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Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day Highlights: FormFactor, Infineon Tech, FirstEnergy and Gander Mountain.


CHICAGO -- Zacks Equity Research highlights FormFactor, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORM) as the Bull of the Day and Infineon Tech (NYSE NYSE

See: New York Stock Exchange
: IFX IFX - ["Type Reconstruction with First-Class Polymorphic Values", J. O'Toole et al, SIGPLAN Notices 24(7):207-217 (Jul 1989)]. ) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) and Gander Mountain Gander Mountain, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is the nation’s largest retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine and outdoor lifestyle products and services.  (Nasdaq: GMTN GMTN Global Multi-Currency Notes ). Full analysis of all four stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676.

Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Our Bull of the Day recommendation is for FormFactor, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORM). FormFactor is the market leader in advanced wafer probe cards A probe card is an interface between an electronic test system and a semiconductor wafer. Its purpose is to provide an electrical path between the test system and the circuits on the wafer, thereby permitting the testing and validation of the circuits at the wafer level, usually  used to test semiconductor wafers during the manufacturing process. The company has a very strong growth profile. June quarter revenue and EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) A PostScript file format used to transfer a graphic image between applications and platforms. EPS files contain PostScript code as well as an optional preview image in TIFF, WMF, PICT or EPSI, the latter being an ASCII-only format.  were above expectations. Bookings were down 6% sequentially, yet up 44% year over year. The company is no longer capacity constrained con·strain  
tr.v. con·strained, con·strain·ing, con·strains
1. To compel by physical, moral, or circumstantial force; oblige: felt constrained to object. See Synonyms at force.

2.
, and we expect margins to expand from here. The company's technology is leveraged towards leading edge 300mm and sub-110nm nodes, which are ramping quickly throughout the industry. We envision a strong second-half for FORM, and consequently are maintaining our Buy rating on FORM shares.

Bear of the Day:

Our Bear of the Day recommendation is for Infineon Tech (NYSE: IFX). Infineon reported another mixed quarter, with positive growth in its industrial and security groups, while its Automotive and COMs groups continue to be under pressure. Qimonda also reported solid results, and expects to continue to grow in excess of 10% as added production comes online in the quarter. The insolvency of BenQ Mobile's German subsidiary adds another setback to the COMs group, as the company continues to struggle with profitability. Our current estimates include Qimonda, and look better due to the strength of this segment, but until the company can turn around the declining earnings in its Automotive and COMs divisions, we continue to rate shares of IFX a Sell.

Analyst Blog:

Strong performance by its generation fleet, higher capital expenditures, and an increased dividend payout may make FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) a compelling conservative growth story going forward. However, falling revenue from the competitive market, issues related to the company's SEC investigation, imposition of fines by the NRC NRC
abbr.
1. National Research Council

2. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Noun 1. NRC - an independent federal agency created in 1974 to license and regulate nuclear power plants
, and a declining customer base collectively continue to weigh adversely on the stock. Accordingly, we maintain a market-neutral Hold recommendation on FE common stock with a six-month target price of $60.50. Price appreciation to our near-term valuation target, coupled with the increased $0.45 per share quarterly cash dividend, which we view as secure, represents annualized annualized

Of or relating to a variable that has been mathematically converted to a yearly rate. Inflation and interest rates are generally annualized since it is on this basis that these two variables are ordinarily stated and compared.
 total return potential of about 9.6%.

We are transitioning coverage of Gander Mountain (Nasdaq: GMTN) from another analyst and we are upgrading the stock from Sell to Hold. Gander Mountain reported better-than-anticipated results for the third quarter with solid sales growth. Surprisingly, GMTN delivered comp-store sales growth of 7.4% -- its first positive comp in two years. The sales upside was due to strong demand for hunting related merchandise. Still, the company's profit margins were disappointing, and that prevents us from getting more positive on the stock. Our target price goes from $5.60 to $9.75, which is about 29 times our fiscal year 2007 EPS estimate.

Get the full analysis of all four stocks by going to http://at.zacks.com/?id=2649.

About the Bull and Bear of the Day

Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months.

About the Analyst Blog

Updated throughout every trading day In Business, the trading day is the time span that a particular stock exchange is open. For example, the New York Stock Exchange is, as of 2006, open from 09:30AM to 4:00PM. Trading days never take place on weekends. , the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis Qualitative Analysis

Securities analysis that uses subjective judgment based on nonquantifiable information, such as management expertise, industry cycles, strength of research and development, and labor relations.
 to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to Verb 1. subscribe to - receive or obtain regularly; "We take the Times every day"
subscribe, take

buy, purchase - obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction; "The family purchased a new car"; "The conglomerate acquired a new company";
 this free newsletter today by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=2677.

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research Zacks Investment Research

A firm that compiles earnings estimates and brokerage firm investment recommendations for thousands of publicly traded firms.
, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros by going to http://at.zacks.com/?id=2650.

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 Zacks Performance Rank performance is the total return of equal weighted simulated portfolios consisting of those stocks with the indicated Zacks Rank net of fees. Results reflect the reinvestment Reinvestment

Using dividends, interest and capital gains earned in an investment or mutual fund to purchase additional shares or units, rather than receiving the distributions in cash.

1. In terms of stocks, it is the reinvestment of dividends to purchase additional shares.
 of dividends and other earnings. Simulated results do not represent actual trading and may not reflect the impact that economic and market factors might have had on decision-making if an adviser were actually managing a client's money.

(b)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 & Poor's. The S&P 500 includes the reinvestment of all dividends, no transaction costs Transaction Costs

Costs incurred when buying or selling securities. These include brokers' commissions and spreads (the difference between the price the dealer paid for a security and the price they can sell it).
, 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 solicitation

In criminal law, the act of asking, inducing, or directing someone to commit a crime. The person soliciting another becomes an accomplice to the crime. The term also refers to the act of obtaining bribes, as well as to the crime of a prostitute who offers sexual
 to buy or sell any security.
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No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
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Publication:Business Wire
Date:Nov 21, 2006
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