Orbotech Ltd. Stock Downgraded (ORBK)

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) -- Orbotech (Nasdaq:ORBK) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its feeble growth in its earnings per share, deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• ORBOTECH LTD has exprienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. Earnings per share have declined over the last year. We anticipate that this should continue in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, ORBOTECH LTD reported lower earnings of $1.15 versus $1.20 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 97.8% in earnings ($0.03 versus $1.15).
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 410.7% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $14.71 million to -$45.69 million.
• 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 Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry and the overall market, ORBOTECH LTD's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• The share price of ORBOTECH LTD has not done very well: it is down 19.16% and has underperformed the S&P 500, in part reflecting the company's sharply declining earnings per share when compared to the year-earlier quarter. The fact that the stock is now selling for less than others in its industry in relation to its current earnings is not reason enough to justify a buy rating at this time.
• 41.70% is the gross profit margin for ORBOTECH LTD which we consider to be strong. Regardless of ORBK's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, ORBK's net profit margin of -46.20% significantly underperformed when compared to the industry average.

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Orbotech Ltd. engages in designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing yield-enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 21.6, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Orbotech has a market cap of $365.8 million and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. Shares are down 13.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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