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CF vs. SW: CF Industries vs. Smurfit Westrock Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
Profile ItemCFSW
NameCF Industries Holdings, Inc.Smurfit WestRock Plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesIreland
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsContainers & Packaging
GICS Sub-IndustryFertilizers & Agricultural ChemicalsPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization17.46 billion USD23.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 11, 2005June 17, 2008
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CF
SW
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW), 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Total Return (1Y)49.36%29.05%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)17.00%14.60%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)16.09%-0.16%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CF
SW
GSPC
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW), 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.66%42.69%
Beta (5Y)0.560.89
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.36%-53.49%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.49M4.66M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CF and SW 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.030.58
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.590.94

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 30.86% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 2.57% 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%

SW

Materials industry group

2.57%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
SW
2.57%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 27.48% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.50%, 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%

SW

Materials industry group

1.50%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
SW
1.50%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 6.38%, 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%

SW

Materials industry group

6.38%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
SW
6.38%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
ROE (TTM)30.86%2.57%
ROA (TTM)12.61%2.50%
Net Margin (TTM)27.48%1.50%
Operating Margin (TTM)34.36%6.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)42.52%17.67%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 47.70% 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 SW.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both CF Industries (CF) at 33.09% and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 62.20% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Revenue Growth (YoY)19.34%47.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-14.12%32.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)33.09%62.20%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-18.19%-30.01%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 2.98 and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.48 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

SW

Materials industry group

1.48

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
SW
1.48
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both CF Industries (CF) at 0.41 and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.78 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

SW

Materials industry group

0.78

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
SW
0.78
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.981.48
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.78
Net Debt / EBITDA0.212.96

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 4.02% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while CF Industries (CF) at 1.77% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SW 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%

SW

Materials industry group

4.02%

Max
4.52%
SW
4.02%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) reports payout ratio above 100% at 198.63%, 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%

SW

Materials industry group

198.63%

SW
198.63%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.77%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)14.81%198.63%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

CF Industries (CF) at 8.42 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 48.99 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

CF

Materials industry group

8.42

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

SW

Materials industry group

48.99

Max
59.00
SW
48.99
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.73 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

SW

Materials industry group

0.73

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
SW
0.73
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.28 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

SW

Materials industry group

1.28

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
SW
1.28
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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CF Industries (CF) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for CF Industries (CF) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricCFSW
P/E Ratio (TTM)8.4248.99
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.200.73
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.101.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)9.10%4.26%