O'Reilly Automotive Inc Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (ORLY)

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) -- O'Reilly Automotive (Nasdaq:ORLY) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B+ . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in stock price during the past year, impressive record of earnings per share growth, revenue growth, notable return on equity and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The stock has risen over the past year as investors have generally rewarded the company for its earnings growth and other positive factors like the ones we have cited in this report. Looking ahead, unless broad bear market conditions prevail, we still see more upside potential for this stock, despite the fact that it has already risen over the past year.
• O'REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC has improved earnings per share by 20.0% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, O'REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC increased its bottom line by earning $3.72 versus $2.97 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($4.68 versus $3.72).
• Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 13.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 4.3%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• Current return on equity exceeded its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a clear sign of strength within the company. When compared to other companies in the Specialty Retail industry and the overall market, O'REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC's return on equity exceeds that of the industry average and significantly exceeds that of the S&P 500.
• Net operating cash flow has increased to $341.67 million or 22.60% when compared to the same quarter last year. The firm also exceeded the industry average cash flow growth rate of -9.82%.

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States. O'Reilly Automotive has a market cap of $10.47 billion and is part of the services sector and retail industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 19.6, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 10.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

You can view the full O'Reilly Automotive Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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