CF Industries Holdings 10-K 2017-12-31

10-K 1 cf-12312017x10k.htm 10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

Commission file number 001-32597

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No o

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No ý

The aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates was $6,493,898,814 based on the closing sale price of common stock on June 30, 2017.

233,292,049 shares of the registrant's common stock, $0.01 par value per share, were outstanding as of January 31, 2018.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting of stockholders (Proxy Statement) are incorporated herein by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to Regulation 14A, not later than 120 days after the end of the 2017 fiscal year, or, if we do not file the Proxy Statement within such 120-day period, we will amend this Annual Report on Form 10-K to include the information required under Part III hereof not later than the end of such 120-day period.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

PART I

Our Company

All references to "CF Holdings," "we," "us," "our" and "the Company," refer to CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries, except where the context makes clear that the reference is only to CF Industries Holdings, Inc. itself and not its subsidiaries. All references to "CF Industries" refer to CF Industries, Inc., a 100% owned subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. Notes referenced throughout this document refer to consolidated financial statement note disclosures that are found in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

We are one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of nitrogen fertilizer products and other nitrogen products in the world. Our principal customers are cooperatives, independent fertilizer distributors, farmers and industrial users. Our principal nitrogen fertilizer products are ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) and ammonium nitrate (AN). Our other nitrogen products include diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), urea liquor, nitric acid and aqua ammonia, which are sold primarily to our industrial customers, and compound fertilizer products (NPKs), which are solid granular fertilizer products for which the nutrient content is a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. We operate world-class nitrogen manufacturing complexes in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and distribute plant nutrients through a system of terminals, warehouses, and associated transportation equipment located primarily in the Midwestern United States. We also export nitrogen fertilizer products from our Donaldsonville, Louisiana and Yazoo City, Mississippi manufacturing facilities, and our United Kingdom manufacturing facilities in Billingham and Ince.

Our principal assets include:

On February 7, 2018, we announced that Terra Nitrogen GP Inc. (TNGP), the sole general partner of TNCLP and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of CF Holdings, elected to exercise its right to purchase all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP on April 2, 2018, for a cash purchase price of $84.033 per unit in accordance with the terms of TNCLP’s partnership agreement. The purchase price of $84.033 per unit was determined under the terms of TNCLP’s partnership agreement as the average of the daily closing prices per common unit for the 20 consecutive trading days beginning with January 5, 2018 and ending with February 2, 2018. The purchase price of all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP is approximately $390 million. We intend to fund the purchase with cash on hand. As of the April 2, 2018 purchase date, all rights of the holders of the units will terminate, with the exception of the right to receive payment of the purchase price. Upon completion of the purchase, we will own 100 percent of the general and limited partnership interests of TNCLP, and the common units representing limited partner interests will cease to be publicly traded or listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 2016, we completed our capacity expansion projects at Donaldsonville, Louisiana and Port Neal, Iowa. These projects, originally announced in 2012, included the construction of new ammonia, urea, and UAN plants at our Donaldsonville,

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Louisiana complex and new ammonia and urea plants at our Port Neal, Iowa complex. These plants increased our overall production capacity by approximately 25%, improved our product mix flexibility at Donaldsonville, and improved our ability to serve upper-Midwest urea customers from our Port Neal location. These new facilities allow us to benefit from the cost advantages of North American natural gas. At our Donaldsonville complex, the ammonia plant was placed in service in October 2016, the UAN plant was placed in service in the first quarter of 2016 and the granular urea plant was placed in service in the fourth quarter of 2015. At our Port Neal, Iowa complex, both the ammonia and granular urea plants were placed in service in the fourth quarter of 2016. The total capital cost of the capacity expansion projects was $5.2 billion.

We commenced a strategic venture with CHS on February 1, 2016, at which time CHS purchased a minority equity interest in CFN for $2.8 billion, which represented approximately 11% of the membership interest of CFN. We own the remaining membership interest. On February 1, 2016, CHS also began receiving deliveries pursuant to a supply agreement under which CHS has the right to purchase annually from CFN up to approximately 1.1 million tons of granular urea and 580,000 tons of UAN at market prices. As a result of its minority equity interest in CFN, CHS is entitled to semi-annual cash distributions from CFN. We are also entitled to semi-annual cash distributions from CFN. See Note 16—Noncontrolling Interests for additional information on our strategic venture with CHS.

On July 31, 2015, we acquired the remaining 50% equity interest in CF Fertilisers UK Group Limited (formerly known as GrowHow UK Group Limited) (CF Fertilisers UK) not previously owned by us for total consideration of $570 million, and CF Fertilisers UK became wholly owned by us. This transaction added CF Fertilisers UK’s nitrogen manufacturing complexes in Ince, United Kingdom and Billingham, United Kingdom to our consolidated manufacturing capacity.

For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, we sold 20.0 million, 17.0 million and 13.7 million product tons generating net sales of $4.13 billion, $3.69 billion and $4.31 billion, respectively.

Our principal executive offices are located outside of Chicago, Illinois, at 4 Parkway North, Suite 400, Deerfield, Illinois 60015, and our telephone number is 847-405-2400. Our Internet website address is www.cfindustries.com. Information made available on our website does not constitute part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We make available free of charge on or through our Internet website, www.cfindustries.com, all of our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is filed electronically with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Corporate Conduct and charters for the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of our Board of Directors (the Board) are also available on our Internet website. We will provide electronic or paper copies of these documents free of charge upon request. The SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

Company History

We were founded in 1946 as a fertilizer brokerage operation by a group of regional agricultural cooperatives. During the 1960s, we expanded our distribution capabilities and diversified into fertilizer manufacturing through the acquisition of several existing plants and facilities. During the 1970s and again during the 1990s, we expanded our production and distribution capabilities significantly, spending approximately $1 billion in each of these decades.

We operated as a traditional manufacturing and supply cooperative until 2002, when we adopted a new business model that established financial performance as our principal objective, rather than assured supply to our owners. A critical aspect of the new business model was to establish a more economically driven approach to the marketplace.

