Hess Corp (HES): 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.

Hess (HES) pushed the Basic Materials sector higher today making it today's featured basic materials winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.9%. By the end of trading, Hess rose $1.63 (2.5%) to $66.03 on light volume. Throughout the day, 2.3 million shares of Hess exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 4.3 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $64.38-$66.10 after having opened the day at $65.18 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $64.40. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that increased today were: Avalon Rare Metals (AVL), up 16.5%, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG), up 11.1%, ZaZa Energy (ZAZA), up 9.4%, and Whiting USA Trust I (WHX), up 9.3%.

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Hess Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated energy company. The company operates in two segments, Exploration and Production (E&P) and Marketing and Refining (M&R). Hess has a market cap of $22.55 billion and is part of the energy industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 10.1, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 24.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are nine analysts that rate Hess a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and eight rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Hess as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its compelling growth in net income, increase in stock price during the past year, attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations and impressive record of earnings per share growth. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

• You can view the full Hess Ratings Report.

On the negative front, GMX Resources (GMXR), down 13.2%, Endeavour International (END), down 10.2%, World Fuel Services Corporation (INT), down 10.2%, and GeoGlobal Resources (GGR), down 10.1%, were all laggards within the basic materials sector with Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (POT) 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 Hess Corp click any of the following:

• Hess Corp Stock Price

• Hess Corp Analyst Ratings

• Hess Corp Key Stats & Profile

• Hess Corp Earnings

• Hess Corp Ratio Comparison

• Hess Corp Growth Rates

• Hess Corp Balance Sheet

• Hess Corp Cash Flow

• Hess Corp Income Statement