Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF): Today's Featured Metals & Mining Winner

Editor's Note: Any reference to TheStreet Ratings and its underlying recommendation does not reflect the opinion of TheStreet, Inc. or any of its contributors including Jim Cramer or Stephanie Link.

Cliffs Natural Resources ( CLF) pushed the Metals & Mining industry higher today making it today's featured metals & mining winner. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.9%. By the end of trading, Cliffs Natural Resources rose $0.84 (4.3%) to $20.58 on average volume. Throughout the day, 9,943,883 shares of Cliffs Natural Resources exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 9,859,000 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $19.40-$20.66 after having opened the day at $19.72 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $19.74. Other companies within the Metals & Mining industry that increased today were: Ossen Innovation ( OSN), up 17.3%, Quaterra Resources ( QMM), up 11.1%, Atlatsa Resources ( ATL), up 9.6% and Turquoise Hill Resources ( TRQ), up 7.6%.

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Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., a mining and natural resources company, engages in the production of iron ore pellets, fines and lump ore, and metallurgical coal. Cliffs Natural Resources has a market cap of $3.0 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. Shares are down 49.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 3 analysts that rate Cliffs Natural Resources a buy, 3 analysts rate it a sell, and 9 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Cliffs Natural Resources as a hold. Among the primary strengths of the company is its generally strong cash flow from operations. At the same time, however, we also find weaknesses including disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins and a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself.

You can view the full Cliffs Natural Resources Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Alpha Natural Resources ( ANR), down 9.0%, USEC ( USU), down 8.6%, Uranium Resources ( URRE), down 7.5% and L & L Energy ( LLEN), down 7.1% , were all laggards within the metals & mining industry with Newmont Mining Corporation ( NEM) being today's metals & mining industry laggard.

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For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the metals & mining industry could consider SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF ( XME) while those bearish on the metals & mining industry could consider PowerShares DB Base Metals Sht ETN ( BOS).