In August 2005, we completed our initial public offering (IPO) of common stock, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In connection with the IPO, we consummated a reorganization transaction whereby we ceased to be a cooperative and our pre-IPO owners' equity interests in CF Industries were canceled in exchange for all of the proceeds of the offering and shares of our common stock.

In April 2010, we acquired Terra Industries Inc. (Terra), a leading North American producer and marketer of nitrogen fertilizer products for a purchase price of $4.6 billion, which was paid in cash and shares of our common stock. As a result of the Terra acquisition, we acquired five nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities, our approximately 75.3% interest in TNCLP and certain joint venture interests.

In March 2014, we completed the sale of our phosphate mining and manufacturing business, which was located in Florida, to Mosaic for approximately $1.4 billion in cash.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

In July 2015, we acquired the remaining 50% equity interest in CF Fertilisers UK not previously owned by us for total consideration of $570 million, and CF Fertilisers UK became wholly owned by us.

In February 2016, our strategic venture with CHS commenced, at which time CHS purchased a minority equity interest in CFN for $2.8 billion.

In 2016, we completed capacity expansion projects at Donaldsonville, Louisiana and Port Neal, Iowa which increased our production capacity by 25% for a total capital cost of $5.2 billion.

On February 7, 2018, we announced that TNGP elected to exercise its right to purchase all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP on April 2, 2018, for a cash purchase price of $84.033 per unit in accordance with the terms of TNCLP’s partnership agreement. The purchase price of all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP is approximately $390 million. Upon completion of the purchase, we will own 100 percent of the general and limited partnership interests of TNCLP.

Product Tons and Nutrient Tons

Unless otherwise stated, we measure our production and sales volume in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in product tons, which represents the weight of the product measured in short tons (one short ton is equal to 2,000 pounds). References to UAN product tons assume a 32% nitrogen content basis for production volume.

We also provide certain supplementary volume information measured in nutrient tons. Nutrient tons represent the weight of the product’s nitrogen content, which varies by product. Ammonia represents 82% nitrogen content, granular urea represents 46% nitrogen content, UAN represents between 28% and 32% nitrogen content and AN represents between 29% and 35% nitrogen content.

Reportable Segments

Our reportable segments consist of the following segments: ammonia, granular urea, UAN, AN and Other. These segments are differentiated by products. We use gross margin to evaluate segment performance and allocate resources. Total other operating costs and expenses (consisting of selling, general and administrative expenses and other operating—net) and non-operating expenses (interest and income taxes), are centrally managed and are not included in the measurement of segment profitability reviewed by management. See Note 20—Segment Disclosures for additional information.

Our Products

Our primary nitrogen fertilizer products are ammonia, granular urea, UAN and AN. Our historical sales of nitrogen fertilizer products are shown in the following table. Net sales do not reflect amounts used internally, such as ammonia, in the manufacture of other products.

Gross margin was $430 million, $840 million and $1,547 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

We own and operate seven nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities in North America, including five nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities in the United States, one in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada and one in Courtright, Ontario, Canada. As of December 31, 2017, the combined production capacity of these seven facilities represented approximately 42%, 43%, 44%

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

and 19% of North American ammonia, granular urea, UAN and AN production capacity, respectively. Each of our nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities in North America has on-site storage to provide flexibility to manage the flow of outbound shipments without impacting production.

We also operate two United Kingdom nitrogen manufacturing complexes located in Ince and Billingham that produce ammonia, AN and NPKs and serve primarily the British agricultural and industrial markets.

The following table shows the production capacities as of December 31, 2017 at each of our nitrogen manufacturing facilities:

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

The following table summarizes our nitrogen fertilizer production volume for the last three years.

Donaldsonville, Louisiana

The Donaldsonville nitrogen fertilizer complex is the world's largest nitrogen fertilizer production facility. It has six ammonia plants, five urea plants, four nitric acid plants, three UAN plants, and one DEF plant. The complex, which is located on the Mississippi River, includes deep-water docking facilities, access to an ammonia pipeline, and truck and railroad loading capabilities. The complex has on-site storage for 160,000 tons of ammonia, 201,000 tons of UAN (measured on a 32% nitrogen content basis) and 173,000 tons of granular urea.

As part of our capacity expansion projects, the new Donaldsonville urea plant became operational during the fourth quarter of 2015. The new UAN plant was placed in service in the first quarter of 2016, and the new ammonia plant was placed in service in October 2016. For additional details regarding the capacity expansion projects, see Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources.

Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Medicine Hat is the largest nitrogen fertilizer complex in Canada. It has two ammonia plants and one urea plant. The complex has on-site storage for 60,000 tons of ammonia and 60,000 tons of granular urea.

Port Neal, Iowa

The Port Neal facility is located approximately 12 miles south of Sioux City, Iowa on the Missouri River. The facility consists of two ammonia plants, three urea plants, two nitric acid plants and a UAN plant. The location has on-site storage for 90,000 tons of ammonia, 154,000 tons of granular urea, and 81,000 tons of 32% UAN.

As part of our capacity expansion projects, both the ammonia and urea plants were placed in service in December 2016. For additional details regarding the capacity expansion projects, see Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources.

Verdigris, Oklahoma

The Verdigris facility is located northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma, near the Verdigris River and is owned by TNLP. It is the second largest UAN production facility in North America. The facility comprises two ammonia plants, two nitric acid plants, two UAN plants and a port terminal. Through our approximately 75.3% interest in TNCLP and its subsidiary, TNLP, we operate the plants and lease the port terminal from the Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority. The complex has on-site storage for 60,000 tons of ammonia and 100,000 tons of 32% UAN.

Woodward, Oklahoma

The Woodward facility is located in rural northwest Oklahoma and consists of an ammonia plant, two nitric acid plants, two urea plants and two UAN plants. The facility has on-site storage for 36,000 tons of ammonia and 84,000 tons of 32% UAN.

