Albemarle Corporation (ALB) vs CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF)
CF leads on 13 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Albemarle Corporation and CF Industries Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ALB
Albemarle Corporation
$141.05Basic Materials
CF
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.
$103.09Basic Materials
Total return — ALB vs CF
growth of $100 · last 21yALB +705.0%CF +3081.8%CF compounded faster
ALB CF
ALB vs CF: by the numbers
- •ALB is the larger company ($16.63B vs $15.84B market cap).
- •CF is profitable (23.73% net margin) while ALB runs a net loss (-4.24%).
- •CF grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.01% vs 11.29% CAGR).
- •CF pays the higher dividend yield (1.94% vs 1.15%).
Which is better, ALB or CF?
Metric tally: ALB 2 · CF 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthCF(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCF(higher dividend yield)
QualityCF(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ALB | CF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 9.26 |
| Forward P/E | 11.26 | 8.98● |
| P/S ratio | 3.04 | 2.15● |
| P/B ratio | 1.70● | 2.98 |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.26 |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.45 | 4.72● |
| FCF yield | 3.45% | 10.17%● |
Profitability
| Metric | ALB | CF |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 18.53% | 40.41%● |
| Operating margin | 5.55% | 35.68%● |
| Net margin | -4.24% | 23.73%● |
| ROE | -2.36% | 32.91%● |
| ROIC | 0.64% | 14.27%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ALB | CF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.15% | 1.94%● |
| Payout ratio | — | 22.27% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ALB | CF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 11.29% | 12.01%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.95% | 43.52%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 92.70%● | 6.13% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -2.13% | 17.65%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ALB or CF?
- It depends on your goal. growth: CF (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CF (higher dividend yield); quality: CF (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CF leads 13 to 2.
- Which has grown faster, ALB or CF?
- Over the past five years, CF grew revenue faster — ALB at a 11.29% CAGR versus CF at 12.01%.
- Does ALB or CF pay a bigger dividend?
- ALB yields 1.15% and CF yields 1.94% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ALB or CF more profitable?
- CF runs the higher net margin — ALB at -4.24% versus CF at 23.73%.
- Which has been the better investment, ALB or CF?
- Over the past 10-year, CF delivered the higher annualized total return — ALB at 7.40% versus CF at 18.20%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Albemarle P/E ratioCF Industries P/E ratioAlbemarle dividend yieldCF Industries dividend yieldAlbemarle ROECF Industries ROEAlbemarle operating marginCF Industries operating marginAlbemarle revenue growthCF Industries revenue growthAlbemarle free cash flowCF Industries free cash flow
Albemarle & CF Industries appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 26, 2026.