Agnico-Eagle Mines Stock Upgraded (AEM)

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) -- Agnico-Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM) 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 expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that the company's return on equity has been disappointing.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 18.3%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 2.9%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• AEM's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.24 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. To add to this, AEM has a quick ratio of 1.66, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
• Net operating cash flow has remained constant at $199.46 million with no significant change when compared to the same quarter last year. Along with maintaining stable cash flow from operations, the firm exceeded the industry average cash flow growth rate of -29.71%.
• AGNICO EAGLE MINES LTD reported significant earnings per share improvement in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has not demonstrated a clear trend in earnings over the past two years, making it difficult to accurately predict earnings for the coming year. During the past fiscal year, AGNICO EAGLE MINES LTD swung to a loss, reporting -$3.35 versus $1.99 in the prior year.
• Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Metals & Mining industry and the overall market, AGNICO EAGLE MINES LTD's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

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Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties in Canada, Finland, and Mexico. It primarily explores for gold, as well as silver, copper, zinc, and lead. Agnico-Eagle Mines has a market cap of $9.03 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and metals & mining industry. Shares are up 42.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

You can view the full Agnico-Eagle Mines 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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