Yazoo City, Mississippi

The Yazoo City facility is located in central Mississippi and includes one ammonia plant, four nitric acid plants, an AN plant, two urea plants, a UAN plant and a dinitrogen tetroxide production and storage facility. The site has on-site storage for 50,000 tons of ammonia, 48,000 tons of 32% UAN and 11,000 tons of AN and related products.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Courtright, Ontario, Canada

The Courtright facility is located south of Sarnia, Ontario near the St. Clair River. The facility consists of an ammonia plant, a UAN plant, a nitric acid plant and a urea plant. The location has on-site storage for 64,000 tons of ammonia, 10,400 tons of granular urea and 16,000 tons of 32% UAN.

Ince, United Kingdom

The Ince facility is located in northwestern England and consists of an ammonia plant, three nitric acid plants, an AN plant and three NPK plants. The location has on-site storage for 11,000 tons of ammonia, 95,000 tons of AN, and 40,000 tons of NPKs.

Billingham, United Kingdom

The Billingham facility, located in the Teesside chemical area in northeastern England, is geographically split among three primary locations: the main site, which contains an ammonia plant, three nitric acid plants and a carbon dioxide plant; the Portrack site, approximately two miles away, which contains an AN fertilizer plant; and the North Tees site, approximately seven miles away, which contains an ammonia storage area. These locations collectively have on-site storage for 40,000 tons of ammonia and 128,000 tons of AN.

Point Lisas, Trinidad

The Point Lisas Nitrogen facility in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is owned jointly through a 50/50 venture with Koch Fertilizer LLC. This facility has the capacity to produce 720,000 tons of ammonia annually from natural gas supplied under a contract with the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC).

Nitrogen Fertilizer Raw Materials

Natural gas is the principal raw material and primary fuel source used in the ammonia production process at our nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities. In 2017, natural gas accounted for approximately 47% of our total production costs for nitrogen fertilizer products. Our nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities have access to abundant, competitively-priced natural gas through a reliable network of pipelines that are connected to major natural gas trading hubs near the facilities. Our facilities utilize the following natural gas hubs: Henry Hub in Louisiana; SONAT in Louisiana; TETCO ELA in Louisiana; ONEOK in Oklahoma; AECO in Alberta; Ventura in Iowa; Demarcation in Kansas; Welcome in Minnesota; Dawn in Ontario; Parkway in Ontario; and the National Balancing Point (NBP) in the United Kingdom.

In 2017, our nitrogen manufacturing facilities consumed, in the aggregate, approximately 356 million MMBtus of natural gas. In 2017, the amount of natural gas consumed by our nitrogen manufacturing facilities increased as a result of the completion of our capacity expansion projects. We employ a combination of spot and term purchases from a variety of quality suppliers to maintain a reliable, competitively-priced supply of natural gas. We also use certain financial instruments to hedge natural gas prices. See Note 14—Derivative Financial Instruments for additional information about our natural gas hedging activities.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Distribution

The safe, efficient and economical distribution of nitrogen fertilizer products is critical for successful operations. Our nitrogen fertilizer production facilities have access to multiple transportation modes by which we ship fertilizer products to terminals, warehouses and customers. Each of our production facilities has a unique distribution pattern based on its production capacity and location.

Our North American nitrogen production facilities can ship products via truck and rail to customers and our storage facilities in the U.S. and Canada, with access to our leased railcar fleet of approximately 5,000 tank and hopper cars, as well as railcars provided by rail carriers. Our United Kingdom nitrogen production facilities mainly ship products via truck.

The North American waterway system is also used extensively to ship products from our Donaldsonville, Verdigris and Yazoo City facilities. To ship ammonia and UAN, we employ a fleet of ten tow boats and thirty-two river barges, which are primarily leased. We also utilize contract marine services to move urea fertilizer. We can also export nitrogen fertilizer products via seagoing vessels from our Donaldsonville, Yazoo City, Billingham and Ince manufacturing facilities.

Three of our nitrogen production facilities also have access to pipelines for the transportation of ammonia. The Donaldsonville facility is connected to the 2,000-mile long Nustar pipeline through which we have the ability to transport ammonia to more than 20 terminals and shipping points in the midwestern U.S. corn belt. Our Verdigris and Port Neal facilities are connected to the 1,100-mile long Magellan ammonia pipeline that also serves the Midwestern United States.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Storage Facilities and Other Properties

As of December 31, 2017, we owned or leased space at 62 in-market storage terminals and warehouses located in a 22-state region of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Including storage at our production facilities, we have an aggregate storage capacity for approximately 3.5 million tons of fertilizer. Our storage capabilities are summarized in the following table.

Customers

The principal customers for our nitrogen fertilizer and other nitrogen products are cooperatives, independent fertilizer distributors, farmers and industrial users. CHS was our largest customer in 2017 and accounted for approximately 11% of our consolidated net sales. Sales are generated by our internal marketing and sales force.

Competition

Our markets are global and intensely competitive, based primarily on delivered price and, to a lesser extent, on customer service and product quality. During the peak demand periods, product availability and delivery time also play a role in the buying decisions of customers.

Our primary North American-based competitors include Nutrien Ltd. (formed in January 2018 by the merger of Agrium Inc. and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.), Koch Fertilizer LLC and Iowa Fertilizer Company. Additionally, Yara BASF is expected to bring a new North American nitrogen fertilizer production facility on line in 2018. There is also significant competition from products sourced from other regions of the world, including some with lower natural gas or other feedstock costs. Because ammonia, urea and UAN are widely-traded fertilizer products and there are limited barriers to entry, we experience competition from foreign-sourced products continuously.

Our primary United Kingdom competition comes from imported products supplied by companies including Yara International, Origin Fertilisers, Ameropa, CHS and Helm. Urea and UAN are not produced in the United Kingdom, but along with AN are widely-traded fertilizer products with limited barriers to entry.

