Strong Operations: Production Exceeded 99% of Available Ammonia Capacity

Middle East Supply Shock Further Tightens Global Nitrogen Supply-Demand Balance

NORTHBROOK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF), a leading global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Highlights

• First quarter 2026 net earnings(1) of $615 million, or $3.98 per diluted share, EBITDA(2) of $1.01 billion, and adjusted EBITDA(2) of $983 million. First quarter 2026 financial results reflect a gain of approximately $170 million from a litigation settlement
• Trailing twelve months net cash from operating activities of $2.66 billion; free cash flow(3) of $1.65 billion for same period, which includes cash inflows and outflows associated with the Blue Point joint venture
• Repurchased approximately 155,000 shares for $15 million during the first quarter of 2026
• Launched low-carbon UAN collaboration with PepsiCo to enable a lower carbon footprint from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay brand’s U.S. potato supply chain

“The CF Industries team continued to deliver safely outstanding operational performance in the first quarter of 2026 against a backdrop of strong global nitrogen demand and tight global nitrogen supply as we entered the year,” said Chris Bohn, president and chief executive officer, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. “The conflict with Iran has further constrained global nitrogen supply and exposed the fragile nature of the global nitrogen supply chain. We remain focused on safe operations and high asset utilization across our low-cost North American-based manufacturing and distribution network, enabling CF Industries to continue to be a reliable supplier to customers and to create substantial value for long-term shareholders.”

Operations Overview

The Company’s trailing twelve month recordable incident rate was 0.16 incidents per 200,000 work hours as of March 31, 2026.

Gross ammonia production for the first quarter of 2026 was approximately 2.5 million tons, which represents utilization of 99% of available gross ammonia capacity.(4)

The Company expects gross ammonia production for the full year 2026 to be approximately 9.5 million tons due to the ongoing outage at the Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex as a result of an incident that occurred in late 2025. Management does not expect production to resume at the Yazoo City Complex until late fourth quarter of 2026 at the earliest based on time required for fabrication and delivery of certain required equipment.

Financial Results Overview

First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

For the first quarter of 2026, net earnings attributable to common stockholders were $615 million, or $3.98 per diluted share, EBITDA was $1.01 billion, and adjusted EBITDA was $983 million. These results compare to first quarter of 2025 net earnings attributable to common stockholders of $312 million, or $1.85 per diluted share, EBITDA of $617 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $644 million. First quarter 2026 financial results reflect a gain of approximately $170 million from a litigation settlement.

Net sales in the first quarter of 2026 were $1.99 billion compared to $1.66 billion in the first quarter of 2025. Average selling prices were higher for all segments in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance, which was further tightened by supply disruptions related to the conflict with Iran. Sales volumes were lower in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter of 2025 due primarily to lower urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) and ammonium nitrate (AN) sales.

Cost of sales for the first quarter of 2026 was higher compared to the first quarter of 2025 due primarily to higher maintenance costs, including the extended outage at the Company’s Yazoo City Complex, and higher realized natural gas costs.

The average cost of natural gas, including the impact of realized derivatives, reflected in the Company’s cost of sales was $4.57 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the average cost of natural gas in cost of sales of $3.68 per MMBtu in the first quarter of 2025.

Capital Management

On April 8, 2025, CF Industries announced that it formed a joint venture (Blue Point joint venture) with JERA Co., Inc. (JERA) and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui) for the construction, production and offtake of low-carbon ammonia. CF Industries holds 40% ownership, JERA holds 35% ownership, and Mitsui holds 25% ownership in the joint venture, with the joint venture to be funded by the equity partners according to their ownership percentage.

CF Industries consolidates the Blue Point joint venture in its consolidated financial statements, with the combined 60% interest owned by JERA and Mitsui recorded as noncontrolling interests. CF Industries’ consolidated financial statements at March 31, 2026, included the cash held by the joint venture, capital contributions from the joint venture equity partners and the capital expenditures of the joint venture.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

As of March 31, 2026, CF Industries had cash and cash equivalents of $2.04 billion, of which $254 million was held by the Blue Point joint venture. Cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2026, did not include the approximately $170 million from a litigation settlement as the proceeds were accrued in the first quarter of 2026, but not received until April 2026.

Capital Expenditures

Capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2026 were $223 million, of which $65 million was attributable to the Blue Point joint venture.

Reflecting the consolidation of the Blue Point joint venture into CF Industries’ financial statements, management projects capital expenditures for full year 2026 will be approximately $1.3 billion, of which approximately $550 million is related to activities within the Company’s existing network and approximately $600 million is related to total estimated capital expenditures in 2026 of the Blue Point joint venture, which will be funded by each joint venture partner according to their ownership percentage. The Company expects to have approximately $150 million in capital expenditures in 2026 related to its wholly owned Blue Point common facilities. For the full year, management projects capital expenditures for CF Industries, excluding the portion of capital expenditures funded by JERA and Mitsui, to be approximately $950 million.

