CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) vs Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (MLM)
CF leads on 14 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 20, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
CF
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.
$123.63Basic MaterialsDelayed quote: Jul 20, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT
MLM
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
$553.62Basic MaterialsDelayed quote: Jul 20, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — CF vs MLM
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 21yCF +5485.9%MLM +910.6%CF compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CF MLM
CF vs MLM: by the numbers
- •MLM is the larger company ($33.24B vs $18.99B market cap).
- •CF trades at the lower earnings multiple (11.11 vs 13.19 P/E).
- •MLM converts more revenue to profit (38.67% vs 23.73% net margin).
- •CF grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.01% vs 6.63% CAGR).
- •CF pays the higher dividend yield (1.62% vs 0.60%).
Which is better, CF or MLM?
Metric tally: CF 14 · MLM 2It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCF(lower P/E)
GrowthCF(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCF(higher dividend yield)
QualityCF(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CF | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 11.11● | 13.19 |
| Forward P/E | 7.24● | 28.92 |
| P/S ratio | 2.58● | 5.10 |
| P/B ratio | 3.58 | 2.96● |
| PEG ratio | 0.26● | 1.28 |
| EV / EBITDA | 5.83● | 18.16 |
| FCF yield | 8.49%● | 3.09% |
Profitability
| Metric | CF | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 40.41%● | 29.56% |
| Operating margin | 35.68%● | 22.74% |
| Net margin | 23.73% | 38.67%● |
| ROE | 32.91%● | 22.43% |
| ROIC | 14.27%● | 6.87% |
Dividends
| Metric | CF | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.62%● | 0.60% |
| Payout ratio | 22.27% | 17.61% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CF | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 12.01%● | 6.63% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 43.52%● | 10.27% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 6.13% | 6.09% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 23.94%● | 10.48% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CF or MLM?
- It depends on your goal. value: CF (lower P/E); growth: CF (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CF (higher dividend yield); quality: CF (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CF leads 14 to 2.
- Is CF or MLM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CF is cheaper: CF trades at a 11.11 P/E and MLM at 13.19.
- Which has grown faster, CF or MLM?
- Over the past five years, CF grew revenue faster — CF at a 12.01% CAGR versus MLM at 6.63%.
- Does CF or MLM pay a bigger dividend?
- CF yields 1.62% and MLM yields 0.60% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CF or MLM more profitable?
- MLM runs the higher net margin — CF at 23.73% versus MLM at 38.67%.
- Which has been the better investment, CF or MLM?
- Over the past 10-year, CF delivered the higher annualized total return — CF at 19.82% versus MLM at 11.64%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
CF Industries P/E ratioMartin Marietta Materials P/E ratioCF Industries dividend yieldMartin Marietta Materials dividend yieldCF Industries ROEMartin Marietta Materials ROECF Industries operating marginMartin Marietta Materials operating marginCF Industries revenue growthMartin Marietta Materials revenue growthCF Industries free cash flowMartin Marietta Materials free cash flow
CF Industries & Martin Marietta Materials 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 July 20, 2026.