Seadrill Ltd (SDRL): Today's Featured Basic Materials Winner

Seadrill (SDRL) pushed the Basic Materials sector higher today making it today's featured basic materials winner. The sector as a whole closed the day down 1.1%. By the end of trading, Seadrill rose 52 cents (1.4%) to $36.62 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 3.8 million shares of Seadrill exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 2.5 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $35.46-$36.87 after having opened the day at $35.48 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $36.10. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that increased today were: Synalloy Corporation (SYNL), up 11.6%, GeoPetro Resources Company (GPR), up 7.9%, Sanchez Energy (SN), up 7.8%, and Midstates Petroleum (MPO), up 7.6%.

Seadrill Limited, an offshore drilling contractor, provides offshore drilling services to the oil and gas industry worldwide. It also offers platform drilling, well intervention, and engineering services. Seadrill has a market cap of $16.81 billion and is part of the energy industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 12.1, equal to the average energy industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 8.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are two analysts that rate Seadrill a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and eight rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Seadrill as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its notable return on equity, good cash flow from operations and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including unimpressive growth in net income and generally poor debt management.

• You can view the full Seadrill Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Adams Resources & Energy (AE), down 17.5%, BioFuel Energy Corporation (BIOF), down 17.4%, Recovery Energy (RECV), down 14%, and Chesapeake Energy (CHK), down 13.8%, were all losers within the basic materials sector with EOG Resources (EOG) being today's basic materials sector loser.

• Use our basic materials section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the basic materials sector could consider Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) while those bearish on the basic materials sector could consider ProShares Short Basic Materials Fd (SBM).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

 

For more information on Seadrill Ltd click any of the following:

• Seadrill Ltd Stock Price

• Seadrill Ltd Analyst Ratings

• Seadrill Ltd Key Stats & Profile

• Seadrill Ltd Earnings

• Seadrill Ltd Ratio Comparison

• Seadrill Ltd Growth Rates

• Seadrill Ltd Balance Sheet

• Seadrill Ltd Cash Flow

• Seadrill Ltd Income Statement