Time Warner Inc Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (TWX)

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) -- Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) 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, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

• EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Investors have apparently begun to recognize positive factors similar to those we have mentioned in this report, including earnings growth. This has helped drive up the company's shares by a sharp 34.73% over the past year, a rise that has exceeded that of the S&P 500 Index. Regarding the stock's future course, although almost any stock can fall in a broad market decline, TWX should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed a very nice gain in the past year.
• TIME WARNER INC has improved earnings per share by 10.3% 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, TIME WARNER INC increased its bottom line by earning $2.72 versus $2.25 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($3.21 versus $2.72).
• The debt-to-equity ratio is somewhat low, currently at 0.66, and is less than that of the industry average, implying that there has been a relatively successful effort in the management of debt levels. Along with the favorable debt-to-equity ratio, the company maintains an adequate quick ratio of 1.06, which illustrates the ability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• Net operating cash flow has increased to $1,538.00 million or 20.43% when compared to the same quarter last year. The firm also exceeded the industry average cash flow growth rate of 6.64%.

Time Warner Inc. operates as a media and entertainment company in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Networks, Film and TV Entertainment, and Publishing. Time Warner has a market cap of $48.12 billion and is part of the services sector and media industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 19.2, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 6.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

It's Official: Action Alerts PLUS beats the S&P 500 with Dividends Reinvested! Cramer and Link were up 16.72% in 2012. Were you? See what they are trading for 14-days FREE

For more information on Time Warner Inc click any of the following:

• Time Warner Inc Stock Price

• Time Warner Inc Analyst Ratings

• Time Warner Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Time Warner Inc Earnings

• Time Warner Inc Ratio Comparison

• Time Warner Inc Growth Rates

• Time Warner Inc Balance Sheet

• Time Warner Inc Cash Flow

• Time Warner Inc Income Statement