Omega Protein Corporation Stock Downgraded (OME)

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) -- Omega Protein Corporation (NYSE:OME) 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, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, deteriorating net income and disappointing return on equity.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 7.3%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 8.4%. 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.
• OME's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.14 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with the favorable debt-to-equity ratio, the company maintains an adequate quick ratio of 1.40, which illustrates the ability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• 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 Food Products industry and the overall market, OMEGA PROTEIN CORP's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• The gross profit margin for OMEGA PROTEIN CORP is rather low; currently it is at 17.20%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 0.30% significantly trails the industry average.

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Omega Protein Corporation operates as a nutrition and wellness company that delivers healthy products to the animal, human, and plant nutrition industries. Its marine product lines are sourced from menhaden, an Omega-3 rich fish harvested along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The company has a P/E ratio of 12.9, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Omega Protein has a market cap of $122.2 million and is part of the consumer goods sector and food & beverage industry. Shares are down 12.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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