Topic: How To Invest

Can you give me your opinion on Mirant Corp.? It seems to be very cheap, but is it a value trap? Thanks for your help.

Article Excerpt

Mirant Corp., $13.16, symbol MIR on New York (Shares outstanding: 145.1 million; Market cap: $1.9 billion), produces and sells electricity in the United States. The company owns or leases enough capacity to generate about 10,112 megawatts of electricity through coal- and natural-gas fired power plants. Mirant also owns an asset-management and energy-marketing business. Mirant’s earnings per share fell sharply in the latest quarter, to $0.38 from $8.69 a year earlier. The drop was mainly caused by one-time hedging losses and lower electricity prices. The year-earlier figure included hedging gains. Without the one-time gains and losses, Mirant would have earned $1.63 a share, up from $1.15. The shares trade at around 10 times Mirant’s forecast 2010 earnings. Mirant doesn’t fit the definition of a value trap — a stock that has experienced a large price depreciation and is mistaken for a value stock. Mirant Corp.’s growth prospects are limited, but it’s okay to hold. hold. …