Southwestern Energy Company Stock Hold Recommendation Reiterated (SWN)

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) -- Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE:SWN) 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 expanding profit margins and increase in stock price during the past year. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and weak operating cash flow.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• SWN, with its decline in revenue, slightly underperformed the industry average of 6.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 10.6%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• The gross profit margin for SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY CO is rather high; currently it is at 61.50%. Regardless of SWN's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, SWN's net profit margin of -21.11% significantly underperformed when compared to the industry average.
• In its most recent trading session, SWN has closed at a price level that was not very different from its closing price of one year earlier. This is probably due to its weak earnings growth as well as other mixed factors. Looking ahead, our view is that this company's fundamentals will not have much impact in either direction, allowing the stock to generally move up or down based on the push and pull of the broad market.
• 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 Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 182.7% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $175.17 million to -$144.82 million.
• Net operating cash flow has decreased to $355.09 million or 19.89% when compared to the same quarter last year. In conjunction, when comparing current results to the industry average, SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY CO has marginally lower results.

Southwestern Energy Company, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, and production of natural gas and oil primarily in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Exploration and Production, and Midstream Services. Southwestern Energy has a market cap of $11.47 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. Shares are down 2% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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