Permian Basin Royalty Trust Stock Downgraded (PBT)

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) -- Permian Basin Royalty (NYSE:PBT) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, unimpressive growth in net income and a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• PBT has no debt to speak of therefore resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of zero, which we consider to be a relatively favorable sign. Along with the favorable debt-to-equity ratio, the company maintains an adequate quick ratio of 1.21, which illustrates the ability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• The company's current return on equity greatly increased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of significant strength within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry and the overall market, PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST's return on equity significantly exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• The gross profit margin for PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST is currently very high, coming in at 100.00%. PBT has managed to maintain the strong profit margin since the same quarter of last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, PBT's net profit margin of 97.00% significantly outperformed against the industry.
• PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST's earnings per share declined by 10.5% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has suffered a declining pattern earnings per share over the past two years. During the past fiscal year, PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY TRUST reported lower earnings of $1.36 versus $1.38 in the prior year.
• 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 Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry average. The net income has decreased by 12.5% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, dropping from $17.90 million to $15.66 million.

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Permian Basin Royalty Trust owns overriding royalty interests in various oil and gas properties in the United States. The company has a P/E ratio of 10.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Permian Basin Royalty has a market cap of $630.2 million and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. Shares are down 34.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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