Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks Features Apple Computer, RadioShack, Motorola, Verizon Communications and Charles Schwab.

CINCINNATI -- Among the stocks featured in the January 13 edition of Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks are Apple Computer (NASDAQ:AAPL), RadioShack (NYSE:RSH), Motorola (NYSE:MOT), Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ), and Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCH). Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks is just one of the many free market commentaries written everyday at www.SchaeffersResearch.com - the home of Bernie Schaeffer and Schaeffer's Investment Research. For additional information about this report or to have it delivered to you free via email every day click on the following link: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.aspx?CODE=PRSHS1M&PAGE=1

Schaeffer's S&P 500 Index Hot Stocks for Thursday, January 13, 2005:

A daily feature available on SchaeffersResearch.com is the "SPX Hot Stocks" column. Each afternoon immediately prior to the close, we will provide a list of the day's top-20 performing stocks in the S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,176.85) as well as the bottom-20 names. Featured along with this table will be news that is moving some of the shares.

NOTE: Stocks trading under $5 per share have been eliminated from this listing of the top-20 and bottom-20 performing stocks.

Apple Computer (NASDAQ: AAPL) is perched on the top of the hot stocks list today after yesterday's first-quarter earnings report. Thanks to rampaging sales of the company's iPod digital music players (4.58 million were sold in the quarter), AAPL's first-quarter earnings rose to 70 cents per share, four times last year's first-quarter earnings number of 17 cents per share. The Street had expected AAPL to report earnings of 49 cents per share. AAPL also announced that it expects to post a profit of 40 cents per share in the second quarter, seven cents ahead of the consensus estimate. For more information on AAPL's earnings announcement and the new products the company unveiled, read "Apple Computer Thrashes Street Estimate."

RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) finds itself sitting in AAPL's shadow after posting a gain of nearly four percent in trading action today. RSH announced that its fourth-quarter sales rose seven percent to tag $1.6 billion, three-percent higher on a same-store basis. Sales in the company's wireless, imaging, and electronics departments contributed to the better-than-expected report. Furthermore, RSH reaffirmed its 2004 and 2005 earnings outlook.

Yesterday, Motorola's (NYSE: MOT) president, Mike Zafirovski, announced that he was resigning. The announcement did not come as a surprise after he was passed over for the company's chief executive job last year. Today, MOT was started at "buy" by Moors & Cabot. Additionally, the telecommunications concern announced that it has donated $3 million in cash and equipment to victims from the Asian tsunami. The combination of this news has the company trading slightly less than four percent higher today.

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is getting no love from the analysts. The shares were downgraded by Goldman Sachs to "in line" from "outperform." Furthermore, Today Baird cut VZ's rating from "outperform" to "neutral" accompanied by a price target of $42. Baird stated that it sees a more limited upside to VZ thanks to higher pension costs and the sale of several businesses, which will negatively impact the company's 2005 earnings. It was speculated by the brokerage firm that these costs will cut into VZ's earnings by 18 to 22 cents per share. Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) decided to pile on VZ as well, lowering its rating on the company to "neutral" from "outperform" as well. CSFB changed its view on the company based on valuation and the chance that the company will face tougher competition from companies who offer telephone service over the Internet. VZ has lost more than 2.5 percent in trading today.

The final stock today is Charles Schwab (NYSE: SCH). Today SCH announced that it has eliminated the account service fees for clients with brokerage accounts, education savings accounts, custodial accounts, and college saver accounts for clients who have at least $25,000 in assets with the company. Clients with $10,000 to $24,999 in household assets will also have the same fees waived if the have either a Charles Schwab Bank mortgage or home equity line of credit. Additionally, SCH announced that it will get rid of service fees for clients who hold individual retirement accounts with balances of at least $10,000. According to CBS MarketWatch, SCH will announce fourth-quarter earnings next week, with analysts expecting earnings of 11 cents per share.

Click the following link to see a Chart of the SPX 500 Index's Top 20 Percentage Gainers: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12278

Click the following link to see a Chart of the SPX 500 Index's Top 20 Percentage Losers: http://www.schaeffersresearch.com/wire?ID=12278

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About Schaeffer's Investment Research (www.SchaeffersResearch.com)

Schaeffer's Investment Research, founded by Bernie Schaeffer in 1981, is a financial information and trading resources company. It publishes Bernie Schaeffer's Option Advisor, the nation's leading options subscription newsletter. The firm's contrarian approach focuses on stocks with technical and fundamental trends that run counter to investor expectations. The firm's website, http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com, is recognized as one of the leading information sources for stock and options traders and was cited as the top options website by both Forbes and Barron's. Click here for more details about Schaeffer's trading methodology: http://www.SchaeffersResearch.com/method.