Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. Stock Hold Recommendation Reiterated (CLF)

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) -- Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE:CLF) 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 attractive valuation levels and notable return on equity. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, poor profit margins and weak operating cash flow.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• CLF, with its decline in revenue, slightly underperformed the industry average of 21.8%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 26.0%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to $308.30 million or 62.43% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.
• 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 Metals & Mining industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 85.8% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $601.20 million to $85.20 million.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., a mining and natural resources company, engages in the production of iron ore pellets, fines and lump ore, and metallurgical coal. Cliffs Natural has a market cap of $4.41 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and metals & mining industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 4.8, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 50.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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