Howard Capital Management Inc. Grows Position in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. $CF

Howard Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) by 13.6% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 57,791 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 6,923 shares during the quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in CF Industries were worth $4,470,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of CF. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of CF Industries by 78.0% during the 3rd quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 292 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its stake 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 acquiring an additional 309 shares in the last quarter. Eastern Bank acquired a new position in CF Industries during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. Peterson Wealth Services lifted its stake in CF Industries by 451.3% during the 3rd quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 441 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 361 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in CF Industries during the 3rd quarter worth about $41,000. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

CF Industries Price Performance

CF stock opened at $121.27 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 3.37 and a quick ratio of 2.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.47 and a beta of 0.52. The business’s 50-day moving average is $112.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $93.44. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 1 year low of $69.02 and a 1 year high of $141.96.

CF Industries (NYSE:CF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The basic materials company reported $2.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.53 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $1.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.78 billion. CF Industries had a return on equity of 19.84% and a net margin of 20.54%.CF Industries’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.89 EPS. Analysts anticipate that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 5.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CF Industries Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were given a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. CF Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.22%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on CF shares. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on CF Industries from $95.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group increased their target price on CF Industries from $97.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 26th. Weiss Ratings raised CF Industries from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, March 13th. Zacks Research lowered CF Industries from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $103.00 target price on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Friday, February 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, CF Industries presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $112.27.

Key Stories Impacting CF Industries

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights that CF has outperformed many peers in the basic materials sector year-to-date, reinforcing momentum arguments for investors who favor relative strength. Is CF Industries (CF) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also flags CF’s strong earnings-surprise history and the underlying indicators that make a repeat beat likely, supporting near-term upside if fundamentals stay intact. Will CF (CF) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada (reported by AmericanBankingNews) projects strong price appreciation for CF, which can support momentum and lift investor sentiment. Royal Bank Of Canada Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for CF Industries (NYSE:CF) Stock
• Positive Sentiment: CF moved higher after an analyst upgrade that drove a notable intraday gain, showing how revisions and upgrades are a near-term bullish driver. CF Industries (NYSE:CF) Stock Price Up 5.3% Following Analyst Upgrade
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on CF’s changing valuation narrative notes investors are re-rating the stock as consensus estimates and risk assumptions evolve — useful context but not an immediate directional catalyst by itself. How The Evolving Narrative Around CF Industries (CF) Is Reshaping Valuation Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets report that a US‑Iran cease-fire / reduced Persian Gulf disruption could erode CF’s competitive edge (cheaper feedstock/price spreads), raising medium-term risk to margins. Has CF stock topped out? How US-Iran ceasefire erodes key competitive edge for fertilizer maker
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage links Persian Gulf geopolitics to a reshaped risk profile for CF’s nitrogen business, signaling higher volatility for earnings assumptions tied to regional supply disruptions. Does Persian Gulf Geopolitics Reshape the Risk Profile at CF Industries’ Nitrogen Business (CF)?
• Negative Sentiment: Newsflow shows headline-driven selling: CF was among the day’s biggest decliners on one session after the cease-fire headlines and sector weakness. CF Industries, one of this year’s star stocks, among day’s biggest decliners
• Negative Sentiment: WSJ and Yahoo coverage link the cease-fire and lower Persian Gulf disruption to a slide in fertilizer stocks, underlining sector risk that can pressure CF’s valuation multiple. Cease-Fire Sparks Slide in CF Industries, Fertilizer Stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Prominent trader coverage shows at least one public sell call (Joe Terranova), a reminder that high-profile selling can amplify short‑term volatility. Trade Tracker: Joe Terranova sells CF Industries
• Negative Sentiment: Additional commodity/market pieces on Persian Gulf disruption and cease‑fire effects reiterate downside risk to margins and explain recent intraday swings. Persian Gulf Disruption And Cease Fire Shape CF Industries Outlook

Insider Buying and Selling

In other CF Industries news, VP Richard A. Hoker sold 3,499 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.38, for a total value of $438,704.62. Following the sale, the vice president owned 31,036 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,891,293.68. This trade represents a 10.13% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Michael Patrick Mcgrane sold 3,666 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $116.50, for a total value of $427,089.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 19,161 shares in the company, valued at $2,232,256.50. This represents a 16.06% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 82,408 shares of company stock worth $9,971,298 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.51% of the company’s stock.

About CF Industries

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.