Bruker Corporation Stock Downgraded (BRKR)

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) -- Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq:BRKR) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, good cash flow from operations and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, 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 5.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 4.9%. 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.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 876.31% to $37.10 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, BRUKER CORP has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 19.07%.
• The current debt-to-equity ratio, 0.50, is low and is below the industry average, implying that there has been successful management of debt levels. Despite the fact that BRKR's debt-to-equity ratio is low, the quick ratio, which is currently 0.65, displays a potential problem in covering short-term cash needs.
• The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. When compared to other companies in the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry and the overall market, BRUKER CORP's return on equity is below that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• In its most recent trading session, BRKR has closed at a price level that was not very different from its closing price of one year earlier. This is probably due to its weak earnings growth as well as other mixed factors. Looking ahead, we do not see anything in this company's numbers that would change the one-year trend. It was down over the last twelve months; and it could be down again in the next twelve. Naturally, a bull or bear market could sway the movement of this stock.

Bruker Corporation designs, manufactures, services, and sells proprietary life science and materials research systems worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 24.4, equal to the average electronics industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Bruker has a market cap of $2.02 billion and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. Shares are down 2.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

For more information on Bruker Corporation click any of the following:

• Bruker Corporation Stock Price

• Bruker Corporation Analyst Ratings

• Bruker Corporation Key Stats & Profile

• Bruker Corporation Earnings

• Bruker Corporation Ratio Comparison

• Bruker Corporation Growth Rates

• Bruker Corporation Balance Sheet

• Bruker Corporation Cash Flow

• Bruker Corporation Income Statement