Circor International Inc. Stock Downgraded (CIR)

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) -- Circor International (NYSE: CIR) has been downgraded by TheStreet Ratings from buy to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, reasonable valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and poor profit margins.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• CIR's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.21 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with the favorable debt-to-equity ratio, the company maintains an adequate quick ratio of 1.23, which illustrates the ability to avoid short-term cash problems.
• CIRCOR INTL 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. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, CIRCOR INTL INC increased its bottom line by earning $2.10 versus $0.71 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($2.37 versus $2.10).
• 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. In comparison to the other companies in the Machinery industry and the overall market, CIRCOR INTL INC's return on equity is significantly below that of the industry average and is below that of the S&P 500.
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Machinery industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 82.9% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $10.95 million to $1.87 million.

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Circor International, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of valves and other engineered products and sub-systems worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.7, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Circor International has a market cap of $600.3 million and is part of the industrial goods sector and industrial industry. Shares are down 2.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

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

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

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