DENTSPLY International Inc. Stock Downgraded (XRAY)

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) -- DENTSPLY International (Nasdaq:XRAY) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, increase in stock price during the past year and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and generally higher debt management risk.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 4.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 12.3%. 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.
• Compared to where it was 12 months ago, the stock is up, but it has so far lagged the appreciation in the S&P 500. Despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year, there is currently no conclusive evidence that warrants the purchase or sale of this stock.
• The gross profit margin for DENTSPLY INTERNATL INC is rather high; currently it is at 52.30%. Regardless of XRAY's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, XRAY's net profit margin of 7.70% is significantly lower than the same period one year prior.
• The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. When compared to other companies in the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry and the overall market, DENTSPLY INTERNATL INC's return on equity is below that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry average. The net income has decreased by 11.9% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, dropping from $60.60 million to $53.36 million.

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DENTSPLY International Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets dental consumable products, dental laboratory products, and dental specialty products worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 22.5, equal to the average health services industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. DENTSPLY International has a market cap of $5.2 billion and is part of the health care sector and health services industry. Shares are up 4.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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• DENTSPLY International Inc. Stock Price

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• DENTSPLY International Inc. Ratio Comparison

• DENTSPLY International Inc. Growth Rates

• DENTSPLY International Inc. Balance Sheet

• DENTSPLY International Inc. Cash Flow

• DENTSPLY International Inc. Income Statement