Orbotech Ltd. Stock Upgraded (ORBK)

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

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• ORBK's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.16 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 3.32, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 129.37% to $7.90 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, ORBOTECH LTD has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 2.40%.
• ORBK, with its decline in revenue, underperformed when compared the industry average of 5.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 31.5%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the 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 Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 410.7% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $14.71 million to -$45.69 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 Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry and the overall market, ORBOTECH LTD's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

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Orbotech Ltd. engages in designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing yield-enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry. Orbotech has a market cap of $412.8 million and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. Shares are up 12% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

You can view the full Orbotech 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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For more information on Orbotech Ltd. click any of the following:

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• Orbotech Ltd. Balance Sheet

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• Orbotech Ltd. Income Statement