All Star Analysts Portfolio Highlights: Dell, Electronic Arts, General Electric, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.CHICAGO -- Zacks.com just released its latest additions and deletions to its proprietary All Star Analyst portfolio. Members on this exclusive list include Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), General Electric (NYSE:GE), and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT). 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: Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) CEO Kevin Rollins recently stated that the company has vast potential moving forward, which will result in continued expansion, growth, and profitability. "Even with our extraordinary success, we have barely begun to tap opportunities available to us," he said last week at the company's annual meeting. "We intend to realize that opportunity, to the benefit of customers and Dell shareholders." Over the past five years, Dell's revenue has jumped 58% and earnings are up 98%. Looking forward, the company's goal continues to be $80 billion in revenue in the next three to four years. Dell, which will report its fiscal second quarter results on August 11, remains a favorite with several All Star analysts. In its fiscal first quarter, the company posted earnings per share of 37 cents, topping the year-ago level and matching the consensus, with total revenue improving to 16% to $13.4 billion. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) may have had a tough fiscal fourth quarter with profit moving significantly lower on a year-over-year basis, but the All Stars continue to like this company's potential in the exciting video game industry. Earlier this week, Electronic Arts and Valve announced that the two companies entered into a multi-year agreement to deliver a collection of Valve games to players worldwide. Valve is the studio behind the successful franchises of Half-Life(R) and Counter-Strike(TM). "We consider Half-Life and Counter-Strike to be two of the best game franchises of all time," said Tom Frisina, Vice President and General Manager, EA Partners. "We could not be more excited to have the opportunity to help deliver these outstanding games to players around the globe." The first two games under this agreement will launch this fall. Electronic Arts will report its fiscal first quarter numbers next week on July 26. General Electric (NYSE:GE) announced solid results for its second quarter last week, including earnings per share of 44 cents that matched the consensus while easily exceeding the year-earlier performance. In addition, revenues advanced 13% to $41.6 billion with organic growth at 8%. GE stated that its improved business fundamentals and solid execution led to all of its businesses delivering at least double-digit earnings growth. The company now expects to deliver earnings per share of between $1.80 and $1.83 for the year, which would mark an advance of 12-14%. The company's chairman and CEO said that GE is in "tremendous shape" and several All Star analysts agree. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT): The hotels industry continues its recovery, which bodes well for Starwood's second quarter report on July 26. The company's first quarter report from late April was evidence of the industry's turnaround after a long period of stagnancy. Excluding items, earnings per share from continuing operations reached 35 cents in the quarter, a solid year-over-year improvement from 16 cents and a positive surprise of almost 13% ahead of the consensus. The company stated demand for its brands is strong and supply remains constrained, which means that it continues to have above-average pricing power. Starwood expects this to continue for the balance of 2005 and into 2006, which has caught the attention of several All Star analysts. 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. (a)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. |
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