Potash Corporation Of Saskatchewan Inc. (POT): Today's Featured Chemicals 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.

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan ( POT) pushed the Chemicals industry higher today making it today's featured chemicals winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan rose $0.69 (2.3%) to $30.55 on average volume. Throughout the day, 13,706,675 shares of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 11,667,300 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $30.35-$31.00 after having opened the day at $30.68 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $29.86. Other companies within the Chemicals industry that increased today were: BioAmber ( BIOA), up 20.2%, Methes Energies International ( MEIL), up 10.0%, Rentech Nitrogen Partners ( RNF), up 5.1% and Agrium ( AGU), up 3.2%.

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Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells fertilizers and related industrial and feed products primarily in the United States and Canada. The company mines and produces potash, which is used as fertilizer. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has a market cap of $25.7 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. Shares are down 26.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 6 analysts that rate Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 11 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, expanding profit margins and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, disappointing return on equity and weak operating cash flow.

You can view the full Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Ikonics Corporation ( IKNX), down 5.2%, Penford Corporation ( PENX), down 3.8%, Metabolix ( MBLX), down 3.5% and BioFuel Energy Corporation ( BIOF), down 2.9% , were all laggards within the chemicals industry with PPG Industries ( PPG) being today's chemicals industry laggard.

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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).