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

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 lower today making it today's featured Chemicals laggard. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.8%. By the end of trading, LyondellBasell Industries fell $1.04 (-1.9%) to $52.98 on light volume. Throughout the day, 2.6 million shares of LyondellBasell Industries exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.6 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $52.80-$54.25 after having opened the day at $54.02 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $54.02. Other companies within the Chemicals industry that declined today were: Pure Bioscience (PURE), down 7%, GSE (GSE), down 6.7%, BioFuel Energy Corporation (BIOF), down 4.2%, and KMG Chemicals (KMG), down 4%.

• EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass.

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 $31.09 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 16.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 66.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are 11 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, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. 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.

• 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.

Holiday Special: Subscribe to Action Alerts PLUS to see how Jim Cramer trades his $2.5 Million+ portfolio for 51% off the list price. Your first 14-days are FREE: Sign up today to get e-mail alerts before every trade.

For more information on LyondellBasell Industries NV click any of the following:

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Stock Price

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Analyst Ratings

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Key Stats & Profile

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Earnings

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Ratio Comparison

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Growth Rates

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Balance Sheet

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Cash Flow

• LyondellBasell Industries NV Income Statement