Sun Bancorp Inc. Stock Upgraded (SNBC)

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) -- Sun Bancorp (Nasdaq: SNBC) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from sell to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, expanding profit margins and solid stock price performance. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including unimpressive growth in net income and weak operating cash flow.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 10.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 2.1%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
• The gross profit margin for SUN BANCORP INC/NJ is currently very high, coming in at 84.20%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Despite the strong results of the gross profit margin, SNBC's net profit margin of 3.23% significantly trails the industry average.
• Looking at where the stock is today compared to one year ago, we find that it is not only higher, but it has also clearly outperformed the rise in the S&P 500 over the same period, despite the company's weak earnings results. Despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year, there is currently no conclusive evidence that warrants the purchase or sale of this stock.
• 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 Commercial Banks industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 54.1% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $2.68 million to $1.23 million.
• Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to -$30.24 million or 1390.19% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.

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Sun Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Sun National Bank that provides various commercial and consumer banking services in New Jersey. Sun has a market cap of $314.2 million and is part of the financial sector and banking industry. Shares are up 2.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

You can view the full Sun 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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