Seasonality

The fertilizer business is seasonal. The degree of seasonality of our business can change significantly from year to year due to conditions in the agricultural industry and other factors. The strongest demand for our products in North America occurs during the spring planting season, with a second period of strong demand following the fall harvest. We and our customers generally build inventories during the low demand periods of the year to ensure timely product availability during the peak sales seasons. Seasonality is greatest for ammonia due to the short application season and the limited ability of our customers and their customers to store significant quantities of this product. The seasonality of fertilizer demand generally results in our sales volumes and net sales being the highest during the spring and our working capital requirements being the highest just prior to the start of the spring planting season. Our quarterly financial results can vary significantly from one year to the next due to weather-related shifts in planting schedules and purchasing patterns.

Financial Information About Foreign and Domestic Sales and Operations

The amount of net sales attributable to our sales to foreign and domestic markets over the last three fiscal years and the carrying value of our foreign and domestic long-lived assets are set forth in Note 20—Segment Disclosures.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Environmental, Health and Safety

We are subject to numerous environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, including laws and regulations relating to the generation and handling of hazardous substances and wastes; the cleanup of hazardous substance releases; the discharge of regulated substances to air or water; and the demolition of existing plant sites upon permanent closure. In the United States, these laws include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and various other federal, state, provincial, local and international statutes. Violations of environmental, health and safety laws can result in substantial penalties, court orders to install pollution-control equipment, civil and criminal sanctions, permit revocations and facility shutdowns. In addition, environmental, health and safety laws and regulations may impose joint and several liability, without regard to fault, for cleanup costs on potentially responsible parties who have released or disposed of hazardous substances into the environment. We may be subject to more stringent enforcement of existing or new environmental, health and safety laws in the future.

Environmental, Health and Safety Expenditures

Our environmental, health and safety capital expenditures in 2017 totaled approximately $21 million. We estimate that we will have approximately $60 million of capital expenditures for environmental, health and safety in 2018. Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations are complex, change frequently and have tended to become more stringent over time. We expect that continued government and public emphasis on environmental issues will result in increased future expenditures for environmental controls at our operations. Such expenditures could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, future environmental, health and safety laws and regulations or reinterpretation of current laws and regulations may require us to make substantial expenditures. Our costs to comply with, or any liabilities under, these laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

CERCLA/Remediation Matters

From time to time, we receive notices from governmental agencies or third parties alleging that we are a potentially responsible party at certain cleanup sites under CERCLA or other environmental cleanup laws. In 2011, we received a notice from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) that alleged that we were a potentially responsible party for the cleanup of a former phosphate mine we owned in the late 1950s and early 1960s located in Georgetown Canyon, Idaho. The current owner of the property and a former mining contractor received similar notices for the site. We and the current owner are currently conducting a remedial investigation/feasibility study of the site. In 2015, we and several other parties received a notice that the U.S. Department of Interior and other trustees intend to undertake a natural resource damage assessment for a group of former phosphate mines in southeast Idaho, including the former Georgetown Canyon mine. See Note 19—Contingencies for additional information on the CERCLA/Remediation matters.

Regulation of Greenhouse Gases

We are subject to regulations in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States concerning greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The United Kingdom is a party to the Kyoto Protocol. As a result of agreements reached during a conference in Durban, South Africa in 2011, the Kyoto Protocol will continue in force for a second commitment period, which will expire by 2020. On December 12, 2015, 195 countries adopted by consensus a new international agreement known as the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is intended to provide a framework pursuant to which the parties to the agreement will attempt to hold the increase in global average temperatures to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement, which has been accepted by the United States and ratified by Canada and the United Kingdom, went into effect in November 2016. The Paris Agreement could result in more aggressive efforts to reduce GHG emissions in the jurisdictions in which we operate.

The United Kingdom has adopted GHG emissions regulations, including regulations to implement the European Union Greenhouse Gas Trading System. Our U.K. manufacturing plants are required to report GHG emissions annually to the United Kingdom Environment Agency pursuant to their site Environmental Permits and Climate Change Agreement, which specify energy efficiency targets. Failure to meet efficiency targets may require these plants to purchase CO2 emissions allowances. The steam boilers at each of our U.K. sites are also subject to the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.

Canada withdrew from further participation in the Kyoto Protocol in December 2011, but is a party to the Paris Agreement. In Canada, we are required to conduct an annual review of our operations with respect to compliance with

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Environment Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory and Ontario's Mandatory Monitoring and Reporting Regulation and the GHG Reporting Regulation. In addition, the Canadian national government, in collaboration with Canadian provinces, has developed a Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Among other things, the framework establishes a nationwide price on carbon emissions, which price serves as a floor for the GHG emissions reduction requirements of the separate Canadian provinces and territories. The announced plan would impose a $10 per ton (Canadian dollars) charge beginning in 2018, rising to $50 per ton by 2022. The framework provides for a review of the approach taken by the national government and the provinces to address further action after 2022.

Ontario is party to the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), comprising California and several Canadian provinces. On January 1, 2017, Ontario launched its own GHG cap and trade program. Under this program, the Ontario government will set a hard limit on emissions, which will steadily decline annually. By 2020, the cap will mandate that GHG emissions decline by 15% compared to 1990 levels. Facilities that generate more than 25,000 tonnes of GHG emissions per year will be required to participate in the cap and trade program and will require emissions allowances for every tonne of GHG emitted. During the 2017-2020 compliance period, we are eligible to receive free emissions allowances, although the amount of free allowances will decline through 2020. This will require us to purchase emission allowances or to reduce GHG emissions. Ontario has stated it intends to reassess the extent to which it will provide free allowances for post-2020 compliance periods. Beginning January 1, 2018, Ontario's cap and trade program is linked with the cap and trade programs of Quebec and California.

