Devon Energy Corp (DVN): Today's Featured Basic Materials 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.

Devon Energy (DVN) pushed the Basic Materials sector higher today making it today's featured basic materials winner. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.4%. By the end of trading, Devon Energy rose 79 cents (1.3%) to $61.57 on average volume. Throughout the day, three million shares of Devon Energy exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3.2 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $60.58-$61.84 after having opened the day at $61.56 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $60.78. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that increased today were: Flexible Solutions International (FSI), up 13.6%, Cereplast (CERP), up 9.6%, Lone Pine Resources (LPR), up 6.6%, and HKN (HKN), up 6.4%.

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Devon Energy Corporation, an independent energy company, engages primarily in exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. Devon Energy has a market cap of $24.47 billion and is part of the energy industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 10.2, equal to the average energy industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 2% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are 12 analysts that rate Devon Energy a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and nine rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Devon Energy as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins and increase in stock price during the past year. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, weak operating cash flow and feeble growth in the company's earnings per share.

• You can view the full Devon Energy Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Pacific Booker Minerals (PBM), down 66.6%, Andatee China Marine Fuel Services Corporat (AMCF), down 19%, Core Laboratories N.V (CLB), down 16.3%, and Torch Energy Royalty (TRU), down 15%, were all laggards within the basic materials sector with Mosaic (MOS) being today's basic materials sector laggard.

• 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.

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For more information on Devon Energy Corp click any of the following:

• Devon Energy Corp Stock Price

• Devon Energy Corp Analyst Ratings

• Devon Energy Corp Key Stats & Profile

• Devon Energy Corp Earnings

• Devon Energy Corp Ratio Comparison

• Devon Energy Corp Growth Rates

• Devon Energy Corp Balance Sheet

• Devon Energy Corp Cash Flow

• Devon Energy Corp Income Statement