Why Meritor, Inc.'s Shares Popped Today

By Travis Hoium – Jan 29, 2014 at 3:10PM

NYSE: MTOR

Meritor

Is this meaningful or just another movement?

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Meritor, Inc. (MTOR) jumped 10% today after the company reported earnings.

So what: Fiscal-first-quarter revenue was up 2% to $907 million and net income fell almost in half to $11 million, or $0.11 per share. Adjusted income, which analysts compare against, was $12 million, or $0.12 per share, $0.05 ahead of estimate.

Now what: Results beat expectations and management reiterated 2014 earnings guidance of $0.30-$0.40 per share. But that doesn't give investors much value at 26 times the high end of earnings. I also don't like the slow growth so I'm definitely not a buyer today.

Beating estimates are great but in a slow-growth company I'm going to need a much better value than Meritor's shares offer today.

Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned, and neither does The Motley Fool. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.