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ALB vs. CF: Albemarle vs. CF Industries Stock Comparison

How do Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF) both belong to the Chemicals industry, though ALB is classified under Specialty Chemicals while CF falls under Fertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals.

Company profile comparison for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
Profile ItemALBCF
NameAlbemarle CorporationCF Industries Holdings, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustrySpecialty ChemicalsFertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals
Market Capitalization11.71 billion USD17.46 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 22, 1994August 11, 2005
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ALB
CF
GSPC
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Total Return (1Y)1.28%49.36%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-3.80%17.00%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-17.74%16.09%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ALB
CF
GSPC
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Albemarle (ALB) has an aggressive beta of 1.32, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while CF Industries (CF) is defensive at 0.56 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)53.59%43.66%
Beta (5Y)1.320.56
Max Drawdown (5Y)-83.90%-48.36%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.40M2.49M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ALB and CF are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.061.03
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.081.59

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Albemarle (ALB) at 7.05% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CF.

ALB

Materials industry group

7.05%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
ALB
7.05%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

Max
52.88%
CF
30.86%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 27.48% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Albemarle (ALB) at 11.08%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ALB

Materials industry group

11.08%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
ALB
11.08%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

CF

Materials industry group

27.48%

Max
38.66%
CF
27.48%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 34.36% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Albemarle (ALB) at 11.74%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ALB

Materials industry group

11.74%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
ALB
11.74%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

CF

Materials industry group

34.36%

Max
66.70%
CF
34.36%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
ROE (TTM)7.05%30.86%
ROA (TTM)3.95%12.61%
Net Margin (TTM)11.08%27.48%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.74%34.36%
Gross Margin (TTM)26.17%42.52%

Growth

Revenue Growth

CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Albemarle (ALB) at -4.37% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: CF Industries (CF) reports EPS growth of 33.09%, ranked against its industry; Albemarle (ALB) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Revenue Growth (YoY)-4.37%19.34%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-11.10%-14.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)--33.09%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---18.19%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 2.34 and CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

2.34

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
ALB
2.34
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
CF
2.98
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 0.18 and CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ALB

Materials industry group

0.18

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
ALB
0.18
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

CF

Materials industry group

0.41

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
CF
0.41
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.342.98
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.180.41
Net Debt / EBITDA0.090.21

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 1.65% and CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.65%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
ALB
1.65%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CF

Materials industry group

1.77%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
CF
1.77%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 39.16% and CF Industries (CF) at 14.81% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ALB

Materials industry group

39.16%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
ALB
39.16%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

CF

Materials industry group

14.81%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
CF
14.81%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.65%1.77%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)39.16%14.81%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Albemarle (ALB) at 23.92 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

ALB

Materials industry group

23.92

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
ALB
23.92
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
CF
8.42
Min
3.93
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Albemarle (ALB) at 1.90 and CF Industries (CF) at 2.20 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.90

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
ALB
1.90
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

CF

Materials industry group

2.20

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
CF
2.20
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Albemarle (ALB) at 1.41 and CF Industries (CF) at 3.10 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.41

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
ALB
1.41
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

CF

Materials industry group

3.10

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
CF
3.10
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Albemarle (ALB) vs. CF Industries (CF): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and CF Industries (CF)
MetricALBCF
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.928.42
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.902.20
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.413.10
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.67%9.10%