Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc Stock Downgraded (FCS)

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) -- Fairchild Semiconductor International (NYSE:FCS) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, feeble growth in the company's earnings per share and deteriorating net income.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• FCS's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.22 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 2.73, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs.
• 41.20% is the gross profit margin for FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR INTL which we consider to be strong. Regardless of FCS's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, FCS's net profit margin of 6.90% is significantly lower than the same period one year prior.
• FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR INTL's earnings per share declined by 32.1% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. Earnings per share have declined over the last year. We anticipate that this should continue in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR INTL reported lower earnings of $1.12 versus $1.20 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 50.0% in earnings ($0.56 versus $1.12).
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 31.0% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $35.80 million to $24.70 million.

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Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells power analog, power discrete, and non-power semiconductor solutions worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 28, above the average electronics industry P/E ratio of 25.6 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Fairchild Semiconductor International has a market cap of $1.49 billion and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. Shares are down 2.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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