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CVR Partners LP (UAN)
NYSE:UAN
US Market

CVR Partners (UAN) AI Stock Analysis

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UAN

CVR Partners

(NYSE:UAN)

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Neutral 68 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:68Neutral
Price Target:
$105.00
▲(10.22% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/19/26
The score is primarily held back by weakening financial trends and above-average leverage, partially offset by strong valuation (low P/E and high yield) and supportive technicals (price above key moving averages with positive MACD). Earnings-call takeaways are balanced: improved utilization guidance and solid liquidity/distro support the outlook, but recent operational disruptions add risk.
Positive Factors
Cash generation
Consistent operating cash flow and positive free cash flow across 2021–2025 provide durable internal funding for maintenance, growth capex and distributions. Even with stepped-down FCF in 2025, the track record supports financing debottlenecking and reliability projects without immediate reliance on market financing.
Scale and asset base
Large, integrated ammonia and UAN plants give CVR Partners structural supply capability in U.S. Midwest and export markets. Scale supports customer relationships, distribution deals and export opportunity capture when global inventories tighten, underpinning long-term market position and bargaining power with distributors.
Focused capex and operational leadership
Targeted 2026 capex for debottlenecks, feedstock diversification and reliability directly addresses utilization and margin drivers. Funding from cash reserves and a recent COO appointment (operational experience) signal management is prioritizing durable capacity and reliability improvements to sustain utilization above 95% long term.
Negative Factors
Elevated leverage
Above-average leverage for a cyclical fertilizer business limits financial flexibility and raises refinancing and covenant risk during commodity downturns. High net debt relative to equity constrains the company's ability to pursue larger growth projects or absorb prolonged weak pricing without pressuring liquidity or distributions.
Revenue and margin erosion
Sustained revenue declines and sharp margin compression materially reduce structural earnings power and free cash generation. Weaker pricing and margin normalization versus cycle highs mean the business has less cushion to fund capex, service debt and maintain distributions if fertilizer prices or volumes weaken further.
Operational reliability risk
Repeated or third‑party-related plant outages materially reduce sales volumes and raise direct operating costs, as seen in Q4. Operational execution and service-provider dependence create ongoing downside to utilization targets and cash flow, undermining the benefits of capex unless reliability is demonstrably improved.

CVR Partners (UAN) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

CVR Partners Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCVR Partners, LP, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of nitrogen fertilizer products in the United States. The company offers ammonia products for agricultural and industrial customers; and urea and ammonium nitrate products to agricultural customers, as well as retailers and distributors. CVR GP, LLC serves as the general partner of the company. CVR Partners, LP was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyCVR Partners generates revenue primarily through the production and sale of nitrogen fertilizers, including ammonia and UAN solutions. The company benefits from a diverse customer base that includes agricultural cooperatives, wholesalers, and retailers, allowing them to sell their products across various market segments. Key revenue streams are derived from the direct sales of these fertilizers to farmers and agricultural businesses. Additionally, the company capitalizes on favorable pricing dynamics in the agricultural sector, which can fluctuate based on supply and demand, thereby impacting their earnings. Significant partnerships with agricultural distributors and cooperative marketing agreements also contribute to their financial performance, as they help expand market reach and improve sales volume. Overall, CVR Partners' revenue model is closely tied to the agricultural cycles and the demand for crop nutrients, making it sensitive to changes in farming trends and commodity prices.

