DOW vs. GFI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 22, 2025

Here’s a clear look at DOW and GFI, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

DOW is a standard domestic listing, while GFI trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	DOW	GFI
Company Name	Dow Inc.	Gold Fields Limited
Country	United States	South Africa
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Metals & Mining
Market Capitalization	17.07 billion USD	28.02 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 20, 2019	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of DOW and GFI by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

DOW vs. GFI: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	DOW	GFI
5-Day Price Return	3.04%	2.55%
13-Week Price Return	-20.03%	48.91%
26-Week Price Return	-37.19%	69.09%
52-Week Price Return	-55.12%	38.74%
Month-to-Date Return	3.39%	26.26%
Year-to-Date Return	-39.99%	125.23%
10-Day Avg. Volume	13.32M	2.79M
3-Month Avg. Volume	12.65M	2.32M
3-Month Volatility	55.34%	49.08%
Beta	0.88	1.48

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

DOW

-5.63%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 26.17%
Q3: 13.48%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 2.52%
Min: -11.86%

DOW has a negative Return on Equity of -5.63%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

GFI

25.25%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 31.09%
Q3: 16.14%
Median: 7.01%
Q1: 1.15%
Min: -19.85%

In the upper quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, GFI’s Return on Equity of 25.25% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

DOW

-2.35%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 21.80%
Q3: 9.57%
Median: 4.44%
Q1: 1.14%
Min: -11.30%

DOW has a negative Net Profit Margin of -2.35%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

GFI

23.93%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 40.97%
Q3: 17.87%
Median: 7.03%
Q1: 1.82%
Min: -20.01%

A Net Profit Margin of 23.93% places GFI in the upper quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

DOW

-0.14%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 27.33%
Q3: 13.97%
Median: 8.08%
Q1: 4.46%
Min: -8.10%

DOW has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -0.14%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

GFI

45.14%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 59.48%
Q3: 26.06%
Median: 10.50%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -21.46%

An Operating Profit Margin of 45.14% places GFI in the upper quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	DOW	GFI
Return on Equity (TTM)	-5.63%	25.25%
Return on Assets (TTM)	-1.68%	13.45%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	-2.35%	23.93%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	-0.14%	45.14%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	8.07%	51.51%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

DOW

1.69

Chemicals Industry

Max: 3.38
Q3: 2.23
Median: 1.73
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.55

DOW’s Current Ratio of 1.69 aligns with the median group of the Chemicals industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

GFI

1.13

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 4.81
Q3: 2.86
Median: 1.94
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.13

GFI’s Current Ratio of 1.13 falls into the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

DOW

0.97

Chemicals Industry

Max: 1.65
Q3: 0.94
Median: 0.65
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

DOW’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Chemicals industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.97. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

GFI

0.57

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 1.11
Q3: 0.52
Median: 0.29
Q1: 0.12
Min: 0.00

GFI’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Metals & Mining industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

DOW

3.42

Chemicals Industry

Max: 56.43
Q3: 26.33
Median: 9.38
Q1: 3.10
Min: -9.39

DOW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.42 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Chemicals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

GFI

32.40

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 65.47
Q3: 29.91
Median: 5.88
Q1: 0.91
Min: -26.49

GFI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 32.40 is in the upper quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	DOW	GFI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.69	1.13
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.05	0.72
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.97	0.57
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	3.42	32.40

Growth

Revenue Growth

DOW vs. GFI: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

DOW vs. GFI: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

DOW

11.52%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 6.56%
Q3: 4.04%
Median: 2.47%
Q1: 1.45%
Min: 0.00%

DOW’s Dividend Yield of 11.52% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Chemicals industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.

GFI

0.00%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 9.36%
Q3: 3.78%
Median: 1.41%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

GFI currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

DOW

126.09%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 181.25%
Q3: 95.01%
Median: 53.52%
Q1: 26.59%
Min: 0.00%

DOW’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 126.09% is in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

GFI

58.80%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 138.08%
Q3: 63.28%
Median: 38.78%
Q1: 12.84%
Min: 0.00%

GFI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 58.80% is within the typical range for the Metals & Mining industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	DOW	GFI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	11.52%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	126.09%	58.80%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

DOW

Chemicals Industry

Max: 42.94
Q3: 29.77
Median: 20.37
Q1: 14.27
Min: 6.19

P/E Ratio data for DOW is currently unavailable.

GFI

22.58

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 57.44
Q3: 32.87
Median: 18.04
Q1: 9.84
Min: 0.00

GFI’s P/E Ratio of 22.58 is within the middle range for the Metals & Mining industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

DOW

0.41

Chemicals Industry

Max: 4.36
Q3: 2.23
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.55
Min: 0.16

In the lower quartile for the Chemicals industry, DOW’s P/S Ratio of 0.41 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

GFI

5.40

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 6.52
Q3: 3.19
Median: 1.97
Q1: 0.59
Min: 0.14

GFI’s P/S Ratio of 5.40 is in the upper echelon for the Metals & Mining industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

DOW

1.09

Chemicals Industry

Max: 4.92
Q3: 2.56
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.97
Min: 0.30

DOW’s P/B Ratio of 1.09 is within the conventional range for the Chemicals industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

GFI

2.43

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 3.92
Q3: 2.15
Median: 1.40
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.25

GFI’s P/B Ratio of 2.43 is in the upper tier for the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

DOW vs. GFI: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	DOW	GFI
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	--	22.58
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	0.41	5.40
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.09	2.43
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	76.42	47.74