PPG Industries Inc. (PPG): 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.

PPG Industries (PPG) pushed the Chemicals industry higher today making it today's featured chemicals winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 1%. By the end of trading, PPG Industries rose $1.91 (1.7%) to $116.14 on light volume. Throughout the day, 616,953 shares of PPG Industries exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 975,700 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $113.76-$116.25 after having opened the day at $114.37 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $114.23. Other companies within the Chemicals industry that increased today were: Lizhan Environmental (LZEN), up 44%, Yongye International (YONG), up 17.1%, China Green Agriculture (CGA), up 9.2%, and Senomyx (SNMX), up 3.2%.

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PPG Industries, Inc. manufactures and supplies protective and decorative coatings. PPG Industries has a market cap of $17.63 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 20, equal to the average chemicals industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 36.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 11 analysts that rate PPG Industries a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and four rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates PPG Industries as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income, expanding profit margins and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full PPG Ratings Report.

• Use our chemicals 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 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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For more information on PPG Industries Inc. click any of the following:

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• PPG Industries Inc. Balance Sheet

• PPG Industries Inc. Cash Flow

• PPG Industries Inc. Income Statement