Chesapeake Energy Corp Stock Hold Recommendation Reiterated (CHK)

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) -- Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a hold with a ratings score of C- . The company's strongest point has been its a solid financial position based on a variety of debt and liquidity measures that we have looked at. At the same time, however, 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:

• CHK, with its decline in revenue, underperformed when compared the industry average of 6.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 25.3%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• The share price of CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP has not done very well: it is down 16.55% and has underperformed the S&P 500, in part reflecting the company's sharply declining earnings per share when compared to the year-earlier quarter. The fact that the stock is now selling for less than others in its industry in relation to its current earnings is not reason enough to justify a buy rating at this time.
• CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP has exprienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. Earnings per share have declined over the last year. We anticipate that this should continue in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP reported lower earnings of $2.22 versus $2.54 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 78.4% in earnings ($0.48 versus $2.22).
• 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 Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry and the overall market, CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
• Net operating cash flow has decreased to $942.00 million or 42.24% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing the cash generation rate to the industry average, the firm's growth is significantly lower.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United States. The company also offers marketing, midstream, drilling, and other oilfield services. Chesapeake Energy has a market cap of $13.37 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. Shares are up 21% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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