CF Industries Holdings Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:CF)

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Friday. Traders acquired 843 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 278% compared to the average volume of 223 call options.

CF Industries Holdings (NYSE:CF) opened at 28.99 on Friday. CF Industries Holdings has a 1-year low of $20.77 and a 1-year high of $37.17. The firm’s market capitalization is $6.76 billion. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $28.51 and a 200-day moving average price of $29.87.

CF Industries Holdings (NYSE:CF) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 3rd. The basic materials company reported $0.05 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.04. CF Industries Holdings had a negative net margin of 8.77% and a positive return on equity of 0.41%. The business had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $988.56 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.40 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that CF Industries Holdings will post ($0.42) EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 11th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.14%. CF Industries Holdings’s dividend payout ratio is presently -85.71%.

CF has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup Inc. upgraded CF Industries Holdings from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, May 15th. Credit Suisse Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $31.00 price target on shares of CF Industries Holdings in a research report on Friday, April 21st. BMO Capital Markets restated a “buy” rating and issued a $38.00 price target on shares of CF Industries Holdings in a research report on Wednesday, April 5th. UBS AG upgraded CF Industries Holdings from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $33.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 5th. Finally, Barclays PLC restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $32.00 price target (down previously from $34.00) on shares of CF Industries Holdings in a research report on Saturday, April 22nd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $31.36.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. CENTRAL TRUST Co increased its position in CF Industries Holdings by 0.7% in the first quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 3,667 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $107,000 after buying an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. ARGI Investment Services LLC increased its position in CF Industries Holdings by 0.3% in the first quarter. ARGI Investment Services LLC now owns 31,321 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $919,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. increased its position in CF Industries Holdings by 3.3% in the first quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 4,293 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $126,000 after buying an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. increased its position in CF Industries Holdings by 2.0% in the second quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 7,803 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $218,000 after buying an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its position in CF Industries Holdings by 1.4% in the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 14,500 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $405,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter.

CF Industries Holdings Company Profile

CF Industries Holdings, Inc manufactures and distributes nitrogen fertilizer, and other nitrogen products. The Company’s nitrogen fertilizer products are ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) and ammonium nitrate (AN). Its other nitrogen products include diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), urea liquor, nitric acid and aqua ammonia, which are sold primarily to the Company’s industrial customers, and compound fertilizer products (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium or NPKs).