SMG vs ANDE vs NTR vs CF

For growth investors, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the stronger pick with 19. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) offers the better valuation at 13. 2x trailing P/E (8. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

(CF) is the cheapest at 13. 2x versus The Andersons, Inc. at 25. 3x. On forward P/E, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 4x. 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 Nutrien Ltd. 's 0. 29x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Andersons, Inc.

(ANDE) delivered a total return of +141. 6%, compared to -69. 1% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CF returned +338. 1% versus SMG's +34. 9%. 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 Scotts Miracle-Gro Company's 1. 10β — meaning SMG is approximately -277% 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 81% for The Andersons, Inc. — 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 -3. 9% for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company grew EPS 504. 9% year-over-year, compared to -15. 7% for The Andersons, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SMG leads at -4. 5% 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 0. 9% for The Andersons, Inc. — 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 1. 2% for ANDE. 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 Nutrien Ltd. 's 0. 29x. 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 14. 5x for The Andersons, Inc. — 6. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NTR: 23. 2% to $84. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG) offers the highest yield at 4. 2%, versus 1. 1% for The Andersons, Inc. (ANDE).

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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CF: +338. 1%, SMG: +34. 9%), 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 (SMG (Basic Materials) and ANDE (Consumer Defensive) and NTR (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: SMG is a small-cap income-oriented stock; ANDE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NTR is a mid-cap deep-value 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.