Stein Mart Stock Downgraded (SMRT)

Editor's Note: 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

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Stein Mart (Nasdaq:SMRT) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, revenue growth and increase in stock price during the past year. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, deteriorating net income and disappointing return on equity.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 10.7%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 2.3%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
• Compared to where it was 12 months ago, the stock is up, but it has so far lagged the appreciation in the S&P 500. We feel that the combination of its price rise over the last year and its current price-to-earnings ratio relative to its industry tend to reduce its upside potential.
• The gross profit margin for STEIN MART INC is currently lower than what is desirable, coming in at 26.40%. Regardless of SMRT's low profit margin, it has managed to increase from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 0.30% trails the industry average.
• 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 Specialty Retail industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 44.5% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $1.32 million to $0.73 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. In comparison to the other companies in the Specialty Retail industry and the overall market, STEIN MART INC's return on equity is significantly below that of the industry average and is below that of the S&P 500.

Stein Mart, Inc. operates as an apparel retailer in the United States. It offers fashion apparel for women and men, as well as accessories, shoes, and home fashions. The company primarily focuses on 35-55 year old women. The company has a P/E ratio of 22.3, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Stein Mart has a market cap of $349.9 million and is part of the services sector and retail industry. Shares are up 17.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

For more information on Stein Mart click any of the following:

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