In Alberta, the Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (GHG Regulation) was implemented in 2007. This program required facilities emitting more than 100,000 tons of GHGs per year to reduce emissions by 12% over such facilities' 2007 levels. To meet this requirement, companies could reduce emissions, purchase/use offset credits, or contribute to a technology fund at an annual rate of $15 per ton of CO2. Beginning in 2018, our facility will become subject to the Carbon Competitiveness Incentive Regulation, which establishes product-specific benchmarks based on the most efficient GHG emitting facilities in a sector. Similar to the existing regulation, a facility that exceeds the applicable benchmark will be required to take action to reduce its GHG emissions intensity, purchase emissions offsets or performance credits, or make contributions to Alberta's climate fund. The obligations under this regulation are being phased in over a three year period and will be tightened over time.

The United States is not a party to the Kyoto Protocol, but is a party to the Paris Agreement. However, in June 2017, the United States announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, subject to renegotiation of the Paris Agreement on terms more favorable to the United States. Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, the United States cannot formally provide notice of its withdrawal before November 2019, which would become effective one year after providing such notice. In the interim, it is unclear if the United States will comply with its commitments under the Paris Agreement. There has been no indication to date that the United States' announced withdrawal is causing other countries to also consider withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. In the United States, GHG regulation is evolving at state, regional and federal levels, although some of the more significant developments to date, including EPA's Clean Power Plan, do not directly impose obligations on our facilities. The EPA has issued a mandatory GHG reporting rule that required all of our U.S. manufacturing facilities to commence monitoring GHG emissions beginning on January 1, 2010 and report the previous year's emissions annually starting in 2011. In addition, if we seek to modify or expand any of our major facilities and as a result, are required to obtain a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permit applicable to such facilities, we could be subject to pollution control requirements applicable to GHGs in addition to requirements applicable to conventional air pollutants. Such requirements may result in increased costs or delays in completing such projects. Other than the states' implementation of this permitting requirement, none of the states where our U.S. production facilities are located—Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma—has proposed control regulations limiting GHG emissions.

New Source Performance Standards for Nitric Acid Plants

We operate 14 nitric acid plants in the United States. On August 14, 2012, the EPA issued a final regulation revising air emission standards applicable to newly constructed, reconstructed or modified nitric acid plants. The regulations will apply to these plants if and when we undertake activities or operations that are considered modifications, including physical changes that would allow us to increase our production capacity at these plants. The regulations include certain provisions that could make it difficult for us to meet the limits on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) notwithstanding pollution controls we may add to our plants, and accordingly, the regulations could impact our ability to expand production at our existing plants. The EPA regulation did not include a limitation on emissions of nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas).

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Regulatory Permits and Approvals

We hold numerous environmental and other governmental permits and approvals authorizing operations at each of our facilities. A decision by a government agency to deny or delay issuing a new or renewed regulatory material permit or approval, or to revoke or substantially modify an existing material permit or approval, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue operations at the affected facility. Any future expansion of our existing operations is also predicated upon securing the necessary environmental or other permits or approvals. More stringent environmental standards may impact our ability to obtain such permits. On December 15, 2016, the EPA re-designated the Greater Baton Rouge Nonattainment Area (BRNA), where our Donaldsonville facility is located, to attainment with the 2008 8-hour ozone standard. However, on October 26, 2015, the EPA published a more stringent national ambient air quality standard for ozone. The State of Louisiana has recommended to the EPA that Baton Rouge be designated as nonattainment with the 2015 ozone standard. On December 20, 2017, the EPA notified the State of Louisiana that it intends to designate the Baton Rouge area as non-attainment for the 2015 ozone standard. On January 5, 2018, the EPA published notice of a public comment period with respect to the proposed attainment/non-attainment designations of certain air quality regions, including the Baton Rouge area. Such a classification (in the Baton Rouge area or in other areas where our manufacturing facilities are located) could result in more stringent air pollution emissions limits for our existing operations and would also subject our facilities to more stringent requirements to obtain approvals for plant expansions, or could make it difficult to obtain such approvals.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, we employed approximately 2,900 full-time and 100 part-time employees.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should carefully consider the factors discussed below before deciding to invest in any of our securities. These risks and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business is cyclical, resulting in periods of industry oversupply during which our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows tend to be negatively affected.

Historically, selling prices for our products have fluctuated in response to periodic changes in supply and demand conditions. Demand for nitrogen is affected by planted acreage, crop selection and fertilizer application rates, driven by population growth or changes in dietary habits and non-food use of crops, such as production of ethanol and other biofuels among other things. Demand also includes industrial uses of nitrogen, for example chemicals manufacturing and emissions reductants such as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). Supply is affected by available capacity and operating rates, raw material costs and availability, government policies and global trade.

Periods of strong demand, high capacity utilization and increasing operating margins tend to stimulate global investment in production capacity. The construction of new nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing capacity in the industry, plus improvements to increase output from the existing production assets, increase nitrogen supply availability and affect the balance of supply and demand. In recent years, fertilizer producers, including CF Holdings, have built new production facilities or expanded capacity of existing production assets, or announced plans to do so. Global nitrogen fertilizer capacity has increased faster than global nitrogen fertilizer demand, creating a surplus of global nitrogen fertilizer capacity leading to lower nitrogen fertilizer selling prices.

Selling prices reached multi-year lows in 2017. The average selling price for our products in 2017 was $207 per ton compared to $217 per ton in 2016, a decline of 5%, and $314 per ton in 2015, a decline of 31%.

Additional production capacity is expected to come on line over the next twelve months. We cannot predict the extent to which the current oversupply environment, global or local economic and financial conditions or changes in such conditions, or other factors may cause delays, cancellation or acceleration of other announced and/or ongoing projects. We also cannot predict the closures or operating rates of existing installed capacity.

Price fluctuations for our products result from changes in supply demand balances. The significant price fluctuations we have experienced are also a symptom of an oversupplied market in transition as new capacity ramps up and trade flows adjust. Imports into different regions of the world impact the local supply demand balances. If imports increase into an oversupplied region, lower prices in that region could result.

We expect the lower priced environment to continue until global supply and demand become more balanced through a combination of continued demand growth and supply reductions as producers respond to lower realized margins by taking higher cost production facilities off line.

