list of publicly traded companies in the basic materials sector
Access the most comprehensive list of publicly traded companies in the basic materials sector, tracking over 233 US-listed firms across mining, chemicals, and building materials.
Finding a complete list of publicly traded companies in the basic materials sector is essential for investors looking to gain exposure to the raw building blocks of the global economy. This sector encompasses industries involved in the discovery, development, and processing of raw materials, ranging from the Chemicals Subsector to global aggregates and timberlands. As of 2026, the sector is dominated by mega-cap leaders like Linde plc and major producers in the Metals and Mining List. Understanding the interplay between commodity prices and industrial demand is key to navigating these 233+ US-listed entities. This directory provides the structured data needed to compare market caps, subsectors, and current valuation metrics across the entire basic materials landscape.
Key Takeaways
Linde plc (LIN) remains the largest company in the sector with a $233B market cap, anchoring the Chemicals Subsector as a primary industrial gas supplier.
Major players like Southern Copper ($121B) and Newmont ($111B) dominate the extraction subsectors, providing significant weight to the sector's total market value.
The sector is highly fragmented, including over 50 mining firms, building material giants like Sherwin-Williams, and specialized paper and container producers.
Investors often utilize broad sector exposure through funds like the Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) to mitigate the volatility of individual commodity prices.
Top list of publicly traded companies in the basic materials sector by Market Cap (2026)
The following table lists the 12 largest US-listed basic materials companies, representing the industry's heaviest hitters across chemicals, mining, and steel.
| Rank | Ticker | Company | Industry | Market Cap | YTD % | P/E Ratio | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LIN | Linde plc | Chemicals | $233.00B | +1.2% | 34.44 | 1.3% |
| 2 | BHP | BHP Group | Mining | $191.00B | -0.5% | 14.20 | 5.2% |
| 3 | SCCO | Southern Copper | Mining | $121.79B | +3.4% | 22.15 | 3.1% |
| 4 | NEM | Newmont Corp | Gold Mining | $111.19B | +2.1% | 18.50 | 2.8% |
| 5 | SHW | Sherwin-Williams | Building Materials | $81.74B | +0.8% | 32.10 | 0.9% |
| 6 | ECL | Ecolab Inc. | Chemicals | $74.50B | +1.5% | 35.20 | 1.1% |
| 7 | FCX | Freeport-McMoRan | Copper Mining | $74.57B | +4.2% | 25.40 | 0.8% |
| 8 | APD | Air Products | Chemicals | $55.75B | -1.1% | 21.30 | 2.4% |
| 9 | CTVA | Corteva Inc. | Agri-Chemicals | $46.00B | +0.3% | 28.10 | 1.4% |
| 10 | NUE | Nucor Corp | Steel | $38.77B | +1.7% | 11.40 | 1.2% |
| 11 | VMC | Vulcan Materials | Aggregates | $38.67B | +2.2% | 31.50 | 0.7% |
list of publicly traded companies in the basic materials sector — Complete Company List
Materials Sector: Stocks on U.S. Exchanges
- Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD)
- Ashland Inc. (ASH)
- DowDuPont Inc. (DWDP)
- Eastman Chemical Company (EMN)
- Huntsman Corporation (HUN)
- Lyondell Basell Industries N.V. (LYB)
- Mosaic Company (The) (MOS)
- Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)
- Praxair, Inc. (PX)
- BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP)
- Rio Tinto Plc. (RIO)
- VALE S.A. (VALE)
- Alcoa Inc. (AA)
- United States Steel Corporation (X)
- Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (ARLP)
- ArcelorMittal (MT)
- AngloGold Ashanti Limited (AU)
- Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX)
- Cameco Corporation (CCJ)
- Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV)
- Freeport-McMoran, Inc. (FCX)
- Goldcorp Inc. (GG)
- Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU)
- Newmont Mining Corporation (NEM)
- Nucor Corporation (NUE)
- Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS)
- Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD)
- Sibanye Gold Limited (SBGL)
- Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO)
- Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD)
- Teck Resources Ltd. (TCK)
- Tenaris S.A. (TS)
- Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (TRQ)
- Vedanta Limited (VEDL)
- Westmoreland Coal Company (WLB)
- Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM)
- Ball Corporation (BLL)
- Bemis Company, Inc. (BMS)
- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK)
- Owens-Illinois, Inc. (OI)
- Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)
- Sealed Air Corporation (SEE)
- Fibria Celulose S.A. (FBR)
- International Paper Company (IP)
- KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS)
Materials Sector: Stocks on U.S. Exchanges
- Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD)
- Ashland Inc. (ASH)
- DowDuPont Inc. (DWDP)
- Eastman Chemical Company (EMN)
- Huntsman Corporation (HUN)
- Lyondell Basell Industries N.V. (LYB)
- Mosaic Company (The) (MOS)
- Nutrien Ltd. (NTR)
- Praxair, Inc. (PX)
- BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP)
- Rio Tinto Plc. (RIO)
- VALE S.A. (VALE)
- Alcoa Inc. (AA)
- United States Steel Corporation (X)
- Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (ARLP)
- ArcelorMittal (MT)
- AngloGold Ashanti Limited (AU)
- Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX)
- Cameco Corporation (CCJ)
- Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV)
- Freeport-McMoran, Inc. (FCX)
- Goldcorp Inc. (GG)
- Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU)
- Newmont Mining Corporation (NEM)
- Nucor Corporation (NUE)
- Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS)
- Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD)
- Sibanye Gold Limited (SBGL)
- Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO)
- Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD)
- Teck Resources Ltd. (TCK)
- Tenaris S.A. (TS)
- Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (TRQ)
- Vedanta Limited (VEDL)
- Westmoreland Coal Company (WLB)
- Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM)
- Ball Corporation (BLL)
- Bemis Company, Inc. (BMS)
- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK)
- Owens-Illinois, Inc. (OI)
- Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)
- Sealed Air Corporation (SEE)
- Fibria Celulose S.A. (FBR)
- International Paper Company (IP)
- KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS)
Industry Links: Materials Sector
Chemicals
- Agricultural Chemicals (Large Cap)
- Agricultural Chemicals (Mid and Small-Cap)
- Chemical Companies (Large Cap)
- Chemical Companies (Mid and Small Cap)
- Specialty Chemical Companies (Large and Mid Cap)
- Specialty Chemicals (Small Cap)
Construction Materials
Metals and Mining
- Aluminum
- Antimony
- Coal
- Copper
- Diamonds
- Diversified Mining
- Gold (Large and Mid-Cap)
- Gold (Small Cap)
- Iron Ore
- Lime
- Molybdenum
- Palladium and Platinum
- Precious Metals
- Rare Earth
- Silica
- Silver
- Soda Ash
- Steel
- Titanium
- Uranium
- Zinc
Building Materials: IPOs in 2016
- GMS Inc. (GMS) (IPO May 26, 2016: wallboard and suspended ceilings systems)
Building Materials IPOs in 2015
- Summit Materials, Inc. (SUM) (IPO in March 2015: Aggregates)
- Yulong Eco-Materials Ltd (YECO) (IPO in June 2015: China: Eco-friendly building products)
Chemicals IPOs in 2015
- Univar, Inc. (UNVR) (IPO in June 2015: Chemicals distributor)
Mining IPOs in 2015
- CNX Coal Resources, LP (CNXC) (IPO in July 2015: Assets include three underground coal mines)
Packaging and Containers IPOs in 2015
- Multi Packaging Solutions International Ltd. (MPSX) (IPO in October 2015: manufacturer of paper packaging)
Materials Comparative Tools
Materials Sector ETFs
- Fidelity MSCI Materials Index ETF (FMAT)
- First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ)
- Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight Materials ETF (RTM)
- iShares U.S. Materials ETF (IYM)
- Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB)
- PowerShares DWA Basic Materials Momentum Portfolio (PYZ)
- Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW)
Materials ETFs: Small Cap
Materials ETFs: Leveraged
- ProShares Ultra Basic Materials (UYM) (Daily Target: 2x)
Materials ETFs: Short
- ProShares Short Basic Materials (SBM) (Daily Target: -1x)
- ProShares UltraShort Basic Materials (SMN) (Daily Target: -2x)
Risks & Considerations
Commodity Price Volatility
Companies in this sector are highly sensitive to price swings in metals, energy, and chemicals, which can impact margins overnight.
Global Economic Cycles
Basic materials are cyclical; a slowdown in global manufacturing or construction directly reduces demand for sector outputs.
Regulatory & ESG Pressures
Stricter environmental regulations and carbon emission standards can increase operational costs for miners and chemical processors.
Geopolitical Supply Risks
Many mining operations are located in jurisdictions where political instability can disrupt global supply chains and stock prices.