CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is scheduled to report its Q2 2012 results on August 7, 2012, before the market opens. The street expects EPS and revenue of $8.90 and $1.95B, respectively.
In this article, I will recap the historical results of the company, its latest EPS estimates vs. surprises, the latest news from CF Industries, and the news from its closest competitors.
Recent EPS Actuals vs. Estimates
The company has met or beaten analysts' estimates in the last four quarters. In the last quarter, it reported $6.06 EPS, beating analyst estimates of $4.83.
The consensus EPS estimate is $8.90 based on 14 analysts' estimates, up from $6.87 a year ago. Revenue estimates are $1.95B, up from $1.80B a year ago. Analysts' median target price for the stock is $212.00.
Average recommendation: Overweight
Source: Marketwatch
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
- On June 24, 2012, Dahlman Rose upgraded the company from Sell to Buy.
- On May 8, 2012, Dahlman Rose downgraded the company from Hold to Sell.
- On February 14, 2012, Feltl & Co. reiterated Strong Buy rating for the company.
Latest News
- On July 20, 2012, CF Industries reported that its Board of Directors declared a $0.40 per share dividend on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on August 29, 2012 to stockholders of record as of August 14, 2012.
- On May 3, 2012, CF Industries reported first quarter 2012 net earnings attributable to common stockholders of $368.4 million, or $5.54 per diluted share, compared to earnings of $282.0 million, or $3.91 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2011.
- On April 27, 2012, CF Industries reported that its Board of Directors declared a $0.40 per share dividend on its common stock. The dividend was payable on May 30, 2012 to stockholders of record as of May 15, 2012.
- On February 3, 2012, CF Industries announced that its Board of Directors declared a $0.40 per share dividend on its common stock. The dividend was payable on February 29, 2012 to stockholders of record as of February 14, 2012.
Competitors
The Mosaic Company (MOS), Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT), Terra Nitrogen Company (TNH), and CVR Partners (UAN) are considered major competitors for CF Industries, and the table below provides the key metrics for these companies and the industry:
The chart below compares the stock price changes as a percentage for the selected companies and S&P 500 index for the last one year period.
Competitors' Latest Developments
- On July 28, 2012, CVR Partners, LP reported in its Form 8-K that on July 23, 2012, Frank A. Pici, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Treasurer of CVR Energy, Inc. (CVR Energy) and CVR GP, LLC (CVR GP), the general partner of CVR Partners, LP (Partnership) delivered notice of his intent to resign his position with CVR Energy and CVR GP for personal reasons.
- On July 26, 2012, CVR Partners, LP announced that it declared a cash distribution of $0.60 per common unit for the second quarter of 2012.
- On July 26, 2012, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. announced that it expected third-quarter 2012 net income per share to be in the range of $0.70 to $0.90. The Company has revised its fiscal 2012 earnings estimates to $2.80 to $3.20 per share, reflecting the adjustment for the second-quarter Sinofert impairment charge and other factors.
- On July 17, 2012, The Mosaic Company announced that its Board of Directors approved an annual dividend program of $1.00 per share. This program increases the annual targeted dividend 100% from the current level of $0.50 per share, and 400% from the year-ago level.
- On April 26, 2012, CVR Partners, LP declared a cash distribution of $0.523 per common unit for the first quarter of 2012. The distribution, as set by the board of CVR GP, LLC, the general partner of CVR Partners, was paid May 15, 2012 to unit holders of record as of May 8, 2012.
- On April 12, 2012, The Mosaic Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.125 per share on the Company's common stock. The dividend will was on May 17, 2012 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 3, 2012.
- On March 7, 2012, CVR Energy Inc announced that CVR Partners, LP has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with CVR Energy's previously announced plan to sell a portion of its common units representing limited partner interests of CVR Partners.
- On February 27, 2012, The Mosaic Company announced that its Board of Directors approved an annual dividend program of $0.50 per share. This program increases the annual targeted dividend 150%, from the current level of $0.20 per share.
- On February 21, 2012, The Mosaic Company announced a settlement agreement with the Sierra Club, Manasota-88, and People for Protecting the Peace River in litigation challenging the company's federal wetlands permit at the South Fort Meade mine.
- On February 10, 2012, Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. announced the declaration of a cash distribution for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, of $4.53 per common limited partnership unit.
Technical Overview
CF Industries has a market capitalization of $12.77B, and is currently trading at $194.62 with a 52 week range of $115.34 - $208.43. The stock's year-to-date performance has been 34.84%. It is currently trading above 50 and 200 SMA, but below 20 SMA.
Sources: Yahoo Finance, Google Finance, Marketwatch, Finviz, Reuters.
