CF vs. ADM
CF (CF Industries Holdings, Inc.) and ADM (Archer-Daniels-Midland Company) are both stocks. CF operates in Agricultural Inputs (Basic Materials), while ADM operates in Farm Products (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, CF returned 20.99%/yr vs 9.38%/yr for ADM. Their 0.39 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
CF vs. ADM - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CF achieves a 63.40% return, which is significantly higher than ADM's 39.84% return. Over the past 10 years, CF has outperformed ADM with an annualized return of 20.99%, while ADM has yielded a comparatively lower 9.38% annualized return.
CF
- 1D
- -0.46%
- 1M
- 15.75%
- 6M
- 35.55%
- YTD
- 63.40%
- 1Y
- 37.75%
- 3Y*
- 18.16%
- 5Y*
- 24.12%
- 10Y*
- 20.99%
- ALL TIME*
- 21.21%
ADM
- 1D
- -1.66%
- 1M
- 3.47%
- 6M
- 19.44%
- YTD
- 39.84%
- 1Y
- 50.92%
- 3Y*
- 1.00%
- 5Y*
- 8.85%
- 10Y*
- 9.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.84%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $327.88M | $285.87M | $300.91M | |
| $259.19M | $278.77M | $321.72M |
CF vs. ADM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 63.40% | -7.17% | 10.08% | -4.75% | 22.29% | 87.18% | -15.76% | 12.73% | 5.13% | 40.24% |
ADM Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | 39.84% | 18.24% | -27.52% | -20.42% | 39.98% | 37.33% | 12.44% | 17.10% | 5.28% | -9.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between CF and ADM is 0.39, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.42 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.44 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2005 | 0.39 |
Fundamentals
CF:
$19.23B
ADM:
$38.20B
CF:
$11.18
ADM:
$2.23
CF:
11.20
ADM:
35.49
CF:
2.66
ADM:
0.48
CF:
2.34
ADM:
1.68
CF:
$7.41B
ADM:
$80.61B
CF:
$2.99B
ADM:
$4.70B
CF:
$2.60B
ADM:
$3.48B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
CF vs. ADM — Risk / Return Rank
CF
ADM
CF vs. ADM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) and Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CF | ADM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.31 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.49 | 4.00 | -2.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.31 | 9.92 | -6.61 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
CF vs. ADM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CF drawdown since its inception was -76.73%, which is greater than ADM's maximum drawdown of -68.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CF and ADM.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| CF | ADM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.73% | -68.01% | -8.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.45% | -12.79% | -12.66% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.16% | -49.22% | +20.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.36% | -54.14% | +5.78% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -60.74% | -54.14% | -6.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.65% | -9.34% | +0.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.87% | -21.55% | -3.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.44% | 5.15% | +6.29% |
Volatility
CF vs. ADM - Volatility Comparison
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) has a higher volatility of 10.07% compared to Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) at 7.93%. This indicates that CF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ADM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| CF | ADM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.07% | 7.93% | +2.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.61% | 19.11% | +16.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 42.03% | 26.98% | +15.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.14% | 28.38% | +9.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 40.08% | 26.92% | +13.16% |
Dividends
CF vs. ADM - Dividend Comparison
CF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.60%, less than ADM's 2.60% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADM Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | 2.60% | 3.55% | 3.96% | 2.49% | 1.72% | 2.19% | 2.86% | 3.02% | 3.27% | 3.19% | 2.63% | 3.05% |
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 1.60% | 2.59% | 2.34% | 2.01% | 1.76% | 1.70% | 3.10% | 2.51% | 2.76% | 2.82% | 3.81% | 2.94% |
Financials
CF vs. ADM - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and Archer-Daniels-Midland Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
CF vs. ADM - Profitability Comparison
CF - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 746.00M and revenue of 1.99B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.6%.
ADM - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company reported a gross profit of 1.22B and revenue of 20.49B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 6.0%.
CF - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 6.00M and revenue of 1.99B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.3%.
ADM - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company reported an operating income of 408.00M and revenue of 20.49B, resulting in an operating margin of 2.0%.
CF - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 615.00M and revenue of 1.99B, resulting in a net margin of 31.0%.
ADM - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company reported a net income of 298.00M and revenue of 20.49B, resulting in a net margin of 1.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions
CF and ADM have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CF has higher volatility (10.07%) compared to ADM (7.93%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CF dropped -76.73% vs ADM's -68.01%.
ADM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs 0.90), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for CF and ADM
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer