Salem Communications Corporation Stock Upgraded (SALM)

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) -- Salem Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:SALM) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from sell to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and solid stock price performance. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and poor profit margins.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 10.0%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 3.9%. 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.
• Even though the current debt-to-equity ratio is 1.36, it is still below the industry average, suggesting that this level of debt is acceptable within the Media industry. Regardless of the somewhat mixed results with the debt-to-equity ratio, the company's quick ratio of 0.91 is weak.
• The gross profit margin for SALEM COMMUNICATIONS CORP is currently lower than what is desirable, coming in at 31.20%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of -3.10% is significantly below that of the industry average.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to $2.42 million or 59.49% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.

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Salem Communications Corporation, a multi-media company, develops programs for audiences interested in Christian and conservative opinion content. The company has a P/E ratio of 81.9, below the average media industry P/E ratio of 114.6 and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Salem has a market cap of $107.9 million and is part of the services sector and media industry. Shares are up 123% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

You can view the full Salem 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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