CTVA vs FMC vs CF vs MOS vs NTR

For growth investors, Nutrien Ltd.

(NTR) is the stronger pick with 5. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -18. 3% for FMC Corporation (FMC). The Mosaic Company (MOS) offers the better valuation at 6. 0x trailing P/E (15. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Corteva, Inc. (CTVA) a "Buy" — based on 37 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, The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the cheapest at 6.

0x versus Corteva, Inc. at 52. 4x. On forward P/E, FMC Corporation is actually cheaper at 8. 4x — 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: Nutrien Ltd. wins at 0. 33x versus Corteva, Inc. 's 1. 92x — 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 +172. 6%, compared to -79. 4% for FMC Corporation (FMC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CF returned +362. 9% versus FMC's -25. 3%. 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, The Mosaic Company (MOS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 2% for FMC Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Nutrien Ltd.

(NTR) is pulling ahead at 5. 3% versus -18. 3% for FMC Corporation (FMC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Mosaic Company grew EPS 605. 5% year-over-year, compared to -757. 4% for FMC Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CTVA leads at -0. 1% 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 29. 4% versus -54. 4% for FMC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CTVA leads at 43. 6%, 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, Nutrien Ltd. (NTR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 33x versus Corteva, Inc. 's 1. 92x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, FMC Corporation (FMC) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 22. 9x for Corteva, Inc. — 14. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MOS: 34. 4% to $31. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

FMC Corporation (FMC) offers the highest yield at 15. 6%, versus 0. 8% for Corteva, Inc. (CTVA).

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. 6% yield, +362. 9% 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: +362. 9%, FMC: -25. 3%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: CTVA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; FMC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CF is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; MOS is a small-cap deep-value stock; NTR is a mid-cap deep-value 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.