LyondellBasell Industries NV (LYB): Today's Featured Chemicals Winner

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) pushed the Chemicals industry higher today making it today's featured chemicals winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.2%. By the end of trading, LyondellBasell Industries rose 54 cents (1.1%) to $52.20 on light volume. Throughout the day, 2.8 million shares of LyondellBasell Industries exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.1 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $51.95-$52.75 after having opened the day at $52.06 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $51.66. Other companies within the Chemicals industry that increased today were: BioFuel Energy Corporation (BIOF), up 16.2%, Pacific Ethanol (PEIX), up 3.9%, Omnova Solutions (OMN), up 3.7%, and American Vanguard Corporation (AVD), up 3.5%.

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LyondellBasell Industries N.V. manufacturers and sells chemicals and polymers, refines crude oil, produces gasoline blending components, and develops and licenses technologies for the production of polymers. LyondellBasell Industries has a market cap of $29.83 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 13.7, below the average chemicals industry P/E ratio of 14.8 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 59% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 12 analysts that rate LyondellBasell Industries a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and two rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates LyondellBasell Industries as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and attractive valuation levels. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat weak growth in earnings per share.

• You can view the full LyondellBasell Ratings Report.

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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.

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