Why SunCoke's Shares Got Crushed

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of coal producer SunCoke Energy fell as much as 10% today after announcing its outlook for 2013.

So what: Management said coal sales are expected to increase slightly to 1.7 million tons next year but prices will affect profitability. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $205 million and $230 million, with earnings per share coming in at $0.60 to $0.85. Right now, analyst estimates are for earnings of $1.26 per share.

Now what: This shouldn't be shocking news to investors, because coal prices have been dropping across the board. Metallurgical coal held up well until recently, but there continues to be pressure because of a slow economy around the world. I don't see this as a buying opportunity, and I'd be cautious about any coal-related stocks, thermal or metallurgical, going forward.

Interested in more info on SunCoke Energy? Add it to your watchlist by clicking here.

The article Why SunCoke's Shares Got Crushed originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool, check out his personal stock holdings, or follow his CAPS picks at TMFFlushDraw. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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