CF Industries Holdings, Inc. vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? CF Industries Holdings, Inc. trades at $118.6 (market cap $18.58B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $300.5 (market cap $83.35B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 4.5× CF Industries Holdings, Inc.'s market cap, and CF Industries Holdings, Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.98%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CF | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.58B | $83.35B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Energy |
52-Week High | $137.55 | $301.43 |
52-Week Low | $76.08 | $131.77 |
Enterprise Value | $20.15B | $89.10B |
Dividend Yield | 1.98% | 1.71% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $295.79, up 5.38% in the last session, reflecting strong momentum amid bullish technical signals and positive earnings surprises. The stock's valuation metrics, including a P/E of 20.5 and P/S of 0.69, appear reasonable relative to historical levels, while profitability remains solid with a 17.72% ROE. Recent news highlights VLO's exposure to elevated refining margins and strong fuel demand, particularly benefiting its Gulf Coast operations.
The outlook for VLO is supported by robust refining fundamentals and a favorable analyst consensus, though risks include volatile energy markets and declining revenue trends. Upside potential exists if the company continues to exceed earnings expectations and capitalizes on tight product supplies, but investors should monitor margin pressures and macroeconomic headwinds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Valero Energy is one of the largest independent refiners in the United States. It operates 14 refineries with a total throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Valero also owns 14 ethanol plants with capacity of 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol a year and holds a 50% stake in Diamond Green Diesel, which has capacity to produce 700 million gallons per year of renewable diesel.
Read more on VLO →