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CF (CF) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

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CF Industries (CF - Free Report) reported $1.57 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year decline of 39.8%. EPS of $1.49 for the same period compares to $4.35 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 billion, representing a surprise of +5.67%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -4.49%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.56.

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 - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $231 compared to the $263.48 average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Sales volume - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): 1,812 KTon versus the four-analyst average estimate of 1,617.77 KTon.
  • Sales volume - Granular Urea: 1,038 KTon versus the four-analyst average estimate of 1,044.45 KTon.
  • Sales volume - Ammonia: 1,077 KTon versus the four-analyst average estimate of 864.41 KTon.
  • Average selling price per ton - Ammonia: $460 versus $425.19 estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Average selling price per ton - Granular Urea: $378 compared to the $376.24 average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Tons of product sold - Total: 4,912 KTon versus the four-analyst average estimate of 4,458.66 KTon.
  • Net Sales- Ammonia: $495 million versus $372.31 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -38.4% change.
  • Net Sales- Granular Urea: $392 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $407.07 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -35.2%.
  • Net Sales- UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $418 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $426.63 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -50.5%.
  • Net Sales- AN (ammonium nitrate): $120 million versus $120.98 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -36.5% change.
  • Net Sales- Other: $146 million compared to the $118.77 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -11.5% year over year.
View all Key Company Metrics for CF here>>>

Shares of CF have returned +1.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.7% 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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