Why Tronox Shares Popped

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 titanium products supplier Tronox jumped as much as 11% following positive comments about the company from Barron's.

So what: According to Barron's, because of a weak economy, the maker of titanium dioxide pigment, a key whitening agent used in paint, has been crushed and now trades 37% below its current book value. Barron's thinks that at less than seven times forward earnings, traders may have overshot with their pessimism and there could be a nice value to be had in Tronox.

Now what: As per the norm, while this isn't a cut-and-dried upgrade or downgrade from a brokerage firm, it's nonetheless a short-term move, and you shouldn't allow this article from Barron's to change your investment thesis on Tronox. Over the longer run, I do happen to agree with Barron's that Tronox appears inexpensive, but in the near term, it'll need a little help from Congress with a fiscal cliff compromise and low interest rates to spur homeowners to buy, renovate, and paint their homes.

Craving more input? Start by adding Tronox to your free and personalized Watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.

The article Why Tronox Shares Popped originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.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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