Total SA Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (TOT)

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) -- Total (NYSE:TOT) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income, attractive valuation levels and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth greatly exceeded the industry average of 4.4%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 28.0%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• TOTAL SA has improved earnings per share by 8.5% 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 year. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, TOTAL SA increased its bottom line by earning $7.05 versus $6.27 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($7.18 versus $7.05).
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry average. The net income increased by 8.0% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $3,740.43 million to $4,040.29 million.
• Despite currently having a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, it is higher than that of the industry average, inferring that management of debt levels may need to be evaluated further. Regardless of the somewhat mixed results with the debt-to-equity ratio, the company's quick ratio of 0.80 is weak.

TOTAL S.A., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated oil and gas company worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemicals. Total has a market cap of $115.65 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and energy industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 7.2, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 1.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday.

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

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

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For more information on Total SA click any of the following:

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• Total SA Income Statement