STOCKCHASE

Big beneficiaries of higher oil prices. N.A. Chemical companies are doing quite well. They are a play on an expanding economy.

2011-01-25

Comment

26.170

Ara Nalbandian

Well managed company. Valuation is a little high for him.

2010-09-15

HOLD

30.730

Stan Wong

Chart shows a series of higher highs and higher lows. Made $.18 last quarter versus $.10 estimated. Likes the materials space. Good growth metrics with some momentum behind it.

2010-04-08

BUY

26.610

Stan Wong

Looks interesting. In the materials sector, which he likes. Recently beat earnings.

2010-02-04

DON'T BUY

16.150

(Market Call Minute.) Probably still a little premature. We will see the chemical business come back but probably not for another year.

2009-06-18

SELL

17.070

Ross Healy

Had a beautiful run but has outrun its FMV numbers. Trading at book value, which historically would be cheap but has outrun itself and he would take money off the table and let it settle before stepping back in. Earnings forecasts do not support the current price.

2009-05-21

DON'T BUY

7.900

John Zechner

Too much risk. Will be strained financially over the short-term.

2009-03-16

DON'T BUY

7.000

Made a terrible acquisition and it is unclear that they will be able to close it. Stock market thinks they bet the company on it. Lots of bad things will happen if they don't close and they don't have the money for it. Also, their products are not in demand. Would wait and see.

2009-03-12

Comment

10.650

Brett Hryb

Being tied to oil, growth and the overall view of the commodity cycle, it is a real challenge to see it moving up.

2009-02-09

HOLD

15.810

Ross Healy

Pullout by Kuwait on the expected takeover of Rohm & Haas Co. mucked up some of their growth outlook. Market will be taking a little bit of time to digest this.

2009-01-09

DON'T BUY

16.080

(Market Call Minute.) Short term, the company is challenged based on the fact that their sale of assets didn't go through and they are going to have to raise capital to buy Rohm & Haas Co.

2009-01-07

WATCH

16.050

Andrew Guy, CFA

Pullout by Kuwait on the expected takeover of Rohm & Haas Co. Some clarity is needed as to whether they pay the full $78 financing, selling some assets there will be some volatility in the short-term. Longer-term an excellent company. 10.6% dividend.

2009-01-06

BUY

42.830

John O'Connell, CFA

Always been a very well run company. Complicated company to try to figure out because of a lot of moving parts including being a very large petrochemical user. Good dividend yield and trading at pretty reasonable earnings.

2007-12-10

Comment

47.160

Chemical stocks in general are acting extremely well. They are late cycle players. If you are a short-term investor, you might get a bump on this one.

2007-07-18

BUY

45.080

David Driscoll

The rise in cost of feedstock has left the stock moving sideways the last 4 months. 3.7% dividend should be safe. The biggest impetus for them is to be able to pass costs onto their customers. Good-quality stock, but don't expect a lot of growth.

2007-06-22

Comment

45.120

Paul Harris, CFA

One of the few industries that have reasonable pricing ability with their clients. Reasonably good cash flow. Not highly leveraged. Cyclical.

2007-04-23

Comment

46.000

Paul Harris, CFA

Chemical companies won through some tough times and DOW did a good job of restructuring.

2007-04-12

HOLD

41.540

Cyclical, so not a long-term investment. The chemical cycle is doing better now. Energy prices have come down significantly and this is their raw material. The price for their product has not come down and margins have expanded.

2007-01-31

DON'T BUY

40.020

Gavin Graham

An economically sensitive stock as its commodity chemicals. Down 6% over the last year.

2006-12-28

DON'T BUY

39.660

There has been a move away from economically sensitive stocks. Price performance is not as strong or participating in the rally as others.

2006-10-19

WATCH

35.010

Brian Acker, CA

The model price is $40.86. A positive 18% differential. It's on his radar. $29.77 would be an absolute steal.

