Nutrien Stock: Buy, Hold, or Sell in 2026?

After falling for two consecutive years, shares of Nutrien (TSX:NTR) staged a sharp recovery in 2025, ending the year with strong 32% gains. And this rally seems to be continuing so far this year, as NTR stock has already risen 12.2% in January so far to currently trade at $95.02 per share with a market cap of nearly $46 billion.

But are these gains really sustainable, or has the market already priced in most of the good news? That is where many investors feel stuck right now. In this article, I’ll talk about Nutrien stock, what is driving its recent strength, how the business is performing today, and whether this rally makes the stock a buy, a hold, or a sell heading into 2026.

A closer look at Nutrien’s recent rebound

If you don’t know it already, as one of the world’s largest providers of crop inputs, Nutrien focuses on supplying potash, nitrogen, and phosphate products to farmers across global markets. It also runs a large retail network that supports growers directly, giving it exposure across multiple parts of the agricultural supply chain.

From a market perspective, NTR stock has clearly regained a level of stability it lacked over the prior two years. At this market price, it also offers a 3.1% annualized dividend yield, which continues to appeal to income-focused investors looking for cash returns besides price recovery.

What is fueling this performance

A key driver in NTR stock’s recent recovery has been improving sentiment around agricultural demand and pricing conditions. After a challenging period marked by volatility in crop input prices, the market has started to respond to signs of more balanced supply and demand. That shift has helped ease pressure on the company’s margins and brought a more predictable outlook for its earnings.

Another factor supporting Nutrien stock has been its disciplined cost management and a focus on operational efficiency. Notably, investors have seemingly rewarded the company for navigating a tough cycle without overextending its balance sheet. Together, these fundamental factors have helped turn sentiment positive again, which explains why the stock has climbed steadily rather than spiking on some short-term news.

Recent financial trends and business progress

In the September 2025 quarter, Nutrien reported sales of about US$6 billion and net earnings attributable to shareholders of roughly US$464 million. That marked a clear improvement from weaker periods earlier in the cycle, even as results continued to reflect normal swings across fertilizer markets.

For the first nine months of the year, the company’s net earnings reached about US$1.7 billion, showing stable performance compared with the prior year. Meanwhile, its cash generation remained solid, supporting Nutrien’s dividend payments and ongoing investment across the business.

How long-term initiatives shape Nutrien’s 2026 outlook

Nutrien continues to invest in optimizing production assets and strengthening its retail platform, both of which are likely to support its long-term competitiveness. These efforts also focus on improving its reliability, efficiency, and customer reach over time rather than chasing short-term volume growth.

That said, NTR stock’s strong rebound means investors’ expectations are now higher than they were a year ago. However, its future gains will continue to depend on real execution and stable market conditions rather than simple multiple expansion. That makes Nutrien look less like a growth stock and more like a stable dividend-paying stock with balanced upside potential in 2026.

The post Nutrien Stock: Buy, Hold, or Sell in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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More reading

• Best Canadian Stocks to Buy With $7,000 Right Now
• 3 Reasons I’ll Never Sell This Cash-Gushing Dividend Giant
• Outlook for Nutrien Stock in 2026
• 2 of the Best Stocks TFSA Investors Can Buy Now
• The Top 3 Canadian Dividend Stocks I Think Belong in Every Portfolio

Fool contributor Jitendra Parashar has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Nutrien. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.