Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc Stock Upgraded (RHP)

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) -- Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE:RHP) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Compared to its closing price of one year ago, RHP's share price has jumped by 48.57%, exceeding the performance of the broader market during that same time frame. Turning to the future, naturally, any stock can fall in a major bear market. However, in almost any other environment, the stock should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed nice gains in the past year.
• 39.20% is the gross profit margin for RYMAN HOSPITALITY PPTYS INC which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the strong results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of -5.61% is in-line with the industry average.
• RYMAN HOSPITALITY PPTYS INC 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. The company has suffered a declining pattern of earnings per share over the past year. However, we anticipate this trend reversing over the coming year. During the past fiscal year, RYMAN HOSPITALITY PPTYS INC swung to a loss, reporting -$0.60 versus $0.20 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings (-$0.08 versus -$0.60).
• RHP, with its decline in revenue, underperformed when compared the industry average of 14.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly dropped by 1.1%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.
• The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry and the overall market, RYMAN HOSPITALITY PPTYS INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

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Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a hospitality and entertainment company in the United States. The company primarily focuses on the large group meetings and conventions sector of the lodging market. Ryman has a market cap of $1.95 billion and is part of the services sector and leisure industry. Shares are up 12.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

You can view the full Ryman 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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