Cerner Corporation (CERN): Today's Featured Computer Software & Services 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.

Cerner Corporation ( CERN) pushed the Computer Software & Services industry higher today making it today's featured computer software & services winner. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.4%. By the end of trading, Cerner Corporation rose $1.25 (1.5%) to $84.38 on average volume. Throughout the day, 937,414 shares of Cerner Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 882,300 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $82.57-$84.49 after having opened the day at $83.10 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $83.13. Other companies within the Computer Software & Services industry that increased today were: Cover-All Technologies ( COVR), up 8.5%, Mattersight ( MATR), up 7.9%, Mitek Systems ( MITK), up 6.7%, and Streamline Health Solutions ( STRM), up 5.3%.
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Cerner Corporation designs, develops, markets, installs, hosts, and supports healthcare information technology, healthcare devices, and content solutions for healthcare organizations and consumers worldwide. Cerner Corporation has a market cap of $14.31 billion and is part of the technology sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 38.8, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 7.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are 11 analysts that rate Cerner Corporation a buy, one analyst rates it a sell, and five rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Cerner Corporation as a buy. 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, notable return on equity, solid stock price performance and impressive record of earnings per share growth. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook.

On the negative front, VMWare ( VMW), down 21.5%, Greenway Medical Technologies ( GWAY), down 7.7%, Sourcefire ( FIRE), down 6.9%, and Fortinet ( FTNT), down 6.4%, were all laggards within the computer software & services industry with Citrix Systems ( CTXS) being today's computer software & services industry laggard.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the computer software & services industry could consider iShares S&P NA Tech Software Idx ( IGV) while those bearish on the computer software & services industry could consider ProShares Ultra Short Technology ( REW).

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