Walgreen Company (WAG): Today's Featured Services Laggard

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.

Walgreen Company (WAG) pushed the Services sector lower today making it today's featured Services laggard. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.6%. By the end of trading, Walgreen Company fell 44 cents (-1.2%) to $35.11 on average volume. Throughout the day, 7.8 million shares of Walgreen Company exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 8.5 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $35.11-$35.63 after having opened the day at $35.63 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $35.55. Other companies within the Services sector that declined today were: General Employment (JOB), down 21.7%, Digital Cinema Destinations (DCIN), down 11.4%, SuperMedia (SPMD), down 10.7%, and Longwei Petroleum Investment Holding Limite (LPH), down 10.4%.

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Walgreen Co., together with its subsidiaries, operates a chain of drugstores in the United States. Walgreen Company has a market cap of $30.74 billion and is part of the retail industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 12.3, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 7.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are eight analysts that rate Walgreen Company a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Walgreen Company as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity and increase in stock price during the past year. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

• You can view the full Walgreen Ratings Report.

On the positive front, Daegis (DAEG), up 57.3%, Fortune Industries (FFI), up 34.8%, Dial Global (DIAL), up 21.5%, and Bona Film Group (BONA), up 17%, were all gainers within the services sector with New Oriental Education & Technology Group I (EDU) being today's featured services sector leader.

• Use our services section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the services sector could consider iShares Dow Jones US Cons Services (IYC) while those bearish on the services sector could consider ProShares Ultra Short Consumer Sers (SCC).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

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For more information on Walgreen Company click any of the following:

• Walgreen Company Stock Price

• Walgreen Company Analyst Ratings

• Walgreen Company Key Stats & Profile

• Walgreen Company Earnings

• Walgreen Company Ratio Comparison

• Walgreen Company Growth Rates

• Walgreen Company Balance Sheet

• Walgreen Company Cash Flow

• Walgreen Company Income Statement