Monsanto Company (MON): Today's Featured Chemicals Laggard

Monsanto Company (MON) pushed the Chemicals industry lower today making it today's featured Chemicals laggard. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.2%. By the end of trading, Monsanto Company fell $1.88 (-2.1%) to $86.74 on average volume. Throughout the day, 4.9 million shares of Monsanto Company exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3.2 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $86.35-$88.69 after having opened the day at $88.33 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $88.62. Other companies within the Chemicals industry that declined today were: Cereplast (CERP), down 7.1%, Renewable Energy Group (REGI), down 4.9%, BioFuel Energy Corporation (BIOF), down 4.8%, and Senomyx (SNMX), down 3.4%.

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Monsanto Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides agricultural products for farmers in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Seeds and Genomics, and Agricultural Productivity. Monsanto Company has a market cap of $46.9 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 22, above the average chemicals industry P/E ratio of 21.8 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 25.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 11 analysts that rate Monsanto Company a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and six rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Monsanto Company as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

• You can view the full Monsanto Ratings Report.

On the positive front, Yongye International (YONG), up 11.3%, American Pacific Corporation (APFC), up 8.9%, Ikonics Corporation (IKNX), up 7.5%, and Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI), up 6.7%, were all gainers within the chemicals industry with Valspar Corporation (VAL) being today's featured chemicals industry leader.

• Use our chemicals section to find industry-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 chemicals industry could consider Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) while those bearish on the chemicals industry could consider ProShares Short Basic Materials Fd (SBM).

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

 

For more information on Monsanto Company click any of the following:

• Monsanto Company Stock Price

• Monsanto Company Analyst Ratings

• Monsanto Company Key Stats & Profile

• Monsanto Company Earnings

• Monsanto Company Ratio Comparison

• Monsanto Company Growth Rates

• Monsanto Company Balance Sheet

• Monsanto Company Cash Flow

• Monsanto Company Income Statement