Lorillard Inc. Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (LO)

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) -- Lorillard (NYSE:LO) 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 revenue growth, growth in earnings per share, increase in stock price during the past year and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• LO's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 4.5%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 4.0%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• LORILLARD INC has improved earnings per share by 5.8% 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, LORILLARD INC increased its bottom line by earning $8.02 versus $6.78 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($8.56 versus $8.02).
• The stock price has risen over the past year, but, despite its earnings growth and some other positive factors, it has underperformed the S&P 500 so far. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
• The gross profit margin for LORILLARD INC is rather high; currently it is at 51.60%. Regardless of LO's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 23.60% trails the industry average.
• The change in net income from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500, but is less than that of the Tobacco industry average. The net income has decreased by 2.4% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, dropping from $291.00 million to $284.00 million.

Lorillard, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes in the United States. It markets approximately 43 product offerings in various brand names, including Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, and Old Gold. Lorillard has a market cap of $14.59 billion and is part of the consumer goods sector and tobacco industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 13.7, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 1.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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For more information on Lorillard Inc. click any of the following:

• Lorillard Inc. Stock Price

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• Lorillard Inc. Ratio Comparison

• Lorillard Inc. Growth Rates

• Lorillard Inc. Balance Sheet

• Lorillard Inc. Cash Flow

• Lorillard Inc. Income Statement