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CF vs. GFI: CF Industries vs. Gold Fields Stock Comparison

How do CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI) 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

CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI) both fall under the Materials industry group, but CF is classified in Chemicals while GFI is classified in Metals & Mining.

CF Industries (CF) trades as ordinary local shares, while Gold Fields (GFI) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
Profile ItemCFGFI
NameCF Industries Holdings, Inc.Gold Fields Ltd. Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesSouth Africa
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryFertilizers & Agricultural ChemicalsGold
Market Capitalization17.46 billion USD34.65 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 11, 2005March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CF
GFI
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI), 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 CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Total Return (1Y)49.36%9.54%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.00%51.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.09%38.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CF
GFI
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI), 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 CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.66%60.41%
Beta (5Y)0.560.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.36%-56.22%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.49M3.78M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CF and GFI 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 CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.030.09
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.590.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Gold Fields (GFI) at 58.68% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% also sits in the top quartile.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

Max
52.88%
CF
30.86%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

GFI

Materials industry group

58.68%

GFI
58.68%
Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both CF Industries (CF) at 27.48% and Gold Fields (GFI) at 38.66% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CF

Materials industry group

27.48%

Max
38.66%
CF
27.48%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

GFI

Materials industry group

38.66%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 34.36% and Gold Fields (GFI) at 55.00% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

CF

Materials industry group

34.36%

Max
66.70%
CF
34.36%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

GFI

Materials industry group

55.00%

Max
66.70%
GFI
55.00%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
ROE (TTM)30.86%58.68%
ROA (TTM)12.61%28.52%
Net Margin (TTM)27.48%38.66%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.36%55.00%
Gross Margin (TTM)42.52%57.77%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Gold Fields (GFI) at 68.24% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GFI.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Gold Fields (GFI) at 185.51% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GFI.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Revenue Growth (YoY)19.34%68.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-14.12%26.86%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.09%185.51%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-18.19%71.58%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 and Gold Fields (GFI) at 1.87 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
CF
2.98
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

GFI

Materials industry group

1.87

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
GFI
1.87
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and Gold Fields (GFI) at 0.29 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CF

Materials industry group

0.41

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
CF
0.41
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

GFI

Materials industry group

0.29

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
GFI
0.29
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.981.87
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.29
Net Debt / EBITDA0.210.06

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays an industry-typical yield; Gold Fields (GFI) at 5.65% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

CF

Materials industry group

1.77%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
CF
1.77%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GFI

Materials industry group

5.65%

GFI
5.65%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 14.81% and Gold Fields (GFI) at 31.81% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CF

Materials industry group

14.81%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
CF
14.81%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GFI

Materials industry group

31.81%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
GFI
31.81%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.77%5.65%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)14.81%31.81%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 and Gold Fields (GFI) at 8.03 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
CF
8.42
Min
3.93

GFI

Materials industry group

8.03

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
GFI
8.03
Min
3.93
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both CF Industries (CF) at 2.20 and Gold Fields (GFI) at 3.05 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CF

Materials industry group

2.20

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
CF
2.20
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

GFI

Materials industry group

3.05

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
GFI
3.05
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 3.10 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Gold Fields (GFI) at 7.78 prices above its benchmark range — GFI looks rich relative to book.

CF

Materials industry group

3.10

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
CF
3.10
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

GFI

Materials industry group

7.78

GFI
7.78
Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Gold Fields (GFI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Gold Fields (GFI)
MetricCFGFI
P/E Ratio (TTM)8.428.03
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.203.05
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.107.78
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)9.10%12.05%