Sarasin & Partners LLP Increases Holdings in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. as Analysts Give Mixed Opinions on Stock Performance

On September 17, 2023, it was reported that Sarasin & Partners LLP had increased its holdings in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. by 28.6% during the second quarter. According to the company’s 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 90,000 shares of CF Industries stock, an additional 20,000 shares compared to the previous quarter. The total value of their holdings is $6,248,000 as of the most recent filing.

CF Industries Holdings is a basic materials company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CF). In recent months, several equities research analysts have made comments on the stock’s performance and outlook. JPMorgan Chase & Co., for example, raised their price target from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave CF Industries a “neutral” rating in a research report published on August 7th. Similarly, Bank of America increased their price target from $95.00 to $98.00 in another report published on the same day.

Piper Sandler also revised their price target up from $80.00 to $92.00 for CF Industries on August 7th. Barclays took a different stance by downgrading CF Industries from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raising their target price from $80.00 to $85.00 in a report dated August 14th. Additionally, Credit Suisse Group raised their target price from $66.00 to $71.00 but gave CF Industries an “underperform” rating in a report issued on August 3rd.

Overall, analysts’ opinions appear divided with one analyst giving a sell rating while seven others hold and six buy ratings are attributed to the company at this time based on data from Bloomberg.com. The consensus rating is labeled as “Hold,” and the average price target is set at $91.06.

On Friday, CF Industries opened at $82.10 on the NYSE. The company’s stock has experienced a range between its 52-week low of $60.08 and high of $112.44. Its market capitalization stands at $15.84 billion with a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.80 and a P/E/G ratio of 1.69, signifying moderate growth expectations relative to its valuation metrics. Additionally, CF Industries has a beta of 1.04, indicating slightly higher volatility compared to the overall market.

In terms of its financial health, CF Industries boasts a healthy quick ratio of 6.03 and a current ratio of 6.55, showcasing strong liquidity for its operations even in the short term. However, it should be noted that the company carries a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

In conclusion, Sarasin & Partners LLP recently increased their holdings in CF Industries Holdings, Inc., adding an additional 20,000 shares to their portfolio during the second quarter. Analysts have provided varying opinions on the stock’s performance and prospects for future growth or decline in recent reports, resulting in a “Hold” consensus rating with an average price target of $91.06.

Hedge Funds and Institutional Investors Show Growing Interest in CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

On September 17, 2023, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) caught the attention of hedge funds and institutional investors as they bought and sold shares of the basic materials company. AE Wealth Management LLC saw a significant boost in its holdings in CF Industries during the 2nd quarter, increasing its shares by 148.8%. Their total holdings now amount to 39,802 shares with a value of $2,763,000. Similarly, SG Americas Securities LLC experienced a surge in their CF Industries shares, with an increase of 431.7% during the same period. They now hold 114,463 shares valued at $7,946,000.

Capital Market Strategies LLC also joined the bandwagon by acquiring a new position in CF Industries worth approximately $291,000. Fulton Bank N.A., on the other hand, witnessed a modest increase in their holding by 3.8% during the last quarter. Their current ownership stands at 24,221 shares valued at $1,681,000. The latest addition to the list of institutional investors and hedge funds that own CF Industries is Symmetry Partners LLC which acquired a stake worth about $217,000.

In terms of insider trading activity at CF Industries Holdings, Inc., EVP Douglas C. Barnard sold 9,700 shares on August 7th at an average price of $80.37 per share. This transaction amounted to a total value of $779,589. After this sale concluded successfully for him personally and professionally — given his executive vice president position — he currently holds 15,089 shares valued at approximately $1,212,702.

Equity research analysts have not been silent about these recent developments either. JPMorgan Chase & Co., for instance,s has raised its price target on CF Industries from $70 to $80 along with assigning it a “neutral” rating in their research report on August 7th. In a similar vein, Bank of America upgraded its price target for the stock from $95 to $98. Piper Sandler also increased their price target but to $92 from $80.

Barclays, however, lowered its rating for CF Industries from “overweight” to “equal weight,” while raising its target price to $85 from $80. Credit Suisse Group bucked the trend by increasing their target price as well, but with an underperform rating. They raised it from $66 to $71.

In terms of consensus rating and average price targets, Bloomberg.com data reveals that CF Industries currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” with an average price target set at $91.06.

During the release of its quarterly earnings on August 2nd, CF Industries reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.70, surpassing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.15 by a margin of $0.55. The company boasts a net margin of 27.36% and a return on equity (ROE) of 31.18%. Despite falling slightly short in revenue compared to analyst expectations – reporting $1.78 billion for the quarter against estimates of $1.85 billion – CF Industries continues to be optimistic about posting a solid 7.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Furthermore, shareholders who held shares as of Tuesday, August 15th enjoyed receiving a quarterly dividend on Thursday, August 31st, amounting to $0.40 per share or an annualized dividend rate of $1.60 per share with a yield percentage reaching 1.95%. The ex-dividend date was set as Monday, August 14th.On an interesting note regarding insider ownership in CF Industries Holdings Inc., insiders currently own only 0.42% of company shares.All things considered, the future appears promising for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. as it continues to attract the attention of hedge funds and institutional investors with its stock fluctuations. The recent increase in holdings by various institutions indicates a growing interest in CF Industries. With positive earnings results, dividends for shareholders, and a target average price of $91.06, it will be intriguing to see how CF Industries performs in the coming months.