Seek Returns

CF vs. RIO: CF Industries vs. Rio Tinto Stock Comparison

How do CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO) 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) both fall under the Materials industry group, but CF is classified in Chemicals while RIO is classified in Metals & Mining.

CF Industries (CF) trades as ordinary local shares, while Rio Tinto (RIO) 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 Rio Tinto (RIO)
Profile ItemCFRIO
NameCF Industries Holdings, Inc.Rio Tinto plc ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryFertilizers & Agricultural ChemicalsDiversified Metals & Mining
Market Capitalization17.46 billion USD136.19 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 11, 2005June 28, 1990
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CF
RIO
GSPC
Loading price history…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Total Return (1Y)49.36%30.54%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.00%16.90%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.09%14.68%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CF
RIO
GSPC
Loading price history…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.66%30.72%
Beta (5Y)0.560.63
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.36%-35.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.49M2.35M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
CF and RIO 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 Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.030.85
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.591.26

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Rio Tinto (RIO) at 19.31% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CF.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

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

RIO

Materials industry group

19.31%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
RIO
19.31%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) at 19.59% 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%

RIO

Materials industry group

19.59%

Max
38.66%
RIO
19.59%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) at 28.05%, 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%

RIO

Materials industry group

28.05%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
RIO
28.05%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
ROE (TTM)30.86%19.31%
ROA (TTM)12.61%8.11%
Net Margin (TTM)27.48%19.59%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.36%28.05%
Gross Margin (TTM)42.52%29.75%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 7.42% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at -13.97% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Revenue Growth (YoY)19.34%7.42%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-14.12%1.24%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.09%-13.97%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-18.19%-7.23%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Rio Tinto (RIO) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for RIO.

CF

Materials industry group

2.98

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

RIO

Materials industry group

1.42

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
RIO
1.42
Min
0.16
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 0.32 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

RIO

Materials industry group

0.32

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
RIO
0.32
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.981.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.32
Net Debt / EBITDA0.210.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays an industry-typical yield; Rio Tinto (RIO) at 5.59% 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%

RIO

Materials industry group

5.59%

RIO
5.59%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) at 54.46% 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%

RIO

Materials industry group

54.46%

Max
83.62%
RIO
54.46%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.77%5.59%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)14.81%54.46%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 11.35 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

RIO

Materials industry group

11.35

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
RIO
11.35
Min
3.93
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) at 2.20 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

RIO

Materials industry group

2.20

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
RIO
2.20
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) at 2.08 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

RIO

Materials industry group

2.08

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
RIO
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
Loading chart…
CF Industries (CF) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
MetricCFRIO
P/E Ratio (TTM)8.4211.35
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.202.20
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.102.08
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)9.10%2.64%