CF (CF) Reports Q3 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

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CF Industries (CF) reported $1.27 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 45.2%. EPS of $0.85 for the same period compares to $2.55 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.64% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.29 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.94, the EPS surprise was -9.57%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how CF performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Average selling price per ton - Granular Urea: $339 versus the five-analyst average estimate of $361.12.

  • Sales volume - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): 1,954 KTon compared to the 1,631.67 KTon average estimate based on five analysts.

  • Sales volume - Granular Urea: 1,062 KTon versus the five-analyst average estimate of 1,035.06 KTon.

  • Sales volume - Ammonia: 764 KTon compared to the 613.87 KTon average estimate based on five analysts.

  • Average selling price per ton - Ammonia: $308 versus $379.62 estimated by five analysts on average.

  • Average selling price per ton - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $223 versus the five-analyst average estimate of $268.93.

  • Average selling price per ton - AN (ammonium nitrate): $275 compared to the $314.63 average estimate based on four analysts.

  • Net Sales- Ammonia: $235 million compared to the $231.68 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -55.7% year over year.

  • Net Sales- Granular Urea: $360 million compared to the $372.79 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -47.8% year over year.

  • Net Sales- UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $435 million compared to the $429.95 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -40.9% year over year.

  • Net Sales- AN (ammonium nitrate): $114 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $108.56 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -36.7%.

  • Net Sales- Other: $129 million versus $122.01 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -30.3% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for CF here>>>

Shares of CF have returned -3.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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