Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR): Today's Featured Computer Hardware Winner

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.

Juniper Networks ( JNPR) pushed the Computer Hardware industry higher today making it today's featured computer hardware winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.1%. By the end of trading, Juniper Networks rose 35 cents (1.9%) to $18.37 on average volume. Throughout the day, 9.6 million shares of Juniper Networks exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 7.6 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $17.87-$18.43 after having opened the day at $17.98 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $18.02. Other companies within the Computer Hardware industry that increased today were: OCZ Technology Group ( OCZ), up 12.8%, Radisys Corporation ( RSYS), up 7.5%, Western Digital Corporation ( WDC), up 7.3%, and iGo ( IGOI), up 6.7%.
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Juniper Networks, Inc. designs, develops, and sells products and services that provide network infrastructure for networking requirements of service providers, enterprises, governments, and research and public sector organizations worldwide. Juniper Networks has a market cap of $9.22 billion and is part of the technology sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 49.7, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 11.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are eight analysts that rate Juniper Networks a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 20 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Juniper Networks as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, deteriorating net income and disappointing return on equity.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the computer hardware industry could consider iShares Dow Jones US Technology ( IYW) while those bearish on the computer hardware industry could consider ProShares Ultra Short Semiconductor ( SSG).

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