LSB Industries Popped: What You Need to Know

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 LSB Industries (NYSE: LXU  ) climbed more than 10% in intraday trading Friday after the climate control and chemical company blew out Wall Street's fourth-quarter estimates.

So what: Driven by a 49% surge in sales, LSB posted a profit of $18 million, or $0.79 per share, while analysts were expecting just $0.45 in per-share earnings. The company has been benefitting greatly from rebounding demand in both of its key divisions, with revenue increasing 21% in the climate control unit and spiking 81% in the larger chemical business.

Now what: I'd wait patiently for a pullback before jumping in. LSB shares are now up more than 175% over the past nine months, are currently setting new 52-week highs, and are trading at a price-to-cash flow above 20. While LSB Chairman and CEO Jack Golsen believes that "demand will continue to increase in 2011 as the industrial markets in the United States continue to recover," Mr. Market already seems to be pricing in that optimism.

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