Crane Company Stock Upgraded (CR)

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) -- Crane Company (NYSE:CR) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, good cash flow from operations, expanding profit margins, growth in earnings per share and increase in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.

• ACTIVE STOCK TRADERS: Get full access to Jim Cramer's thoughts for less than $3/week - sometimes before he says them on TV! Start with a 14-Day Free Trial.

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The current debt-to-equity ratio, 0.43, is low and is below the industry average, implying that there has been successful management of debt levels. Along with the favorable debt-to-equity ratio, the company maintains an adequate quick ratio of 1.34, which illustrates the ability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• Net operating cash flow has increased to $63.15 million or 26.83% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, CRANE CO has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of -39.76%.
• 36.30% is the gross profit margin for CRANE CO which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the strong results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 8.80% trails the industry average.
• CRANE CO has improved earnings per share by 11.5% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, CRANE CO reported lower earnings of $0.35 versus $2.59 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($3.80 versus $0.35).
• CR, with its decline in revenue, underperformed when compared the industry average of 10.1%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 0.2%. The declining revenue has not hurt the company's bottom line, with increasing earnings per share.

.

Crane Co. manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the United States and internationally. The company operates in five segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Engineered Materials, Merchandising Systems, Fluid Handling, and Controls. The company has a P/E ratio of 107.8, above the average industrial industry P/E ratio of 57.6 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Crane has a market cap of $2.41 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector and industrial industry. Shares are down 10% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

You can view the full Crane 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.

FREE from Real Money's Jim Cramer: Winners and Losers Election 2012 - Steps to take NOW so you can profit no matter who is in charge! Free download now.

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

• Crane Company Stock Price

• Crane Company Analyst Ratings

• Crane Company Key Stats & Profile

• Crane Company Earnings

• Crane Company Ratio Comparison

• Crane Company Growth Rates

• Crane Company Balance Sheet

• Crane Company Cash Flow

• Crane Company Income Statement