Additionally, the Company expects to record as capital expenditures approximately $40 million of capitalized interest. Interest expense will be reduced by a corresponding amount.

Share Repurchase Program

The Company repurchased approximately 155,000 shares for $15 million during the first quarter of 2026.

Since CF Industries commenced its current $2 billion share repurchase program in October 2025, the Company has repurchased 3.6 million shares for approximately $293 million. As of March 31, 2026, approximately $1.7 billion remains under the program, which expires in December 2029.

CHS Inc. Distribution

CHS Inc. (CHS) is entitled to semi-annual distributions resulting from its minority equity investment in CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC (CFN). The estimate of the partnership distribution earned by CHS, but not yet declared, for the first quarter of 2026 is approximately $88 million.

Nitrogen Market Outlook

Entering 2026, the global nitrogen supply-demand balance was tight following 2025’s strong global nitrogen demand and supply disruptions due to geopolitical events and lack of natural gas availability in key supply regions. The conflict in the Middle East has significantly tightened the global nitrogen supply-demand balance further. Annual nitrogen production in the Middle East accounts for approximately 25-30% of globally traded ammonia and approximately 35-40% of globally traded urea, the most widely used nitrogen fertilizer globally. A large majority of ammonia and urea shipments have been unable to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and a significant amount of nitrogen capacity in the region has been curtailed or shut down as a result.

Additionally, liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply out of the Middle East, which accounts for approximately 20% of global LNG exports, has been restricted due to limited transit through the Strait of Hormuz, shutdowns and curtailments, or damage to LNG assets. This has affected nitrogen production in areas reliant on imported LNG, such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Facilities in these areas are either temporarily shut down or operating at reduced rates, further constraining global supply. In addition, European natural gas prices have increased sharply as a result of low gas storage and high LNG prices, raising the global nitrogen market clearing price required to meet global nitrogen demand.

Management has long projected that the global nitrogen supply-demand balance would tighten over the long-term as global nitrogen capacity under construction is not projected to keep pace with expected global nitrogen demand growth over the next four years. Based on the duration of the current conflict and severe shocks to global fertilizer supply, management believes the global nitrogen supply-demand balance will remain tighter than expected in the near- and medium-term as global nitrogen trade requires time to rebalance.

Secure North American nitrogen availability: Management believes nitrogen channel inventory in North America is at average levels as domestic and imported supply has been moving through the supply chain since July 2025, supporting pre-plant and post-plant applications. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Prospective Plantings report indicated intended corn plantings at approximately 95 million acres in the United States for 2026.

Constrained global supply: The Company estimates that 50-60% of ammonia and urea capacity in the Middle East was curtailed or offline in March due to the conflict with Iran. Nitrogen exports from Russia, while still above pre-war levels, continue to face interrupted supply and export flows due to the ongoing conflict in the region. Additionally, China has limited exports of all fertilizer products, except ammonium sulfate. Management believes that China will begin limited exports of nitrogen products later in the second quarter of 2026.

Higher urea imports to India: Low starting inventory in India, lower domestic production due to a lack of LNG imports and undelivered volumes from a previously awarded urea tender due to the conflict with Iran suggest a need for India to tender frequently for urea in 2026. As a result, management expects India to import more urea in 2026 than in 2025, potentially reaching 10-12 million metric tons for the year. This increase in demand may be partially offset by lower demand in other import regions, including Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, which are facing affordability concerns due to tight global supply and higher prices.

Strategic Initiatives Update

Blue Point Joint Venture with JERA and Mitsui

The Blue Point joint venture will construct at CF Industries’ Blue Point Complex in Modeste, Louisiana, an autothermal reforming ammonia production facility with a carbon dioxide (CO2) dehydration and compression unit to prepare captured CO2 for transportation and sequestration. The project execution team has been assembled and procurement of long lead equipment items is largely complete. Detailed engineering activities along with the regulatory permitting process are progressing to support the start of facility civil construction in 2026. Installation of basic site infrastructure has begun, which will enable the start of civil construction later this year.

Yazoo City, MS, Carbon Capture and Sequestration Project

CF Industries signed a definitive commercial agreement in July 2024 with ExxonMobil for the transport and sequestration in permanent geologic storage of up to 500,000 metric tons of CO2 annually from the Company’s Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex. CF Industries will invest approximately $100 million into its Yazoo City Complex to build a CO2 dehydration and compression unit to enable up to 500,000 metric tons of CO2 captured from the ammonia production process per year to be transported and stored. The Company continues to order long lead equipment and progress through detailed engineering to achieve a 2028 startup. CF Industries expects the project to qualify for tax credits under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code, which provides a credit per metric ton of CO2 sequestered.