During periods of industry oversupply, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows tend to be affected negatively as the price at which we sell our products typically declines, resulting in possible reduced profit margins, write-downs in the value of our inventory and temporary or permanent curtailments of production. Our financial performance, credit ratings and the trading price for our common stock have been negatively impacted by the lower selling prices resulting from the current global oversupply of nitrogen fertilizer. The period of time that these conditions will persist and the degree to which they will impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows is uncertain.

Our products are global commodities, and we face intense global competition from other fertilizer producers.

We are subject to intense price competition from our competitors. Most fertilizers are global commodities, with little or no product differentiation, and customers make their purchasing decisions principally on the basis of delivered price and to a lesser extent on customer service and product quality.

We compete with many producers, including state-owned and government-subsidized entities. Consolidation in the industry may increase the resources of several of our competitors. For example, in January 2018, our competitors Agrium Inc. and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. completed their merger into the newly formed company Nutrien Ltd. Some of our competitors have greater total resources and are less dependent on earnings from fertilizer sales, which make them less vulnerable to industry downturns and better positioned to pursue new expansion and development opportunities. Furthermore, certain governments as owners of some of our competitors may be willing to accept lower prices and profitability on their products in order to support domestic employment or other political or social goals. Our competitive position could suffer to the

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

extent we are not able to expand our own resources, either through investments in new or existing operations or through acquisitions, joint ventures or partnerships.

China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of nitrogen fertilizers, currently has significant capacity surplus and many high-cost plants. As a result, the domestic nitrogen industry in China is operating at less than full capacity. If Chinese government policy, devaluation of the Chinese renminbi or decreases in Chinese producers’ underlying costs such as the price of Chinese coal encourage increased production capacity utilization, any resulting export volume could adversely affect the balance between global supply and demand and may put downward pressure on global fertilizer prices, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our competitors in Russia continue to benefit from non-market pricing of natural gas, allowing continued exports from the region, and have significant nitrogen fertilizer export capacity. The 2016 revocations of U.S. antidumping measures on solid urea and fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate from Russia allow for increases in imports from that country.

We also face competition from other fertilizer producers in the Middle East, Europe and Latin America, who, depending on market conditions, fluctuating input prices, geographic location and freight economics, may take actions at times with respect to price or selling volumes that adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

A decline in agricultural production or limitations on the use of our products for agricultural purposes could materially adversely affect the demand for our products.

Conditions in the United States, Europe and other global agricultural areas significantly impact our operating results. Agricultural planted areas and production can be affected by a number of factors, including weather patterns and field conditions, current and projected grain inventories and prices, demand for agricultural products and governmental policies regarding production of or trade in agricultural products. These factors are outside of our control.

Governmental policies, including farm and biofuel subsidies and commodity support programs, as well as the prices of fertilizer products, may also directly or indirectly influence the number of acres planted, the mix of crops planted and the use of fertilizers for particular agricultural applications. Ethanol production in the United States contributes significantly to corn demand, due in part to federal legislation mandatin

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None.

Information regarding our facilities and properties is included in Item 1. Business—Reportable Segments and Item 1. Business—Storage Facilities and Other Properties.

Litigation

West Fertilizer Co.

On April 17, 2013, there was a fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. fertilizer storage and distribution facility in West, Texas. According to published reports, 15 people were killed and approximately 200 people were injured in the incident, and the fire and explosion damaged or destroyed a number of homes and buildings around the facility. Various subsidiaries of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (the CF Entities) have been named as defendants along with other companies in lawsuits filed in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the District Court of McLennan County, Texas by the City of West, individual residents of the County and other parties seeking recovery for damages allegedly sustained as a result of the explosion. The cases have been consolidated for discovery and pretrial proceedings in the District Court of McLennan County under the caption "In re: West Explosion Cases." The two-year statute of limitations expired on April 17, 2015. As of that date, over 400 plaintiffs had filed claims, including at least 9 entities, 325 individuals, and 80 insurance companies. Plaintiffs allege various theories of negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty under Texas law. Although we do not own or operate the facility or directly sell our products to West Fertilizer Co., products that the CF Entities have manufactured and sold to others have been delivered to the facility and may have been stored at the West facility at the time of the incident.

The Court granted in part and denied in part the CF Entities' Motions for Summary Judgment in August 2015. Over one hundred sixty cases have been resolved pursuant to confidential settlements that have been or we expect will be fully funded by insurance. The remaining cases are in various stages of discovery and pre-trial proceedings. The next trial is expected to be scheduled for later in 2018. We believe we have strong legal and factual defenses and intend to continue defending the CF Entities vigorously in the pending lawsuits. The Company cannot provide a range of reasonably possible loss due to the lack of damages discovery for many of the remaining claims and the uncertain nature of this litigation, including uncertainties around the potential allocation of responsibility by a jury to other defendants or responsible third parties. The recognition of a potential loss in the future in the West Fertilizer Co. litigation could negatively affect our results in the period of recognition. However, based upon currently available information, including available insurance coverage, we do not believe that this litigation will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Yazoo City Clean Air Act

On February 10, 2016, CFN was orally informed by representatives of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) of MDEQ’s intent to impose a civil penalty of an amount exceeding $100,000 for alleged violations of certain fuel firing rate limits in the Company’s Clean Air Act Title V Permit for the Yazoo City, Mississippi facility. Representatives of the Company attended an administrative conference with MDEQ in early July 2016 to discuss MDEQ’s findings and calculation of the proposed penalty. On July 20, 2017, the Company and MDEQ executed an Agreed Order with MDEQ that that requires the Company to pay $95,625 that fully and finally resolves the alleged permit limit exceedances at issue in this matter.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Environmental

Florida Environmental Matters

On March 17, 2014, we completed the sale of our phosphate mining and manufacturing business, which was located in Florida, to Mosaic. Pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement executed in October 2013 among CF Industries Holdings, Inc., CF Industries and Mosaic, Mosaic assumed the following environmental matters and we agreed to indemnify Mosaic with respect to losses arising out of the matters below, subject to a maximum indemnification cap and the other terms of the definitive agreement.