2006-08-02

BUY

39.850

Paul Harris, CFA

Demand they expected is low and the cost structure is going up because of higher oil/gas prices. At these levels, 8 X earnings, you should buy a company like this, because over the long-term, it's at good company.

2006-04-18

SELL

42.470

The chemical sector overall has been having a fairly difficult time. This one is a large company and is heavily owned by index funds and index investors and in the last three years there has been a continual unweighting in favour of midsize companies that are growing faster.

2006-03-23

BUY

41.400

Brad Willock

The stock looks like it has bottomed. Weaker natural gas over the last little while has helped on their input costs. They increased their dividend. A powerful cash generator. A bit of a defensive stock.

2006-02-09

HOLD

42.471

David Driscoll

The biggest problem for most of the chemical companies is the cost of their feedstock. Now that natural gas prices have started to come down, there are opportunities for a little bit more leveling off of the company. The dividend is attractive. The problem he sees is that in the long run they haven't been able to generate enough free cash flow to cover their capital expenditures.

2006-01-18

DON'T BUY

45.500

Larry Berman CFA, CMT, CTA

Have had a wonderful year, but people thinks this is as good as it gets.

2005-11-08

DON'T BUY

47.890

Recently broke below its 200 day moving average, so it's at a pretty critical point now. Feels the run-up was part of the cyclical commodity cycle which is now over, so at best you're going to move sideways from this point. The downside risk is in the $42 range.

2005-05-11

BUY

49.850

A good area to be in. Has dropped along with the energy and resource stocks. Just a normal correction. A cyclical, so there will be a time when you will want to get out.

2005-03-31

SELL

52.280

Brian Acker, CA

Their model price is $50.00, so not a mispriced asset.

2005-03-22

BUY

53.610

Chemical stocks are one of the best to be in late in the cycle. A lot of producers are getting close to capacity which menas that prices can go up and margins can expand. These stocks can go a fair bit further assuming that the broad market doesn't completely roll over.

2005-03-14

BUY

53.540

Chemical stocks are performing well. In the late cycle of basic materials, chemicals tend to come on. A great company.

2005-02-15

DON'T BUY

49.700

John Zechner

Getting a little more concerned about commodities and industrials. Cycle is getting a little bit extended. Stock is probably getting close to a peak for the cycle. Would consider switching to something less cyclical.

2005-01-31

BUY

48.820

All the chemical companies have done really well. Even though raw material prices have gone up, there is an opportunity for increased margins.

2004-12-09

DON'T BUY

50.050

John Stephenson

Have had a good run despite higher feed stocks. May be time to take a little money off the table.

2004-11-24

BUY

49.330

Bill Carrigan

Very sensitive to crude prices. Would have thought that it had an inverse realtionship, but it has gone up. Probably will be in favour for a long time.

2004-11-18

DON'T BUY

44.330

Brian Acker, CA

Overvalued.

2004-10-26

BUY

42.570

Chemical companies have been doing better and wouldn't have any problem going in at these prices.

2004-10-21

TOP PICK

45.090

Francis Gannon

2004-10-08

TOP PICK

42.690

Laszlo Birinyi

2004-08-27

TOP PICK

38.580

Barbara Marcin

Has good earnings. A good investment for the next couple of years.

2004-07-23

TOP PICK

40.010

Barbara Marcin

Moving into the middle of this expansion cycle, likes manufacturing and industrial companies. Has a few years good outlook ahead of it. A good investment and hasn't been for a while.

2004-06-18

WEAK BUY

40.860

Would be kind of warm to chemical companies because they benefit from a pickup in the economy. The negative has been the higher cost of oil which squeezes them.

2004-04-21

DON'T BUY

40.610

Ross Healy

Selling at about $10 over FMV. Also it is selling at 4 X price to book. Expensive. Good dividend. If interest rates rose, this stock would probably crater.

2004-01-20

WEAK BUY

27.310

Gavin Graham

Cyclical. Well financed. Have to be comfortable that the economy will grow over the next 12/18 months.

2002-09-30

BUY

29.770