CF vs. SCCO: CF Industries vs. Southern Copper Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

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

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Profile Item	CF	SCCO
Name	CF Industries Holdings, Inc.	Southern Copper Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Fertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals	Copper
Market Capitalization	17.46 billion USD	142.73 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 11, 2005	January 5, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SCCO

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO), 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 Southern Copper (SCCO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Total Return (1Y)	49.36%	38.53%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	17.00%	42.97%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	16.09%	30.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SCCO

GSPC

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO), 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 Southern Copper (SCCO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	43.66%	52.64%
Beta (5Y)	0.56	1.15
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-48.36%	-43.07%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.49M	1.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CF and SCCO 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 Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.03	0.65
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.59	0.95

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 52.88% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

CF

Materials industry group

30.86%

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

52.88%

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

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): 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 Southern Copper (SCCO) at 37.16% 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

37.16%

Max: 38.66%
SCCO: 37.16%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 34.36% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 59.94% 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

59.94%

Max: 66.70%
SCCO: 59.94%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
ROE (TTM)	30.86%	52.88%
ROA (TTM)	12.61%	27.29%
Net Margin (TTM)	27.48%	37.16%
Operating Margin (TTM)	34.36%	59.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	42.52%	65.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 19.34% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 17.38% 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. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 25.41% 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. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Revenue Growth (YoY)	19.34%	17.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-14.12%	10.13%
EPS Growth (YoY)	33.09%	25.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-18.19%	17.64%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Southern Copper (SCCO) at 4.31 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

4.31

Max: 5.96
SCCO: 4.31
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 0.63 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

0.63

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
SCCO: 0.63
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): 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 Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.98	4.31
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.41	0.63
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.21	0.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 2.30% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SCCO 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

2.30%

Max: 4.52%
SCCO: 2.30%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): 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 Southern Copper (SCCO) at 52.43% 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

52.43%

Max: 83.62%
SCCO: 52.43%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.77%	2.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	14.81%	52.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Southern Copper (SCCO) at 22.27 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

22.27

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
SCCO: 22.27
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 2.20 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Southern Copper (SCCO) at 8.34 sits in the pricier quartile — SCCO costs more per dollar of sales.

CF

Materials industry group

2.20

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

8.34

Max: 9.62
SCCO: 8.34
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): 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 Southern Copper (SCCO) at 10.89 prices above its benchmark range — SCCO 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

10.89

SCCO: 10.89
Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

CF Industries (CF) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	CF	SCCO
P/E Ratio (TTM)	8.42	22.27
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.20	8.34
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.10	10.89
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	9.10%	3.91%