Clean Air Act Notice of Violation

We received a Notice of Violation (NOV) from the EPA by letter dated June 16, 2010, alleging that we violated the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Clean Air Act regulations relating to certain projects undertaken at the former Plant City, Florida facility's sulfuric acid plants. This NOV further alleges that the actions that are the basis for the alleged PSD violations also resulted in violations of Title V air operating permit regulations. Finally, the NOV alleges that we failed to comply with certain compliance dates established by hazardous air pollutant regulations for phosphoric acid manufacturing plants and phosphate fertilizer production plants. We had several meetings with the EPA with respect to this matter prior to our sale of the phosphate mining and manufacturing business in March 2014. We and Mosaic have separately had continued discussions with the EPA subsequent to our sale of the phosphate mining and manufacturing business with respect to this matter. We do not know at this time if this matter will be settled prior to initiation of formal legal action.

We cannot estimate the potential penalties, fines or other expenditures, if any, that may result from the Clean Air Act NOV and, therefore, we cannot determine if the ultimate outcome of this matter will have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

EPCRA/CERCLA Notice of Violation

By letter dated July 6, 2010, the EPA issued a NOV to us alleging violations of Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) in connection with the former Plant City facility. EPCRA requires annual reports to be submitted with respect to the use of certain toxic chemicals. The NOV also included an allegation that we violated Section 304 of EPCRA and Section 103 of CERCLA by failing to file a timely notification relating to the release of hydrogen fluoride above applicable reportable quantities. We do not know at this time if this matter will be settled prior to initiation of formal legal action.

We do not expect that penalties or fines, if any, that may arise out of the EPCRA/CERCLA matter will have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Other

CERCLA/Remediation Matters

For information on pending proceedings relating to environmental remediation matters, see Item 1. Business—Environmental, Health and Safety and Note 19—Contingencies to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report.

Not applicable.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

PART II

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (NYSE) under the symbol "CF". Quarterly high and low sales prices, as reported by the NYSE, are provided below:

As of February 15, 2018, there were 753 stockholders of record.

The following table sets forth stock repurchases for each of the three months of the quarter ended December 31, 2017.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

The following selected historical financial data as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 and for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this document. The following selected historical financial data as of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 have been derived from our consolidated financial statements, which are not included in this document. The selected historical financial data should be read in conjunction with the information contained in Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

You should read the following discussion and analysis in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. All references to "CF Holdings," "we," "us," "our" and "the Company" refer to CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries, except where the context makes clear that the reference is only to CF Industries Holdings, Inc. itself and not its subsidiaries. All references to "CF Industries" refer to CF Industries, Inc., a 100% owned subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. References to tons refer to short-tons. Notes referenced in this discussion and analysis refer to the notes to consolidated financial statements that are found in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The following is an outline of the discussion and analysis included herein:

Overview of CF Holdings

Our Company

We are one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of nitrogen fertilizer products and other nitrogen products in the world. Our principal customers are cooperatives, independent fertilizer distributors, farmers and industrial users. Our principal nitrogen fertilizer products are ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN) and ammonium nitrate (AN). Our other nitrogen products include diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), urea liquor, nitric acid and aqua ammonia, which are sold primarily to our industrial customers, and compound fertilizer products (NPKs), which are solid granular fertilizer products for which the nutrient content is a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. We operate world-class nitrogen manufacturing complexes in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, and distribute plant nutrients through a system of terminals, warehouses, and associated transportation equipment located primarily in the Midwestern United States. We also export nitrogen fertilizer products from our Donaldsonville, Louisiana and Yazoo City, Mississippi manufacturing facilities, and our United Kingdom manufacturing facilities in Billingham and Ince.

Our principal assets include:

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

On February 7, 2018, we announced that Terra Nitrogen GP Inc. (TNGP), the sole general partner of TNCLP and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of CF Holdings, elected to exercise its right to purchase all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP on April 2, 2018, for a cash purchase price of $84.033 per unit in accordance with the terms of TNCLP’s partnership agreement. The purchase price of $84.033 per unit was determined under the terms of TNCLP’s partnership agreement as the average of the daily closing prices per common unit for the 20 consecutive trading days beginning with January 5, 2018 and ending with February 2, 2018. The purchase price of all of the 4,612,562 publicly traded common units of TNCLP is approximately $390 million. We intend to fund the purchase with cash on hand. As of the April 2, 2018 purchase date, all rights of the holders of the units will terminate, with the exception of the right to receive payment of the purchase price. Upon completion of the purchase, we will own 100 percent of the general and limited partnership interests of TNCLP, and the common units representing limited partner interests will cease to be publicly traded or listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Industry Factors

We operate in a highly competitive, global industry. Our operating results are influenced by a broad range of factors, including those outlined below.

Global Supply and Demand Factors

Our products are globally traded commodities and are subject to price competition. The customers for our products make their purchasing decisions principally on the basis of delivered price and, to a lesser extent, on customer service and product quality. The selling prices of our products fluctuate in response to global market conditions, changes in supply and demand and different cost factors.

Historically, global fertilizer demand has been driven primarily by population growth, gross domestic product growth, changes in dietary habits, planted acreage, and application rates, among other things. We expect these key variables to continue to have major impacts on long-term fertilizer demand for the foreseeable future. Short-term fertilizer demand growth may depend on global economic conditions, weather patterns, the level of global grain stocks relative to consumption, governmental regulations, including fertilizer subsidies or requirements mandating increased use of bio-fuels or industrial nitrogen products and farm sector income. Other geopolitical factors like temporary disruptions in fertilizer trade related to government intervention or changes in the buying/selling patterns of key exporting/consuming countries such as China, India, Russia and Brazil, among others, often play a major role in shaping near-term market fundamentals. The economics of nitrogen-based fertilizer manufacturing play a key role in decisions to increase or reduce production capacity. Supply of fertilizers is generally driven by available capacity and operating rates, raw material costs and availability, government policies and global trade. Raw materials are dependent on energy sources such as natural gas or coal; supply costs are affected by the supply of and demand for these commodities.

