Global Power Equipment Group Inc. Stock Upgraded (GLPW)

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) -- Global Power Equipment Group (Nasdaq: GLPW) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from hold to buy. 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, attractive valuation levels and increase in net income. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth greatly exceeded the industry average of 0.6%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 32.3%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
• GLPW has no debt to speak of therefore resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of zero, which we consider to be a relatively favorable sign. To add to this, GLPW has a quick ratio of 2.47, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Electrical Equipment industry. The net income increased by 82.0% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $7.87 million to $14.32 million.
• GLOBAL POWER EQUIPMENT GROUP reported significant earnings per share improvement in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. We feel it is likely to report a decline in earnings in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, GLOBAL POWER EQUIPMENT GROUP reported lower earnings of $1.04 versus $3.71 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 3.8% in earnings ($1.00 versus $1.04).

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Global Power Equipment Group Inc. and its subsidiaries designs, engineers, and manufactures gas turbine auxiliary equipment; and provides routine and specialty maintenance services to customers in the utility and industrial sectors. The company has a P/E ratio of 28.5, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Global Power Equipment Group has a market cap of $286.2 million and is part of the industrial goods sector and industrial industry. Shares are down 1.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.

You can view the full Global Power Equipment Group 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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