Gastar Exploration (GST) is Top Materials Small-Cap Star for August 8 Morning Session

Small-cap materials stocks offer a distinctive risk profile, one tied to some unpredictable market factors. That's why equities.com's Small-Cap Stars, our proprietary list of those small-cap materials companies offering a promising profile of fundamentals, gives you another method for finding those companies most likely to make the best of the market they're in.

Here's a look at the five top-performing basic materials Small-Cap Stars as of noon on the east coast:

Gastar Exploration (GST)

Gastar Exploration gained 14.81% to $7.13 in morning trading today. Volume reached 848,357 by noon. The stock's average daily volume is 1,013,633 shares. Gastar Exploration has a 52-week high of $9.10 and a 52-week low of $2.60, its P/E ratio is 9.7, and its 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA are $7.78 and $6.38 respectively.

Gastar Exploration Inc is an independent energy company. It is engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs in the US.

Par Petroleum Corp (PARR)

Par Petroleum Corp gained 3.77% to $17.90 in morning trading today. Volume reached 45,120 by noon. The stock's average daily volume is 31,625 shares. Par Petroleum Corp has a 52-week high of $21.40 and a 52-week low of $16.00, and its 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA are $19.84 and $0.00 respectively.

Par Petroleum Corporation is a diversified energy holding company. The Company operates an integrated sourcing, marketing, transportation and distribution business focused on energy commodities, mainly crude oil.

Miller Energy Resources (MILL)

Miller Energy Resources gained 3.69% to $4.92 in morning trading today. Volume reached 97,844 by noon. The stock's average daily volume is 512,679 shares. Miller Energy Resources has a 52-week high of $8.97 and a 52-week low of $4.40, and its 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA are $5.29 and $6.20 respectively.

Miller Energy Resources Inc operates as an exploration and production company that utilizes seismic data and other technologies for geophysical exploration and development of oil and gas wells.

Lehigh Gas Partners Lp (LGP)

Lehigh Gas Partners Lp gained 3.19% to $35.08 in morning trading today. Volume reached 160,301 by noon. The stock's average daily volume is 73,333 shares. Lehigh Gas Partners Lp has a 52-week high of $34.77 and a 52-week low of $25.50, its P/E ratio is 23.3, and its 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA are $26.77 and $26.62 respectively.

Lehigh Gas Partners LP is engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, consisting of gasoline and diesel fuel. It also owns and leases real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels.

Harvest Natural Resources Inc. (HNR)

Harvest Natural Resources Inc. gained 2.91% to $4.60 in morning trading today. Volume reached 54,652 by noon. The stock's average daily volume is 366,261 shares. Harvest Natural Resources Inc. has a 52-week high of $6.08 and a 52-week low of $2.76, and its 50-day SMA and 200-day SMA are $4.75 and $4.42 respectively.

Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. is an energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, production and disposition of oil and natural gas properties.

Equities.com's Small-Cap Stars - What a Solid Portfolio is Made Of

Small-cap materials stocks can be a tricky game to play, one where macroeconomic trends and fickle commodities prices can play a big role. The best plan of attack is usually to identify a successful, repeatable system for identifying strong companies and then just sticking to it. That's what the Small-Cap Stars does. By using a complex statistical regression to compare previously successful small-cap materials companies, the system can create a profile of fundamental metrics that should be predictive of future success and then grade current companies on how closely they resemble that model.

Among the metrics we found to have the strongest indication of future growth were a low ratio of enterprise value to sales, a low effective tax rate, and a high ROE-cost of equity.

All data provided by QuoteMedia and was accurate as of 12:00 pm ET.