CF Industries Holdings, Inc. $CF Shares Acquired by Howard Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Howard Capital Management increased its CF Industries stake by 79.3% in the third quarter, acquiring 49,058 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 110,906 shares valued at approximately $13.28 million.
• CF Industries shares rose 0.9% to $120.90, while institutional investors owned 93.06% of the company. The fertilizer producer recently reported quarterly earnings and revenue below analyst expectations.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share, equal to $2.40 annually and a 2.0% yield. Analysts’ consensus rating remains “Hold,” with an average price target of $121.11.

Howard Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF - Free Report) by 79.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 110,906 shares of the basic materials company's stock after buying an additional 49,058 shares during the quarter. Howard Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.07% of CF Industries worth $13,280,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Himension Capital Singapore PTE. LTD. purchased a new position in CF Industries during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Virtus Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of CF Industries during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Continuum Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of CF Industries during the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of CF Industries during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of CF Industries during the third quarter valued at about $35,000. 93.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

CF Industries Stock Up 0.9%

Shares of CF Industries stock traded up $1.13 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $120.90. The company had a trading volume of 1,725,239 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,765,452. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $75.42 and a 52-week high of $141.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 4.32 and a current ratio of 4.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a 50 day moving average of $123.78 and a 200 day moving average of $120.31.

CF Industries (NYSE:CF - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $4.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $5.63 by ($0.90). The company had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.45 billion. CF Industries had a net margin of 27.12% and a return on equity of 24.41%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 17.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.37 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that CF Industries Holdings, Inc. will post 13.90 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CF Industries Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 30th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. CF Industries's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 17.79%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have commented on CF. Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded shares of CF Industries from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $98.00 to $110.00 in a report on Monday, September 28th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $129.00 target price on shares of CF Industries in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on CF Industries from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on CF Industries from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on CF Industries in a research note on Friday, September 25th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $162.00 price target on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $121.11.

About CF Industries

CF Industries Holdings, Inc NYSE: CF is a major global producer of nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen-based products. The company manufactures ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonium nitrate and specialty nitrogen products used in agriculture, industrial applications and emissions-control systems.

CF Industries operates a network of production facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, serving agricultural and industrial customers in North America and international markets.

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