20 Basic Material Dividend Stocks With High Short Ratios

 | Jun 16, 2013 05:11AM ET

Basic Material stocks were the worst performing stock category within the recent six month. The sector had a performance of -0.7 percent while the S&P 500 increased 15.27 percent.

The fear of an economic slowdown mainly caused by China’s slowing growth is the main reason for this.

Investors can benefit from a falling stock price via short selling. Today I'm focusing on basic material dividend stocks with the highest short float ratios. I excluded all companies with a market capitalization below USD 2 billion.

The top 20 results have a float short ratio between 6 percent and 32.62 percent. Eight of the results still have a current buy or better rating.

Western Refining (WNR) has a market capitalization of $2.57 billion. The company employs 3,800 people, generates revenue of $9.503 billion and has a net income of $398.88 million. The firm’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $806.91 million. The EBITDA margin is 8.49 percent (the operating margin is 7.49 percent and the net profit margin 4.20 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 20.56 percent of the company’s assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 56.10 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 45.66 percent was realized. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $5.40. Last fiscal year, the company paid $2.74 in the form of dividends to shareholders. WNR has a float short ratio of 32.62 percent.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 5.75, the P/S ratio is 0.27 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.93. The dividend yield amounts to 1.57 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 0.99.