVP Michael Patrick Mcgrane sold 2,766 shares of CF Industries stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.36, for a total transaction of $291,425.76. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 22,827 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,405,052.72. The trade was a 10.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.
CF Industries Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:CF traded up $5.29 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $116.07. The company's stock had a trading volume of 4,447,666 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,783,618. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $67.34 and a twelve month high of $120.49. The company has a quick ratio of 2.93, a current ratio of 3.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.84 billion, a PE ratio of 12.90 and a beta of 0.68. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $90.65 and a 200 day moving average of $86.14.
CF Industries (NYSE:CF - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The basic materials company reported $2.59 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.89 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 22.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 5.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.
CF Industries Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.7%. CF Industries's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.22%.
Key Headlines Impacting CF Industries
Here are the key news stories impacting CF Industries this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades & raised estimates — Barclays and other analysts have raised their outlooks and price commentary on CF, citing stronger fundamentals, pushing sentiment higher. CF Industries (NYSE:CF) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Barclays Analyst Says
- Positive Sentiment: EPS estimate increases — Zacks and other analysts bumped near‑term EPS forecasts (Q1/Q2), supporting buy-side views that recent earnings momentum can continue. CF Industries Q1 EPS Forecast Increased by Zacks Research
- Positive Sentiment: Unusual call buying — Large spike in call option volume (about 7,524 calls, ~148% above normal) signals short‑term bullish positioning from traders, adding upward pressure on the stock.
- Neutral Sentiment: Valuation focus after gains — Coverage pieces are assessing whether CF’s rally has stretched valuation despite solid fundamentals; this may temper momentum if investors demand higher proof of sustained earnings. Assessing CF Industries Holdings (CF) Valuation After Strong Recent Share Price Gains
- Neutral Sentiment: Broader market & investor flows — Hedge‑fund/industry commentary highlights CF in roundups; useful for context but less likely to move price absent fresh company‑specific catalysts. Hedge Fund and Insider Trading News (CF included)
- Negative Sentiment: DOJ antitrust probe — Federal investigators are probing the U.S. fertilizer market for potential price‑fixing; CF is named among firms under scrutiny. This is the largest near‑term downside risk because it could lead to fines, legal costs, or reputational damage. DOJ Antitrust Probe Targets Fertilizer Makers Including CF Industries
- Negative Sentiment: DOJ coverage corroboration — Additional reporting details the scope of the probe into fertilizer pricing dynamics, reinforcing regulatory risk that could weigh on investor confidence. DOJ probes U.S. fertilizer market for possible price fixing
- Negative Sentiment: Recent insider sales — Two senior executives (SVP Michael McGrane and EVP Susan Menzel) reported sizable share sales in early March, which can be perceived negatively by some investors even though reported holdings remain significant. SEC filings: SVP Sale SEC Filing and EVP Sale SEC Filing
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research firms have recently commented on CF. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $100.00 price objective on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Mizuho set a $95.00 price target on CF Industries in a report on Thursday, February 19th. HSBC cut their price objective on shares of CF Industries from $95.00 to $91.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 24th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $72.00 target price on shares of CF Industries in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on CF Industries from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, CF Industries has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $96.87.
View Our Latest Stock Report on CF
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in CF Industries by 3.1% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 17,500 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,368,000 after purchasing an additional 518 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its position in shares of CF Industries by 161.1% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 11,870 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $928,000 after purchasing an additional 7,324 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its stake in CF Industries by 40.7% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 14,703 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $1,149,000 after buying an additional 4,252 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth grew its holdings in CF Industries by 21.8% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 3,558 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $278,000 after buying an additional 638 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in CF Industries by 141.6% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 790 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
CF Industries Company Profile
(
Get 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.
Recommended Stories
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from InsiderTrades.com in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