Low-Carbon UAN Collaboration with PepsiCo

CF Industries and PepsiCo have entered a commercial agreement focused on reducing the carbon footprint of PepsiCo’s potato supply chain through the use of UAN manufactured with a lower carbon intensity than conventional processes (low-carbon UAN). This agreement marks CF Industries’ first commercial launch of certified low-carbon UAN fertilizer. The low-carbon UAN will be available to farmers who grow potatoes for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay potato chip brands, enabling a lower carbon footprint from its U.S. potato supply chain. The low-carbon UAN has been certified by the Verified Ammonia Carbon Intensity Program.

Consolidated Results

Ammonia Segment

CF Industries’ ammonia segment produces anhydrous ammonia (ammonia), which is the base product that the Company manufactures, containing 82 percent nitrogen and 18 percent hydrogen. The results of the ammonia segment consist of sales of ammonia to external customers for its nitrogen content as a fertilizer, in emissions control and in other industrial applications. In addition, the Company upgrades ammonia into other nitrogen products such as granular urea, UAN and AN.

Comparison of first quarter 2026 to first quarter 2025:

• Ammonia sales volumes for 2026 were similar to 2025.
• Ammonia average selling prices increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance, which was further tightened by supply disruptions related to the conflict with Iran.
• Ammonia adjusted gross margin per ton increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to higher average selling prices partially offset by higher maintenance costs and higher realized natural gas costs.

Granular Urea Segment

CF Industries’ granular urea segment produces granular urea, which contains 46 percent nitrogen. Produced from ammonia and CO2, it has the highest nitrogen content of any of the Company’s solid nitrogen products.

Comparison of first quarter 2026 to first quarter 2025:

• Granular urea sales volumes for 2026 were higher than 2025 due primarily to greater supply availability from higher starting inventory and product mix favoring granular urea production.
• Granular urea average selling prices increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance, which was further tightened by supply disruptions related to the conflict with Iran.
• Granular urea adjusted gross margin per ton increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to higher average selling prices partially offset by higher realized natural gas costs.

UAN Segment

CF Industries’ UAN segment produces urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN). UAN is a liquid product with nitrogen content that typically ranges from 28 percent to 32 percent and is produced by combining urea and ammonium nitrate in solution.

Comparison of first quarter 2026 to first quarter 2025:

• UAN sales volumes for 2026 decreased compared to 2025 due primarily to lower supply availability from product mix that favored granular urea production.
• UAN average selling prices increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance, which was further tightened by supply disruptions related to the Russia-Ukraine war.
• UAN adjusted gross margin per ton increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to higher average selling prices partially offset by higher realized natural gas costs and higher maintenance costs.

AN Segment

CF Industries’ AN segment produces ammonium nitrate (AN). AN is used as a nitrogen fertilizer with nitrogen content between 29 percent to 35 percent, and is also used extensively by the commercial explosives industry as a component of explosives.

Comparison of first quarter 2026 to first quarter 2025:

• AN sales volumes were lower for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to the loss of production at the Company’s Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex following an incident in November 2025.
• AN average selling prices increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance, which was further tightened by supply disruptions related to the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as a higher proportion of AN sales made in the United Kingdom.
• AN adjusted gross margin per ton decreased for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to costs related to the ongoing outage at the Company’s Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex partially offset by higher average selling prices.

Other Segment

CF Industries’ Other segment primarily includes diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), urea liquor and nitric acid.

Comparison of first quarter 2026 to first quarter 2025:

• Other sales volumes for 2026 decreased compared to 2025 due primarily to lower DEF sales as a result of the ongoing outage at the Yazoo City Complex.
• Other average selling prices increased for 2026 compared to 2025 due to a tight global nitrogen supply-demand balance.
• Other adjusted gross margin per ton decreased for 2026 compared to 2025 due primarily to costs related to the ongoing outage at the Company’s Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex partially offset by higher average selling prices.

Dividend Payment

On April 28, 2026, CF Industries’ Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per common share. The dividend will be paid on May 29, 2026 to stockholders of record as of May 15, 2026.

Conference Call

CF Industries will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2026 results at 11:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 7, 2026. This conference call will include discussion of CF Industries’ business environment and outlook. Investors can access the call and find dial-in information on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.cfindustries.com.

About CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

At CF Industries, our mission is to provide clean energy to feed and fuel the world sustainably. With our employees focused on safe and reliable operations, environmental stewardship, and disciplined capital and corporate management, we are on a path to decarbonize our ammonia production network – the world’s largest – to enable low-carbon hydrogen and nitrogen products for energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement and other industrial activities. Our manufacturing complexes in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, an unparalleled storage, transportation and distribution network in North America, and logistics capabilities enabling a global reach underpin our strategy to leverage our unique capabilities to accelerate the world’s transition to clean energy. CF Industries routinely posts investor announcements and additional information on the Company’s website at www.cfindustries.com and encourages those interested in the Company to check there frequently.

Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Management believes that EBITDA, EBITDA per ton, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA per ton, free cash flow, and, on a segment basis, adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin as a percent of net sales and adjusted gross margin per product ton and per nutrient ton, which are non-GAAP financial measures, provide additional meaningful information regarding the Company’s performance and financial strength. Management uses these measures, and believes they are useful to investors, as supplemental financial measures in the comparison of year-over-year performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because not all companies use identical calculations, EBITDA, EBITDA per ton, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA per ton, free cash flow, adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin as a percent of net sales and adjusted gross margin per product ton and per nutrient ton, included in this release may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Reconciliations of EBITDA, EBITDA per ton, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA per ton, and free cash flow to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are provided in the tables accompanying this release under “CF Industries Holdings, Inc.-Selected Financial Information-Non-GAAP Disclosure Items.” Reconciliations of adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin as a percent of net sales and adjusted gross margin per product ton and per nutrient ton to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are provided in the segment tables included in this release.

Safe Harbor Statement

All statements in this communication by CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”), other than those relating to historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by their use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “will” or “would” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. These statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about strategic plans and management’s expectations with respect to the production of low-carbon ammonia, the development of carbon capture and sequestration projects, the transition to and growth of a hydrogen economy, greenhouse gas reduction targets, projected capital expenditures, statements about future financial and operating results, and other items described in this communication.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others: the Company’s ability to complete the projects at its Blue Point Complex, including the construction of a low-carbon ammonia production facility with its joint venture partners and scalable infrastructure on schedule and on budget or at all; the Company’s ability to fund the capital expenditure needs related to the joint venture at its Blue Point Complex, which may exceed its current estimates; the cyclical nature of the Company’s business and the impact of global supply and demand on the Company’s selling prices and operating results; the global commodity nature of the Company’s nitrogen products, the conditions in the global market for nitrogen products, and the intense global competition from other producers; announced or future tariffs, retaliatory measures, and global trade relations, including the potential impact of tariffs and retaliatory measures on the price and availability of materials for its capital projects and maintenance; conditions in the United States, Europe and other agricultural areas, including the influence of governmental policies and technological developments on the demand for its fertilizer products; the volatility of natural gas prices in North America and globally; weather conditions and the impact of adverse weather events; the seasonality of the fertilizer business; the impact of changing market conditions on the Company’s forward sales programs; difficulties in securing the supply and delivery of raw materials or utilities, increases in their costs or delays or interruptions in their delivery; reliance on third party providers of transportation services and equipment, including those related to carbon dioxide sequestration; the Company’s reliance on a limited number of key facilities; risks associated with cybersecurity; acts of terrorism and regulations to combat terrorism; the significant risks and hazards involved in producing and handling the Company’s products against which the Company may not be fully insured; risks associated with international operations; the Company’s ability to manage its indebtedness and any additional indebtedness that may be incurred; risks associated with changes in tax laws and adverse determinations by taxing authorities, including any potential changes in tax regulations and its qualification for tax credits; risks involving derivatives and the effectiveness of the Company’s risk management and hedging activities; potential liabilities and expenditures related to environmental, health and safety laws and regulations and permitting requirements; regulatory provisions and requirements related to greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability matters, including announced or future changes in environmental, climate change or sustainability laws; the development and growth of the market for low-carbon ammonia and the risks and uncertainties relating to the development and implementation of the Company’s low-carbon ammonia projects; risks associated with investments in and expansions of the Company’s business, including unanticipated adverse consequences and the significant resources that could be required; and failure of technologies to perform, develop or be available as expected, including the low-carbon ATR ammonia production facility with carbon capture and sequestration technologies being constructed at its Blue Point Complex.

More detailed information about factors that may affect the Company’s performance and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements may be found in CF Industries Holdings, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CF Industries Holdings, Inc.’s most recent annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which are available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s web site. It is not possible to predict or identify all risks and uncertainties that might affect the accuracy of our forward-looking statements and, consequently, our descriptions of such risks and uncertainties should not be considered exhaustive. There is no guarantee that any of the events, plans or goals anticipated by these forward-looking statements will occur, and if any of the events do occur, there is no guarantee what effect they will have on our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and future prospects. Forward-looking statements are given only as of the date of this communication and the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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For additional information:

Media

Chris Close

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

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Investors

Darla Rivera

Director, Investor Relations

847-405-2045 - [email protected]

Source: CF Industries Holdings, Inc