CF Industries Holdings, Inc. vs Shell PLC — how do they compare? CF Industries Holdings, Inc. trades at $118.2 (market cap $18.38B), while Shell PLC trades at $90.31 (market cap $245.77B). The key difference: Shell PLC is far larger — about 13.4× CF Industries Holdings, Inc.'s market cap, and Shell PLC pays the higher dividend (3.47%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CF | SHEL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.38B | $245.77B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Energy |
52-Week High | $137.55 | $94.15 |
52-Week Low | $76.08 | $70.31 |
Enterprise Value | $19.52B | $287.47B |
Dividend Yield | 1.98% | 3.47% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CF Industries Holdings (CF) trades at $114.35, down 2.04% today, reflecting a bearish technical trend with support at $112 and resistance at $116. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates at $4.73 versus $5.63 expected, but revenue grew 17.6% year-over-year on strong nitrogen pricing. Fundamentals remain solid with a P/E of 8.48 and net income margin of 27.12%, while cash flow improved to $368 million in 2025. Recent news highlights institutional buying and nitrogen market tightness supporting mid-cycle earnings.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic; CF benefits from robust nitrogen demand and pricing, with analyst consensus target at $119.60 implying upside. Risks include volume volatility from plant outages and debt levels, but high ROE (39.19%) and dividend payments signal financial health. Investors may find value at current levels if operational execution aligns with favorable industry conditions.
Shell (SHEL) trades at $88.50, down 1.23% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 and Q2 2026, driven by higher oil prices and operational gains. The company maintains strong cash flow, reduced debt, and a discounted valuation with a P/E of 9.79. Analysts show strong buy sentiment, with a consensus price target of $103.60, and recent news highlights strategic asset sales and investments in gas projects.
Outlook is positive with earnings momentum and shareholder returns via dividends and buybacks, but risks include oil price volatility and regulatory pressures. The stock offers value with upside potential, though investors should monitor commodity swings and geopolitical factors affecting energy markets.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Shell is an integrated oil and gas company that explores for, produces, and refines oil around the world. In 2021, it produced 1.7 million barrels of liquids and 8.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. At year-end 2021, reserves stood at 9.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, 50% of which consisted of liquids. Its production and reserves are in Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and North and South America. The company operates refineries with capacity of 1.8 mmb/d located in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe and sells 15 mtpa of chemicals. Its largest chemical plants, often integrated with its local refineries, are in Central Europe, China, Singapore, and North America.
Read more on SHEL →