CF vs. PKG: CF Industries vs. Packaging Corp of America Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG) 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG) both fall under the Materials industry group, but CF is classified in Chemicals while PKG is classified in Containers & Packaging.

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Profile Item	CF	PKG
Name	CF Industries Holdings, Inc.	Packaging Corporation of America
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	22.25 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 11, 2005	January 28, 2000
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PKG

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG), 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Total Return (1Y)	49.36%	31.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	17.00%	21.13%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	16.09%	17.23%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PKG

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG), 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	43.66%	28.35%
Beta (5Y)	0.56	0.76
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-48.36%	-31.78%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.49M	624.28K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CF and PKG 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.03	0.95
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.59	1.49

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: CF Industries (CF) earns 30.86% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Packaging Corp of America (PKG) has no ROE this period.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

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

PKG

Materials industry group

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

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): PKG does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; CF is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 27.48% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 7.40%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CF

Materials industry group

27.48%

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

PKG

Materials industry group

7.40%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
PKG: 7.40%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 14.97%, 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%

PKG

Materials industry group

14.97%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
PKG: 14.97%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
ROE (TTM)	30.86%	--
ROA (TTM)	12.61%	--
Net Margin (TTM)	27.48%	7.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)	34.36%	14.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)	42.52%	21.24%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% and Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 7.23% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% and Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at -3.92% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	19.34%	7.23%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-14.12%	1.97%
EPS Growth (YoY)	33.09%	-3.92%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-18.19%	-8.03%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: CF Industries (CF) shows current ratio of 2.98 against its industry benchmark, while Packaging Corp of America (PKG) has no reading this period.

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

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

PKG

Materials industry group

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16
PKG: --

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): PKG does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; CF is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 0.94 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CF

Materials industry group

0.41

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

PKG

Materials industry group

0.94

Max: 1.98
PKG: 0.94
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.98	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.41	0.94
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.21	1.92

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 2.21% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PKG the richer one.

CF

Materials industry group

1.77%

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

PKG

Materials industry group

2.21%

Max: 4.52%
PKG: 2.21%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 14.81% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 67.82% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CF

Materials industry group

14.81%

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

PKG

Materials industry group

67.82%

Max: 83.62%
PKG: 67.82%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.77%	2.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	14.81%	67.82%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 30.79 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for CF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

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

PKG

Materials industry group

30.79

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
PKG: 30.79
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): 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 Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 2.26 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

PKG

Materials industry group

2.26

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
PKG: 2.26
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 3.10 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Packaging Corp of America (PKG) at 4.74 carries an above-peer premium to book — PKG is pricier on assets.

CF

Materials industry group

3.10

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

PKG

Materials industry group

4.74

Max: 6.59
PKG: 4.74
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

CF Industries (CF) vs. Packaging Corp of America (PKG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG)
Metric	CF	PKG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	8.42	30.79
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.20	2.26
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.10	4.74
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	9.10%	--