Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU): Today's Featured Metals & Mining Leader

Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) pushed the Metals & Mining industry higher today making it today's featured metals & mining leader. The industry as a whole closed the day down 1.9%. By the end of trading, Peabody Energy Corporation rose 50 cents (2.2%) to $23.16 on average volume. Throughout the day, 10.8 million shares of Peabody Energy Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 8.4 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $21.91-$23.31 after having opened the day at $22.09 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $22.66. Other companies within the Metals & Mining industry that increased today were: China Natural Resources (CHNR), up 9.5%, Prospect Global Resources (PGRX), up 6.7%, Atlatsa Resources (ATL), up 6.1%, and Kimber Resources (KBX), up 5.5%.

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Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. Peabody Energy Corporation has a market cap of $6.21 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 6.2, equal to the average metals & mining industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 31.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 19 analysts that rate Peabody Energy Corporation a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and none rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Peabody Energy Corporation as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including unimpressive growth in net income, generally poor debt management and a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself.

• You can view the full Peabody Energy Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Westmoreland Coal (WLB), down 8.3%, Golden Star Resources (GSS), down 7.6%, Molycorp (MCP), down 7.5%, and Minco Gold Corporation (MGH), down 6.3%, were all laggards within the metals & mining industry with Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX) being today's metals & mining industry laggard.

• Use our metals & mining section to find industry-relevant news.
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For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the metals & mining industry could consider SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) while those bearish on the metals & mining industry could consider PowerShares DB Base Metals Sht ETN (BOS).

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

For more information on Peabody Energy Corporation click any of the following:

• Peabody Energy Corporation Stock Price

• Peabody Energy Corporation Analyst Ratings

• Peabody Energy Corporation Key Stats & Profile

• Peabody Energy Corporation Earnings

• Peabody Energy Corporation Ratio Comparison

• Peabody Energy Corporation Growth Rates

• Peabody Energy Corporation Balance Sheet

• Peabody Energy Corporation Cash Flow

• Peabody Energy Corporation Income Statement