Lockheed Martin Corporation Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (LMT)

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) -- Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of A- . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income, notable return on equity and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The stock has risen over the past year as investors have generally rewarded the company for its earnings growth and other positive factors like the ones we have cited in this report. 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.
• LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP has improved earnings per share by 11.1% 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, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP increased its bottom line by earning $7.86 versus $7.12 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($8.40 versus $7.86).
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Aerospace & Defense industry average. The net income increased by 3.9% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $700.00 million to $727.00 million.
• The company's current return on equity greatly increased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of significant strength within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Aerospace & Defense industry and the overall market, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP's return on equity significantly exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 207.82% to $1,573.00 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 35.75%.

Lockheed Martin Corporation engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, operation, and sustainment of advanced technology systems and products in the United States and internationally. Lockheed Martin has a market cap of $30.27 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector and aerospace/defense industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 10.7, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 1.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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