Eaton Vance Corporation Stock Downgraded (EV)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Eaton Vance Corporation (NYSE:EV) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its notable return on equity and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including poor profit margins, a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and unimpressive growth in net income.

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Capital Markets industry and the overall market, EATON VANCE CORP's return on equity significantly exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• EATON VANCE CORP's earnings per share declined by 12.0% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, EATON VANCE CORP increased its bottom line by earning $1.75 versus $1.41 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($1.89 versus $1.75).
• Despite the weak revenue results, EV has outperformed against the industry average of 22.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 3.4%. The declining revenue appears to have seeped down to the company's bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• Reflecting the weaknesses we have cited, including the decline in the company's earnings per share, EV has underperformed the S&P 500 Index, declining 21.72% from its price level of one year ago. Turning toward the future, the fact that the stock has come down in price over the past year should not necessarily be interpreted as a negative; it could be one of the factors that may help make the stock attractive down the road. Right now, however, we believe that it is too soon to buy.
• The gross profit margin for EATON VANCE CORP is currently lower than what is desirable, coming in at 32.40%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the weak results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 17.30% is above that of the industry average.

Eaton Vance Corp., through its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, marketing, and management of investment funds in the United States. It also provides investment management and counseling services to institutions and individuals. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.3, above the average financial services industry P/E ratio of 13.6 and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Eaton Vance has a market cap of $2.81 billion and is part of the financial sector and financial services industry. Shares are down 0.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday.

You can view the full Eaton Vance Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

For more information on Eaton Vance Corporation click any of the following:

• Eaton Vance Corporation Stock Price

• Eaton Vance Corporation Analyst Ratings

• Eaton Vance Corporation Key Stats & Profile

• Eaton Vance Corporation Earnings

• Eaton Vance Corporation Ratio Comparison

• Eaton Vance Corporation Growth Rates

• Eaton Vance Corporation Balance Sheet

• Eaton Vance Corporation Cash Flow

• Eaton Vance Corporation Income Statement