Micron Technology Inc. Stock Hold Recommendation Reiterated (MU)

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) -- Micron Technology (Nasdaq:MU) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a hold with a ratings score of C- . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its good cash flow from operations, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and feeble growth in the company's earnings per share.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Net operating cash flow has increased to $450.00 million or 27.11% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of -27.80%.
• Despite currently having a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, it is higher than that of the industry average, inferring that management of debt levels may need to be evaluated further. Despite the fact that MU's debt-to-equity ratio is mixed in its results, the company's quick ratio of 1.72 is high and demonstrates strong liquidity.
• MU, with its decline in revenue, slightly underperformed the industry average of 3.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 8.3%. The declining revenue appears to have seeped down to the company's bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• 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 Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 80.0% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from -$135.00 million to -$243.00 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 Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry and the overall market, MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

Micron Technology, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of semiconductor devices worldwide. Micron Technology has a market cap of $5.65 billion and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. The company has a P/E ratio of -5.3, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 11.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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