All Star Analysts Portfolio Highlights: Countrywide Financial, Dell, EMC Corporation and McAfee.

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com just released its latest additions and deletions to its proprietary All Star Analyst portfolio. Members on this exclusive list include Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE:CFC), Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC) and McAfee, Inc. (NYSE:MFE). View the entire list of stocks on the All Star Analyst portfolio at http://at.zacks.com/?id=510

This exclusive portfolio represents all stocks with a Strong Buy rating from at least five analysts with a 5-Star All Star ranking. These are the brokerage analysts whose stock recommendations proved to be the most profitable for investors. In 2003 this portfolio gained 46.6% nearly doubling the rise of the S&P 500. Here is a synopsis of why these stocks are in the All Star Analysts Portfolio:

Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE:CFC), which provides mortgage banking and diversified financial services, recently announced a 'solid operational performance' for the month of May. Specifically, mortgage loan fundings reached $39 billion, marking a +22% rise from last year and a 12% advance from April. The company said much of the growth came from home purchase fundings. Furthermore, average daily mortgage loan application activity rose 8% to $2.8 billion sequentially and 43% year-over-year. This result was attributed to a 26-basis point decline in fixed-rate mortgage rates during the month and a seasonal increase in purchase application activity. Countrywide Financial, which reiterated its long-term target for annual earnings growth last month, continues to be a favorite of several All Star analysts.

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) remains on the lists of several All Star analysts. Last month, the company reported fiscal first quarter earnings of 37 cents per share on total revenue of $13.4 billion. The earnings result matched the consensus and improved on a year-over-year basis, while revenue moved forward 16%. The company enjoyed significant growth outside of the U.S. with revenue in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa growing 20%. Furthermore, revenue in Asia-Pacific and Japan improved 19%. Sales outside the U.S. moved forward 21% and grew to 42% of its total revenue. Dell said the greatest strength in the quarter was in the products, services, and regions that it is most focused on growing. The company's fiscal second quarter outlook was also seen as a positive, as it expects revenue between $13.6 billion and $13.8 billion and earnings per share of 37-39 cents.

EMC Corporation (NYSE:EMC) is the world's leading information storage and management company, and remains a top pick with several All Star analysts. In early June, a report from IDC stated that EMC's first quarter extended its market share lead in worldwide revenues for external disk storage systems for the 7th straight quarter. The company stated that this streak attests to the strength of EMC's strategy, the consistency of its execution and customer appreciation for its focus on delivering comprehensive information lifecycle management. In that first quarter, EMC reported that total consolidated revenue jumped 20% to $2.24 billion from the previous year's $1.87 billion. Earnings per share reached 11 cents, almost doubling the year-ago result while coming inline with the consensus estimate.

McAfee, Inc. (NYSE:MFE) is a computer security company that a number of All Star analysts are watching. The company announced earlier this month the acquisition of Wireless Security Corporation, a privately-held company that offers Wi-Fi security solutions. McAfee said the acquisitions builds on its existing security technology and enables it to further protect the growing wireless environment. For its first quarter, the company posted non-GAAP earnings of 27 cents per share, which topped the consensus by approximately 35%. The leader in intrusion prevention and risk management solutions also lifted its outlook for 2005.

Discover all the current All Star Analyst rankings and top analyst recommendations at http://at.zacks.com/?id=511

About Zacks All Star Analyst Survey

To learn which brokerage analysts are the best in their field and what stocks they're recommending today, see the Zacks All Star Analyst survey. This exclusive survey, created with Fortune Magazine, reveals the "Best-of-Breed" brokerage analysts. They are the select group of winners from the universe of brokerage analysts - the ones who consistently beat the street - the few you should be following now. Visit the Zacks All Star Survey to find the best analysts and their top stock recommendations at http://at.zacks.com/?id=512

Top recommendations from All Star Analysts Highlighted in FREE Investment Newsletter

Each week, Zacks.com highlights investment insight and favorite recommendations from All Star Analysts and other leading investment experts. This is all part of our FREE e-mail newsletter, "Profit from the Pros." The only way to get these powerful insights is with a FREE subscription to the "Profit from the Pros" investment newsletter. Register for a free subscription at http://at.zacks.com/?id=513

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 to compile, analyze, and distribute investment research to both institutional and individual investors. The guiding principle behind Zacks is the belief that investment experts, such as brokerage analysts and investment newsletter writers, have superior knowledge about how to invest successfully. The goal is to unlock these pros' profitable insights for individual investors hard-pressed to find this valuable information in one source. A free subscription to "Profit from the Pros" weekly e-mail newsletter provides the best way to use these experts' insights for more profitable investing. Register for a free subscription to the Profit from the Pros newsletter at http://at.zacks.com/?id=514

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

(x) The S&P 500 Index ("S&P 500") is a well-known, unmanaged index of the prices of 500 large-company common stocks selected by Standard and Poor's. The S&P 500 includes the reinvestment of all dividends, no transaction costs, and represents the gross returns before management fees.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.