SANW vs DE vs AGCO vs CTVA vs CF

For growth investors, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the stronger pick with 19. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -17. 8% for S&W Seed Company (SANW). 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 AGCO Corporation (AGCO) a "Buy" — based on 29 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 Corteva, Inc. at 49. 4x. On forward P/E, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. 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: 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 -100. 0% for S&W Seed Company (SANW). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DE returned +671. 0% versus SANW's -100. 0%. 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), S&W Seed Company (SANW) is the lower-risk stock at -3.

79β versus AGCO Corporation's 1. 10β — meaning AGCO is approximately -129% more volatile than SANW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Corteva, Inc. (CTVA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% 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 -17. 8% for S&W Seed Company (SANW). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AGCO Corporation grew EPS 271. 4% year-over-year, compared to -317. 7% for S&W Seed Company. 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 -49. 7% for S&W Seed Company — 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 -29. 3% for SANW. 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, 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, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 32. 5x for Deere & Company — 24. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DE: 17. 3% to $680. 54.

In this comparison, CF (1.

7% yield), DE (1. 1% yield), AGCO (1. 0% yield), CTVA (0. 9% yield) pay a dividend. SANW does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, S&W Seed Company (SANW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -3.

79)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SANW: -100. 0%, AGCO: +178. 0%), 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 (SANW (Consumer Defensive) and DE (Industrials) and AGCO (Industrials) and CTVA (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: SANW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AGCO is a small-cap deep-value stock; CTVA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CF is a mid-cap high-growth stock. DE, AGCO, CTVA, CF pay a dividend while SANW does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.