TheStreet.com Ratings' Updates: Altera

TSC Ratings provides exclusive stock, ETF and mutual fund ratings and commentary based on award-winning, proprietary tools. Its "safety first" approach to investing aims to reduce risk while seeking solid outperformance on a total return basis.

The following ratings changes were generated on Monday, June 15.

We've upgraded AllianceBernstein(AB Quote) from sell to hold. Strengths include the company's largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins and notable return on equity. However, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, deteriorating net income and weak operating cash flow.

AllianceBernstien has no debt to speak of, a favorable sign and its gross profit margin is very high at 100%. Its net profit margin of 53.4% outperformed the industry average. Revenue plummeted by 84.6% since the same quarter last year, and EPS decreased. Net income fell 90.7% compared with the year-ago quarter, from $72.4 million to $6.7 million, undperforming the capital markets industry average. Net operating cash flow fell 71.2% to $26.6 million.

We've upgraded Altera(ALTR Quote) from hold to buy, driven by its expanding profit margins, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.