Leading Stocks Get No Respect

One of the themes I have been discussing in my blog how the leading stocks are not getting much respect. For example consider - United States Steel (X), Southern Peru Copper Corp (PCU), Arch Coal Inc (ACI), and Massey Energy Co (MEE). Over the last six months, X has returned 49%, PCU has returned 33%, ACI has returned 29%, and MEE has returned 52%. Yet look at the data below. Wall Street isn't "bought into" the rally and short sellers have sizable positions....

X
• Percent of analysts tracked by Zacks who rate the stock with a "buy": 46%
• Number of analysts tracked by Zacks: 13
• Short interest as a percent of float: 12.8%

ACI
• Percent of analysts tracked by Zacks who rate the stock with a "buy": 39%
• Number of analysts tracked by Zacks: 13
• Short interest as a percent of float: 11.2%

PCU
• Percent of analysts tracked by Zacks who rate the stock with a "buy": 20%
• Number of analysts tracked by Zacks: 5
• Short interest as a percent of float: 11.3%

MEE
• Percent of analysts tracked by Zacks who rate the stock with a "buy": 46%
• Number of analysts tracked by Zacks: 11
• Short interest as a percent of float: 13.1%