Baxter International Inc vs CF Industries Holdings, Inc. — how do they compare? Baxter International Inc trades at $21.78 (market cap $11.26B), while CF Industries Holdings, Inc. trades at $118.66 (market cap $18.31B). The key difference: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and CF Industries Holdings, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.01%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BAX | CF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.26B | $18.31B |
Sector | Health | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $29.22 | $137.55 |
52-Week Low | $15.80 | $76.08 |
Enterprise Value | $18.93B | $19.89B |
Dividend Yield | 0.92% | 2.01% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Baxter International (BAX) trades at $22.57, down 0.22% on the day, with mixed technical signals showing a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 earnings beat with $0.36 EPS versus $0.31 expected, though net income margin remains negative at -9.7%. Recent news highlights upcoming Q2 earnings call and sustainability initiatives, while analyst consensus sits at $22.67 price target with 42% buy ratings.
BAX faces fundamental challenges with negative profitability metrics and volatile cash flow, but valuation appears reasonable with P/S of 1.02. The stock offers potential upside to analyst targets if operational improvements materialize, though investors must weigh high debt levels and inconsistent earnings performance against turnaround prospects in the medical technology sector.
CF Industries stock trades at $120.92, up 3.42% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong fundamentals. Recent earnings beats, a 20% dividend hike announced July 8, 2026, and robust profitability metrics like a 23.73% net margin support investor confidence. The stock is near consensus price targets, with moving averages signaling upward momentum.
The outlook is positive, driven by firm nitrogen demand and shareholder returns, but risks include input cost pressures and cyclical industry headwinds. Upside potential exists if earnings continue to exceed expectations, though overbought RSI levels suggest near-term consolidation may occur.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Baxter offers a variety of medical instruments and supplies to caregivers. It enhanced its portfolio of hospital-focused offerings by acquiring Hillrom in late 2021. Legacy Baxter offers tools to help patients with acute and chronic kidney failure. It also sells a variety of injectable therapies for use in care settings, such as IV pumps, and administrative sets.
Read more on BAX →CF Industries is a leading producer and distributor of nitrogen fertilizers. The company operates seven nitrogen facilities in North America and holds joint venture interests in further production capacity in the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago. CF makes nitrogen primarily using low-cost U.S. natural gas as its feedstock, making CF one of the lowest-cost nitrogen producers globally.
Read more on CF →