United States Steel Corporation (X): Today's Featured Basic Materials 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.

United States Steel Corporation ( X) pushed the Basic Materials sector lower today making it today's featured Basic Materials laggard. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.1%. By the end of trading, United States Steel Corporation fell 85 cents (-3.3%) to $24.88 on average volume. Throughout the day, 7.3 million shares of United States Steel Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 8.1 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $24.75-$25.69 after having opened the day at $25.69 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $25.73. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that declined today were: Uranium Resources ( URRE), down 11.5%, Century Aluminum Company ( CENX), down 9.4%, Torch Energy Royalty ( TRU), down 8%, and GeoGlobal Resources ( GGR), down 7.7%.
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United States Steel Corporation engages in the production and sale of steel mill products in North America and Europe. The company operates in three segments: Flat-rolled Products (Flat-rolled), U. S. Steel Europe (USSE), and Tubular Products (Tubular). United States Steel Corporation has a market cap of $3.67 billion and is part of the metals & mining industry. Shares are up 7.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are three analysts that rate United States Steel Corporation a buy, three analysts rate it a sell, and seven rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates United States Steel Corporation as a sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its generally high debt management risk, disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins and generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself.

On the positive front, Pure Bioscience ( PURE), up 19.1%, Kingold Jewelry ( KGJI), up 18.5%, Platinum Group Metal ( PLG), up 14.5%, and Houston American Energy Corporation ( HUSA), up 14.4%, were all gainers within the basic materials sector with Southwestern Energy Company ( SWN) being today's featured basic materials sector leader.

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).

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