Hillenbrand Inc. Stock Upgraded (HI)

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) -- Hillenbrand (NYSE:HI) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, attractive valuation levels, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, increase in stock price during the past year and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 7.5%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 12.9%. 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.
• The current debt-to-equity ratio, 0.56, is low and is below the industry average, implying that there has been successful management of debt levels. Although the company had a strong debt-to-equity ratio, its quick ratio of 1.00 is somewhat weak and could be cause for future problems.
• 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. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
• 42.50% is the gross profit margin for HILLENBRAND INC which we consider to be strong. Regardless of HI's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, HI's net profit margin of 8.90% compares favorably to the industry average.

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Hillenbrand, Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells funeral service products to licensed funeral directors operating licensed funeral homes. The company has a P/E ratio of 11.2, equal to the average industrial industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Hillenbrand has a market cap of $1.16 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector and industrial industry. Shares are down 16.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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.

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For more information on Hillenbrand Inc. click any of the following:

• Hillenbrand Inc. Stock Price

• Hillenbrand Inc. Analyst Ratings

• Hillenbrand Inc. Key Stats & Profile

• Hillenbrand Inc. Earnings

• Hillenbrand Inc. Ratio Comparison

• Hillenbrand Inc. Growth Rates

• Hillenbrand Inc. Balance Sheet

• Hillenbrand Inc. Cash Flow

• Hillenbrand Inc. Income Statement