MOS vs CF

For growth investors, The Mosaic Company (MOS) is the stronger pick with 5.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -10. 5% for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF). 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 CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) a "Buy" — based on 41 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 CF Industries Holdings, Inc. at 19. 0x. On forward P/E, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 1x — 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. 36x versus The Mosaic Company's 0. 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 -22. 6% for The Mosaic Company (MOS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CF returned +362. 9% versus MOS's +11. 1%. 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 The Mosaic Company's 0. 52β — meaning MOS is approximately -183% 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 43% for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Mosaic Company (MOS) is pulling ahead at 5.

0% versus -10. 5% for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Mosaic Company grew EPS 605. 5% year-over-year, compared to -14. 4% for CF Industries Holdings, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CF leads at -3. 2% 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 10. 5% for The Mosaic Company — 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 9. 9% for MOS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CF leads at 34. 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, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 36x versus The Mosaic Company's 0. 92x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) trades at 9. 1x forward P/E versus 15. 9x for The Mosaic Company — 6. 9x 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.

The Mosaic Company (MOS) offers the highest yield at 4. 1%, versus 1. 6% for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF).

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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CF: +362. 9%, MOS: +11. 1%), 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: MOS is a small-cap deep-value stock; CF is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.