AVD vs DE vs AGCO vs FMC vs CF

For growth investors, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the stronger pick with 19. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 3% for FMC Corporation (FMC). AGCO Corporation (AGCO) offers the better valuation at 12. 1x trailing P/E (20. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate American Vanguard Corporation (AVD) a "Buy" — based on 13 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, AGCO Corporation (AGCO) is the cheapest at 12.

1x versus Deere & Company at 31. 4x. On forward P/E, FMC Corporation is actually cheaper at 7. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus Deere & Company's 1. 99x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) delivered a total return of +130. 9%, compared to -83. 4% for American Vanguard Corporation (AVD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DE returned +671. 0% versus AVD's -71. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 62β versus FMC Corporation's 1. 63β — meaning FMC is approximately -361% more volatile than CF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 51% versus 2% for Deere & Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is pulling ahead at 19. 3% versus -18. 3% for FMC Corporation (FMC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AGCO Corporation grew EPS 271. 4% year-over-year, compared to -757. 4% for FMC Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, DE leads at -3. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 5% net margin versus -64. 6% for FMC Corporation — meaning it keeps 20. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CF leads at 33. 4% versus -54. 4% for FMC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CF leads at 38. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus Deere & Company's 1. 99x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, FMC Corporation (FMC) trades at 7. 7x forward P/E versus 32. 5x for Deere & Company — 24. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AVD: 466. 7% to $17. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

FMC Corporation (FMC) offers the highest yield at 17. 0%, versus 1. 0% for AGCO Corporation (AGCO).

For long-horizon retirement investors, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 62), 1. 7% yield, +338. 1% 10Y return). FMC Corporation (FMC) carries a higher beta of 1. 63 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CF: +338. 1%, FMC: -26. 8%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (AVD (Basic Materials) and DE (Industrials) and AGCO (Industrials) and FMC (Basic Materials) and CF (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AVD is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AGCO is a small-cap deep-value stock; FMC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CF is a mid-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.