CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) vs United States Steel Corporation (X)
CF leads on 10 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and United States Steel Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 24, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
CF
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.
$102.17Basic Materials
X
United States Steel Corporation
$54.84Basic Materials
Total return — CF vs X
growth of $100 · last 20yCF +2996.0%X +23.4%CF compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CF X
CF vs X: by the numbers
- •CF is the larger company ($15.70B vs $12.42B market cap).
- •CF trades at the lower earnings multiple (9.18 vs 189.10 P/E).
- •CF converts more revenue to profit (23.73% vs 0.64% net margin).
- •CF grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.01% vs 4.51% CAGR).
- •CF pays the higher dividend yield (1.96% vs 0.36%).
Which is better, CF or X?
Metric tally: CF 10 · X 4It 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 | X |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 9.18● | 189.10 |
| Forward P/E | 8.90 | — |
| P/S ratio | 2.13 | 0.81● |
| P/B ratio | 2.95 | 0.77● |
| PEG ratio | 0.26 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 4.68● | 10.84 |
| FCF yield | 10.27% | — |
Profitability
| Metric | CF | X |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 40.41%● | 7.57% |
| Operating margin | 35.68%● | -2.36% |
| Net margin | 23.73%● | 0.64% |
| ROE | 32.91%● | 0.61% |
| ROIC | 14.27%● | 1.24% |
Dividends
| Metric | CF | X |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.96%● | 0.36% |
| Payout ratio | 22.27% | 11.70% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CF | X |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 12.01%● | 4.51% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 43.52%● | -19.55% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 6.13% | 24.58%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 17.31% | 47.40%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CF or X?
- 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 10 to 4.
- Is CF or X cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CF is cheaper: CF trades at a 9.18 P/E and X at 189.10.
- Which has grown faster, CF or X?
- Over the past five years, CF grew revenue faster — CF at a 12.01% CAGR versus X at 4.51%.
- Does CF or X pay a bigger dividend?
- CF yields 1.96% and X yields 0.36% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CF or X more profitable?
- CF runs the higher net margin — CF at 23.73% versus X at 0.64%.
- Which has been the better investment, CF or X?
- Over the past 10-year, CF delivered the higher annualized total return — CF at 17.11% versus X at 9.88%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
CF Industries P/E ratioUnited States Steel P/E ratioCF Industries dividend yieldUnited States Steel dividend yieldCF Industries ROEUnited States Steel ROECF Industries operating marginUnited States Steel operating marginCF Industries revenue growthUnited States Steel revenue growthCF Industries free cash flowUnited States Steel free cash flow
CF Industries & United States Steel 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 24, 2026.