CVR Partners Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 18, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 04, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Mixed but stable: the company delivered solid full-year financial results (EBITDA $211M, net income $99M) and maintained liquidity and a Q4 distribution, supported by strong fertilizer pricing (UAN +55% YoY, ammonia +32% YoY). However, the quarter was materially impacted by operational disruption at Coffeyville (extended downtime and start-up issues), resulting in a Q4 net loss, lower sales volumes, and higher direct operating costs including $14M of turnaround expenses. Management provided constructive 2026 guidance (higher utilization, capex plan, and projects to improve reliability and feedstock flexibility) and highlighted favorable market demand and export opportunities, but operational execution and third-party service provider risks remain near-term concerns.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Full-Year Profitability and EBITDA
Reported full-year 2025 net income of $99 million (or $9.33 per common unit) and EBITDA of $211 million, demonstrating solid annual financial performance despite Q4 challenges.
Quarterly Distribution Declared
Board declared a fourth quarter distribution of $0.37 per common unit (to be paid March 9), and full-year distributions totaled $10.54 per common unit.
Strong Fertilizer Pricing
Robust pricing in Q4: UAN average sale price $355/ton (Q4 price up ~55% YoY) and ammonia average sale price $626/ton (Q4 price up ~32% YoY); management expects sequential price uptick into Q1 2026.
Solid Liquidity Position and Cash Management
Ended Q4 with total liquidity of $117 million (cash $69 million and $48 million availability under ABL). Within cash, ~$3 million related to customer prepayments. Company generated EBITDA of $20 million in Q4 and after net cash needs (~$16 million) had $4 million cash available for distribution.
Operational Utilization and Outlook
Full-year ammonia utilization was 88%. Management projects ammonia utilization of 95%–100% for Q1 2026 and is executing debottlenecking projects to target >95% nameplate utilization excluding turnarounds.
Capital Allocation and Project Funding
Full-year 2025 capex $57 million (maintenance $35 million). Q4 capex $27 million (maintenance $17 million). 2026 guidance: maintenance capex $35–45 million and growth capex $25–30 million, with a significant portion expected to be funded from previously reserved cash for feedstock diversification and ammonia expansion at Coffeyville.
Market Demand and Geographic Opportunities
Management highlighted constructive nitrogen fertilizer market conditions and spring demand (US corn planting expected ~95 million acres). Tight global inventories and high European natural gas prices (> $10–13/MMBtu) provide export opportunities for U.S. Gulf Coast producers.
Negative Updates
Q4 Net Loss and Operating Loss
Reported Q4 2025 net loss of $10 million (or $0.97 per common unit) and an operating loss of $3 million, a material deterioration relative to full-year performance.
Significant Production Disruption at Coffeyville
Q4 ammonia plant utilization was 64%, down from the full-year 88%, due to a planned turnaround and approximately 3 weeks of additional downtime caused by start-up issues at a third-party air separation plant at Coffeyville; total ammonia production in Q4 was 140,000 gross tons with only 62,000 net tons available for sale.
Reduced Sales Volumes
UAN and ammonia sales volumes in Q4 were lower YoY due to the Coffeyville turnaround and start-up problems; sold ~182,000 tons of UAN and ~81,000 tons of ammonia in Q4 but volumes were down relative to Q4 2024.
Higher Direct Operating Costs and Turnaround Expense
Q4 direct operating expenses were $81 million, which included approximately $14 million of turnaround expenses. Excluding inventory and turnaround impacts, direct operating expenses increased by about $9 million YoY driven by higher repair & maintenance and personnel costs.
Deferred Revenue Decline (Timing Issue)
Deferred revenue fell to $23 million at year-end from $51 million a year earlier, reflecting less presold product in December (management attributed this to timing rather than weaker demand).
Penalties and Service Provider Performance
The third-party air separation plant operator paid some penalties for downtime, but penalties were described as a fraction of the lost production value. Management is renegotiating the operating approach with the service provider, indicating ongoing operational risk.
Company Guidance
The company guided to first-quarter 2026 ammonia plant utilization of 95%–100%, direct operating expenses of $57M–$62M (excluding inventory impacts), and total capital spending of $25M–$30M; for full-year 2026 it estimates maintenance capital of $35M–$45M and growth capital of $25M–$30M (with a significant portion of growth capex to be funded from cash reserves), reiterated its target of operating plants above 95% of nameplate capacity (ex‑turnarounds), and noted quarter‑end liquidity of $117M (cash $69M, ABL availability $48M, including ~$3M customer prepayments); additionally, Q4 EBITDA was $20M with net cash needs of ~$16M leaving $4M cash available for distribution and a declared Q4 distribution of $0.37 per common unit.

CVR Partners Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Mid-range fundamentals: earnings and cash flow remain positive, but revenue and margins have weakened notably from 2022–2023 peaks, and leverage is elevated for a cyclical business, increasing downside sensitivity if the cycle softens further.
Income Statement
62
Positive
Profitability has been strong compared with the 2020 loss year, but results have clearly cooled from the 2022–2023 peak. Revenue declined in each of the last three annual periods (2023–2025), and margins compressed meaningfully (gross margin fell from ~42% in 2022 to ~9% in 2025). Net margin remains positive in 2024–2025 (~12% to ~16%), but the trend suggests a more challenging pricing/commodity environment and less earnings power than the prior cycle highs.
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
Leverage is the main constraint: debt-to-equity remains elevated (about 1.35x–2.04x across 2020–2025, ~1.57x in 2025). Equity levels are meaningful, and returns on equity have been solid in profitable years (notably very high in 2022–2023), but that profitability has normalized while debt remains sizable. Overall, the balance sheet is workable but carries above-average financial risk for a cyclical business.
Cash Flow
66
Positive
Cash generation has generally been healthy since 2021, with operating cash flow strong in 2022–2025 and free cash flow positive each year. That said, free cash flow has stepped down from 2022–2023 levels and declined sharply in 2025 (down ~29% year over year), and recent free cash flow covers a smaller portion of net income (~66% in 2025 versus ~90% in 2022–2023). The company still shows decent cash conversion, but volatility is evident as the cycle softens.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue606.04M525.32M681.48M835.58M532.58M
Gross Profit163.37M118.86M232.46M352.37M162.04M
EBITDA211.64M178.90M281.10M403.16M212.67M
Net Income98.66M60.90M172.43M286.80M78.16M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets969.46M1.02B975.33M1.10B1.13B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments69.24M90.86M45.28M86.34M112.52M
Total Debt593.42M597.15M550.48M557.71M615.88M
Total Liabilities703.71M725.65M672.45M688.59M784.86M
Stockholders Equity265.74M293.07M302.88M411.81M342.20M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow98.84M113.47M219.33M256.80M168.13M
Operating Cash Flow149.64M150.54M243.53M301.46M188.72M
Investing Cash Flow-44.09M-31.89M-2.72M-44.62M-20.34M
Financing Cash Flow-127.17M-73.07M-281.86M-283.02M-86.43M

CVR Partners Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price95.26
Price Trends
50DMA
104.73
Negative
100DMA
98.80
Positive
200DMA
90.62
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-1.34
Positive
RSI
42.10
Neutral
STOCH
16.30
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For UAN, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 95.26 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 104.76, below the 50-day MA of 104.73, and above the 200-day MA of 90.62, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -1.34 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 42.10 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 16.30 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for UAN.