Over the last decade, strong demand, high capacity utilization and increasing operating margins as a result of higher global nitrogen fertilizer p

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We are exposed to the impact of changes in commodity prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates.

Commodity Prices

Our net sales, cash flows and estimates of future cash flows related to nitrogen-based fertilizers are sensitive to changes in fertilizer prices as well as changes in the prices of natural gas and other raw materials unless these costs have been fixed or hedged. A $1.00 per MMBtu change in the price of natural gas would change the cost to produce a ton of ammonia, granular urea, UAN (32%) and AN by approximately $32, $22, $14 and $15, respectively.

Natural gas is the largest and most volatile component of the manufacturing cost for nitrogen-based fertilizers. We manage the risk of changes in natural gas prices primarily with the use of derivative financial instruments covering periods through December 2018. The derivative instruments that we use are primarily natural gas fixed price swaps and natural gas options. These derivatives settle using primarily NYMEX futures price indexes, which represent the basis for fair value at any given time. The contracts represent anticipated natural gas needs for future periods and settlements are scheduled to coincide with anticipated natural gas purchases during those future periods.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, we had open derivative contracts for 35.9 million MMBtus and 183.0 million MMBtus, respectively. A $1.00 per MMBtu increase in the forward curve prices of natural gas at December 31, 2017 would result in a favorable change in the fair value of these derivative positions of $33 million, and a $1.00 per MMBtu decrease in the forward curve prices of natural gas would change their fair value unfavorably by $33 million.

From time to time we may purchase nitrogen products on the open market to augment or replace production at our facilities.

Interest Rates

As of December 31, 2017, we had seven series of senior notes totaling $4.75 billion of principal outstanding with maturity dates of May 1, 2020, December 1, 2021, June 1, 2023, December 1, 2026, March 15, 2034, June 1, 2043 and March 15, 2044. The senior notes have fixed interest rates. As of December 31, 2017, the carrying value and fair value of our senior notes was approximately $4.69 billion and $4.80 billion, respectively.

Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement bear current market rates of interest and we are subject to interest rate risk on such borrowings. There were no borrowings outstanding under the Revolving Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2017 or December 31, 2016, or during 2017. Maximum borrowings under the Revolving Credit Agreement during 2016 were $150 million with a weighted-average annual interest rate of 1.85%.

Upon the termination of the Combination Agreement on May 22, 2016, the lenders’ commitments under the Bridge Credit Agreement terminated automatically. There were no borrowings under the Bridge Credit Agreement.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

From the fourth quarter of 2012 through 2016, we had entered into euro/U.S. dollar derivative hedging transactions related to the euro-denominated construction costs associated with our capacity expansion projects at our Donaldsonville, Louisiana and Port Neal, Iowa facilities. All of these foreign currency derivatives settled prior to December 31, 2016.

We are directly exposed to changes in the value of the Canadian dollar, the British pound and the euro. Outside of the transactions described above, we generally do not maintain any exchange rate derivatives or hedges related to these currencies.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Stockholders and Board of Directors

CF Industries Holdings, Inc.:

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three‑year period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated February 22, 2018 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

(signed) KPMG LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1983.

Chicago, Illinois

February 22, 2018

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

See Accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

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None.

(a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company's management, with the participation of the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on such evaluation, the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that, as of the end of such period, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures are effective in (i) ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and (ii) ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, for the Company. Under the supervision and with the participation of our senior management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, using the criteria set forth in the Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in 2013. Based on this assessment, management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 31, 2017. KPMG LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited the Company's consolidated financial statements, has issued an attestation report on the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, which appears on the following page.

(c) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. There have not been any changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended December 31, 2017 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Stockholders and Board of Directors

CF Industries Holdings, Inc.:

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have audited CF Industries Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries' (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control— Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements), and our report dated February 22, 2018 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.

Basis for Opinion

The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

(signed) KPMG LLP

Chicago, Illinois

February 22, 2018

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

None.

PART III

Information appearing in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Director Nominees"; "Executive Officers"; "Corporate Governance—Committees of the Board—Audit Committee"; and "Common Stock Ownership—Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance" is incorporated herein by reference.

We have adopted a Code of Corporate Conduct that applies to our employees, directors and officers, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Corporate Conduct is posted on our Internet website, www.cfindustries.com. We will provide an electronic or paper copy of this document free of charge upon request. We intend to disclose on our Internet website any amendment to any provision of the Code of Corporate Conduct that relates to any element of the definition of "code of ethics" enumerated in Item 406(b) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and any waiver from any such provision granted to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions.

Robert C. Arzbaecher, Stephen A. Furbacher, Stephen J. Hagge, John D. Johnson, Anne P. Noonan, Edward A. Schmitt and Theresa E. Wagler currently serve as the members of the Compensation Committee of the Board.

Information appearing under the following headings of the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference: "Compensation Discussion and Analysis," "Compensation and Benefits Risk Analysis," "Compensation Committee Report," "Executive Compensation" and "Director Compensation."

Information appearing under the following headings of the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference: "Common Stock Ownership—Common Stock Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners" and "Common Stock Ownership—Common Stock Ownership of Directors and Management."

We currently issue stock-based compensation under the 2014 Equity and Incentive Plan. Under the 2014 Equity and Incentive Plan, we may grant incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards (payable in cash or stock) and other stock or cash-based awards.

Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 2017

See Note 18—Stock-Based Compensation for additional information on the 2014 Equity and Incentive Plan.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

Information appearing in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Corporate Governance—Director Independence" and "Policy Regarding Related Person Transactions" is incorporated herein by reference.

Information appearing in the Proxy Statement under the headings "Audit and Non-audit Fees" and "Pre-approval of Audit and Non-audit Services" is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

None.

CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, INC.

EXHIBIT INDEX

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.