Nash-Finch Company Stock Upgraded (NAFC)

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) -- Nash-Finch Company (Nasdaq:NAFC) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from sell to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, revenue growth and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including generally higher debt management risk, disappointing return on equity and a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Food & Staples Retailing industry. The net income increased by 44.7% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $10.09 million to $14.60 million.
• Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 5.8%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 1.7%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• Net operating cash flow has slightly increased to $18.65 million or 7.09% when compared to the same quarter last year. Despite an increase in cash flow, NASH FINCH CO's cash flow growth rate is still lower than the industry average growth rate of 26.62%.
• The debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18 is relatively high when compared with the industry average, suggesting a need for better debt level management. Along with the unfavorable debt-to-equity ratio, NAFC maintains a poor quick ratio of 0.76, which illustrates the inability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• 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 Food & Staples Retailing industry and the overall market, NASH FINCH CO's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

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Nash-Finch Company operates as a wholesale food distributor in the United States. The company has a P/E ratio of -4.5, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Nash-Finch has a market cap of $245 million and is part of the services sector and wholesale industry. Shares are down 30.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

You can view the full Nash-Finch 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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