Core Insights - Nutrien Ltd. (NTR) and CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) are major players in the fertilizer industry, benefiting from strong agricultural market conditions and favorable farm economics, which are driving global fertilizer demand [1][30] - Both companies are experiencing robust demand for their products, with NTR seeing record potash sales and CF capitalizing on the growing demand for nitrogen fertilizers [5][12] Nutrien Ltd. (NTR) - NTR is experiencing healthy demand for crop nutrients, supported by cost-reduction actions and strategic acquisitions, alongside improved fertilizer prices [4] - The company anticipates record crop production in the U.S. and has raised its potash sales volume guidance for 2025 to 14-14.5 million tons due to higher global demand [5] - NTR is expanding its presence in Brazil and plans to use part of its free cash flow for growth investments, including acquisitions in its retail business [6] - Cost efficiency initiatives are expected to yield around $200 million in savings for 2025, with the company ahead of schedule on its cost-reduction goals [7] - NTR's operating cash flow surged 150% year-over-year to $1,030 million for the first nine months of 2025, driven by higher selling prices and sales volumes [8] - The company returned $1.2 billion to shareholders in the first nine months of 2025, with a healthy dividend yield of approximately 3.9% and a payout ratio of 57% [9] - NTR faces challenges from volatile input costs, particularly due to supply disruptions and rising prices for sulfur and natural gas [10] CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) - CF is benefiting from strong global demand for nitrogen fertilizers, with industrial demand recovering post-pandemic [12] - The company expects robust nitrogen demand driven by high corn planting in the U.S. and strong demand for urea in Brazil and India [13] - The global nitrogen outlook remains positive, supported by strong demand and tight supply, with energy cost advantages favoring North American producers [14] - CF's revenues increased by approximately 21% year-over-year to around $1.66 billion in the third quarter, driven by higher nitrogen prices [15] - The company returned $1.3 billion to shareholders in the first nine months of 2025 and completed a $3 billion share repurchase program [16] - CF offers a dividend yield of roughly 2.6% with a payout ratio of 24% and a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of 14.3% [17] - The company is facing headwinds from rising natural gas prices, which increased significantly in the first nine months of 2025 [18] Price Performance and Valuation - NTR's stock has increased by 25.7% year-to-date, while CF's stock has declined by 9%, compared to an 8% rise in the Zacks Fertilizers industry [19] - NTR is trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 12.32, slightly above the industry average of 12.21 [20] - CF is trading at a lower forward earnings multiple of 10.79, indicating a more attractive valuation compared to NTR [21] Earnings Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NTR's 2025 sales implies a year-over-year rise of 3.5%, with EPS expected to increase by 30.6% [26] - CF's 2025 sales and EPS estimates imply a year-over-year rise of 17.6% and 31.8%, respectively, indicating strong growth potential [27] Comparative Analysis - Both NTR and CF are benefiting from strong agricultural markets and improving fertilizer prices, while also facing rising input costs [11][30] - CF appears to have a slight edge over NTR due to its more attractive valuation and higher dividend growth rate, along with better earnings growth projections [30]