Pike Electric Corporation Stock Upgraded (PIKE)

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) -- Pike Electric Corporation (NYSE:PIKE) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 15.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 42.4%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• PIKE ELECTRIC CORP reported significant earnings per share improvement 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, PIKE ELECTRIC CORP increased its bottom line by earning $0.31 versus $0.04 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($0.46 versus $0.31).
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Construction & Engineering industry. The net income increased by 256.4% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $2.60 million to $9.28 million.
• Looking at where the stock is today compared to one year ago, we find that it is not only higher, but it has also clearly outperformed the rise in the S&P 500 over the same period. Although other factors naturally played a role, the company's strong earnings growth was key. Looking ahead, the stock's rise over the last year has already helped drive it to a level which is relatively expensive compared to the rest of its industry. We feel, however, that the other strengths this company displays justify these higher price levels.
• PIKE's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72 is somewhat low overall, but it is high when compared to the industry average, implying that the management of the debt levels should be evaluated further. Despite the fact that PIKE's debt-to-equity ratio is mixed in its results, the company's quick ratio of 2.38 is high and demonstrates strong liquidity.

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Pike Electric Corporation provides energy solutions for investor-owned, municipal, and co-operative utilities in the United States. The company has a P/E ratio of 29.1, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Pike Electric has a market cap of $316.9 million and is part of the industrial goods sector and materials & construction industry. Shares are up 25.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

You can view the full Pike Electric 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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