Ferro Corp Stock Downgraded (FOE)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Ferro (NYSE:FOE) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins and generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself.

• ACTIVE STOCK TRADERS: Check out TheStreet's special offer for Real Money, headlined by Jim Cramer, now!

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Chemicals industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 114.7% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $19.39 million to -$2.85 million.
• Current return on equity is lower than its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a clear sign of weakness within the company. Compared to other companies in the Chemicals industry and the overall market, FERRO CORP's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• The gross profit margin for FERRO CORP is rather low; currently it is at 21.30%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of -0.60% is significantly below that of the industry average.
• Despite any intermediate fluctuations, we have only bad news to report on this stock's performance over the last year: it has tumbled by 76.43%, worse than the S&P 500's performance. Consistent with the plunge in the stock price, the company's earnings per share are down 113.63% compared to the year-earlier quarter. 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.
• FOE, with its decline in revenue, underperformed when compared the industry average of 2.4%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 18.9%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.

Ferro Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of specialty materials and chemicals in the Untied States and internationally. Ferro has a market cap of $271.8 million and is part of the basic materials sector and chemicals industry. Shares are down 37.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

You can view the full Ferro 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 Ferro Corp click any of the following:

• Ferro Corp Stock Price

• Ferro Corp Analyst Ratings

• Ferro Corp Key Stats & Profile

• Ferro Corp Earnings

• Ferro Corp Ratio Comparison

• Ferro Corp Growth Rates

• Ferro Corp Balance Sheet

• Ferro Corp Cash Flow

• Ferro Corp Income Statement