CVR Partners Risk Analysis

CVR Partners disclosed 50 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. CVR Partners reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

CVR Partners Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
68
Neutral
$1.05B10.6935.31%12.33%16.52%141.96%
64
Neutral
$9.04B16.804.61%3.70%3.82%239.39%
62
Neutral
$4.09B47.684.52%-3.93%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
60
Neutral
$6.70B29.643.86%3.36%1.77%-8.72%
58
Neutral
$450.34M-2.24-33.37%8.88%-349.99%
49
Neutral
$1.73B-0.84-66.80%16.68%-13.42%-136.59%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
UAN
CVR Partners
101.52
33.40
49.03%
FMC
FMC
14.60
-20.68
-58.62%
IPI
Intrepid Potash
34.84
8.75
33.54%
MOS
Mosaic Co
27.16
3.97
17.13%
SMG
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
69.85
13.79
24.60%
ICL
Icl
4.92
-0.94
-16.04%

CVR Partners Corporate Events

DividendsFinancial Disclosures
CVR Partners Posts Q4 Loss But Maintains 2025 Payouts
Neutral
Feb 18, 2026

CVR Partners, a nitrogen fertilizer producer specializing in ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate solutions for agricultural markets, operates major facilities in Coffeyville, Kansas, and East Dubuque, Illinois. Its infrastructure includes large-scale ammonia and UAN units, along with gasification capacity supporting hydrogen production for fertilizer upgrading.

On February 18, 2026, CVR Partners reported a fourth-quarter 2025 net loss of $10 million as a planned 32-day turnaround and subsequent startup issues at a third-party air separation plant reduced production and sales volumes. Despite weaker fourth-quarter results, the partnership posted full-year 2025 net income of $99 million on higher nitrogen fertilizer prices, increased EBITDA and net sales versus 2024, and declared a fourth-quarter cash distribution of $0.37 per unit, bringing total 2025 distributions to $10.54 per unit and underscoring still-supportive market conditions amid tight global supply and strong demand.

The most recent analyst rating on (UAN) stock is a Hold with a $111.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on CVR Partners stock, see the UAN Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
CVR Partners Issues Preliminary 2025 Results Amid Turnaround
Positive
Jan 26, 2026

On January 26, 2026, CVR Partners reported preliminary estimates for its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, indicating a quarterly net loss of $7 million to $14 million but full-year net income between $95 million and $102 million, with EBITDA for 2025 estimated at $206 million to $216 million and ammonia utilization of 87% to 89%. The company completed a planned turnaround at its Coffeyville facility in early November 2025, but startup was delayed several weeks due to downtime at a third‑party air separation unit, and despite this operational disruption, management cited strong fourth-quarter demand and firm nitrogen fertilizer pricing, with year-end cash of $65 million to $75 million and long-term debt and finance lease obligations of $550 million to $600 million, underscoring solid annual profitability amid operational and geopolitical constraints.

The most recent analyst rating on (UAN) stock is a Buy with a $128.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on CVR Partners stock, see the UAN Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
CVR Partners Appoints Michael Wright as New COO
Positive
Jan 22, 2026

On January 16, 2026, CVR Partners’ board appointed Michael H. Wright, Jr., a seasoned refining and capital projects executive currently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at affiliate CVR Energy, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the partnership, effective immediately. Wright’s appointment, backed by decades of leadership experience at CVR Energy, Solomon Associates and HollyFrontier, strengthens operational oversight at CVR Partners without any disclosed related-party transactions, selection arrangements or family ties, signaling a governance-focused move to align leadership across the affiliated energy and fertilizer businesses for potentially tighter operational coordination.

The most recent analyst rating on (UAN) stock is a Buy with a $129.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on CVR Partners stock, see the UAN Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and Strategy
CVR Partners Outlines 2026 Capital Spending and Growth Plans
Positive
Jan 5, 2026

On January 5, 2026, CVR Partners, LP announced preliminary 2026 capital spending estimates totaling $60 million to $75 million, including $35 million to $45 million for maintenance capital and $25 million to $30 million for growth projects. The company plans to direct growth capital toward margin-improvement and debottlenecking initiatives at both plants, an ammonia expansion and feedstock diversification project at the Coffeyville facility, water quality upgrades at both sites, and expanded diesel exhaust fluid production and loadout capacity, all aimed at supporting utilization rates above 95% of nameplate capacity and enhancing reliability and production performance across its nitrogen fertilizer operations.

The most recent analyst rating on (UAN) stock is a Hold with a $103.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on CVR Partners stock, see the UAN Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 19, 2026