CF vs. IP: CF Industries vs. International Paper Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) both fall under the Materials industry group, but CF is classified in Chemicals while IP is classified in Containers & Packaging.

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Profile Item	CF	IP
Name	CF Industries Holdings, Inc.	International Paper Co.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Containers & Packaging
GICS Sub-Industry	Fertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals	Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization	17.46 billion USD	18.29 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 11, 2005	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP), 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 International Paper (IP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Total Return (1Y)	49.36%	-2.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	17.00%	6.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	16.09%	-2.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP), 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 International Paper (IP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	43.66%	42.71%
Beta (5Y)	0.56	0.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-48.36%	-48.61%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.49M	5.09M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CF and IP 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 International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.03	-0.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.59	-0.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative ROE of -22.30%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile CF Industries (CF) reports 30.86%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

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

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
IP: -22.30%
Min: -32.81%

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative net margin of -14.32%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile CF Industries (CF) reports 27.48%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CF

Materials industry group

27.48%

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

IP

Materials industry group

-14.32%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
IP: -14.32%
Min: -20.40%

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): 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 International Paper (IP) at 5.89%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CF

Materials industry group

34.36%

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

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
IP: 5.89%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
ROE (TTM)	30.86%	-22.30%
ROA (TTM)	12.61%	1.60%
Net Margin (TTM)	27.48%	-14.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)	34.36%	5.89%
Gross Margin (TTM)	42.52%	29.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% 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 IP.

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while International Paper (IP) at -542.68% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Revenue Growth (YoY)	19.34%	49.25%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-14.12%	3.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)	33.09%	-542.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-18.19%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while International Paper (IP) at 0.99 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for IP.

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

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

IP

Materials industry group

0.99

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
IP: 0.99
Min: 0.16

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and International Paper (IP) at 0.79 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

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
IP: 0.79
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): 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 International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.98	0.99
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.41	0.79
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.21	2.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays an industry-typical yield; International Paper (IP) at 5.40% 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%

IP

Materials industry group

5.40%

IP: 5.40%
Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports payout ratio above 100% at 402.17%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile CF Industries (CF) reports 14.81%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CF

Materials industry group

14.81%

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

IP

Materials industry group

402.17%

IP: 402.17%
Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.77%	5.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	14.81%	402.17%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: CF Industries (CF) trades at 8.42 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

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

IP

Materials industry group

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93
IP: --

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): IP does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; CF is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both CF Industries (CF) at 2.20 and International Paper (IP) at 0.76 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

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
IP: 0.76
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both CF Industries (CF) at 3.10 and International Paper (IP) at 1.39 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

CF

Materials industry group

3.10

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

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
IP: 1.39
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

CF Industries (CF) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	CF	IP
P/E Ratio (TTM)	8.42	--
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.20	0.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.10	1.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	9.10%	12.53%