Regions Financial Corporation Stock Downgraded (RF)

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) -- Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that we feel that the company's cash flow from its operations has been weak overall.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• REGIONS FINANCIAL CORP reported significant earnings per share improvement in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. This trend suggests that the performance of the business is improving. During the past fiscal year, REGIONS FINANCIAL CORP continued to lose money by earning -$0.02 versus -$0.63 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($0.74 versus -$0.02).
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Commercial Banks industry. The net income increased by 225.7% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $109.00 million to $355.00 million.
• Despite the weak revenue results, RF has outperformed against the industry average of 18.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 7.7%. The declining revenue has not hurt the company's bottom line, with increasing earnings per share.
• Powered by its strong earnings growth of 900.00% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 88.38% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Looking ahead, however, we cannot assume that the stock's past performance is going to drive future results. Quite to the contrary, its sharp appreciation over the last year is one of the factors that should prompt investors to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to $282.00 million or 81.32% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing the cash generation rate to the industry average, the firm's growth is significantly lower.

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Regions Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Regions Bank that provides a range of commercial, retail, and mortgage banking services in the United States. The company has a P/E ratio of 23.9, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Regions Financial has a market cap of $10.15 billion and is part of the financial sector and banking industry. Shares are up 67.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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