Taser International Inc. Stock Downgraded (TASR)

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) -- Taser International (Nasdaq:TASR) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and impressive record of earnings per share growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that the company's return on equity has been disappointing.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• TASR's very impressive revenue growth greatly exceeded the industry average of 6.5%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues leaped by 50.6%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• TASR's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.00 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 3.09, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs.
• The company's current return on equity greatly increased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of significant strength within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Aerospace & Defense industry and the overall market on the basis of return on equity, TASER INTERNATIONAL INC has underperformed in comparison with the industry average, but has exceeded that of the S&P 500.
• Powered by its strong earnings growth of 163.63% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 55.40% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Looking ahead, however, we cannot assume that the stock's past performance is going to drive future results. Quite to the contrary, its sharp appreciation over the last year is one of the factors that should prompt investors to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

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TASER International, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells electronic control devices (ECD) for use in the law enforcement, military, corrections, private security, and personal defense markets. The company has a P/E ratio of 95.4, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Taser International has a market cap of $441.7 million and is part of the industrial goods sector and aerospace/defense industry. Shares are down 3.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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