For the quarter ended December 2024, CF Industries (CF) reported revenue of $1.52 billion, down 3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.89, compared to $1.49 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.93% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.47 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.49, the EPS surprise was +26.85%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how CF performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Average selling price per product ton - Ammonia: $461 compared to the $417.62 average estimate based on five analysts.
• Sales volume by product - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): 1,613 KTon versus the five-analyst average estimate of 1,806.32 KTon.
• Sales volume by product - Granular Urea: 1,002 KTon compared to the 1,076.33 KTon average estimate based on five analysts.
• Sales volume by product - Ammonia: 1,240 KTon versus 1,078.15 KTon estimated by five analysts on average.
• Tons of product sold - Total: 4,747 KTon compared to the 4,920.86 KTon average estimate based on five analysts.
• Average selling price per product ton - UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $231 compared to the $226.48 average estimate based on five analysts.
• Average selling price per product ton - Granular Urea: $347 versus the five-analyst average estimate of $334.48.
• Net Sales- Ammonia: $572 million compared to the $451.17 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.6% year over year.
• Net Sales- Granular Urea: $348 million compared to the $359.17 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -11.2% year over year.
• Net Sales- UAN (urea ammonium nitrate): $372 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $408.57 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -11%.
• Net Sales- AN (ammonium nitrate): $101 million compared to the $105.85 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -15.8% year over year.
• Net Sales- Other: $131 million versus $132.02 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -10.3% change.

View all Key Company Metrics for CF here>>>

Shares of CF have returned -11.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +2.4% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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