Zacks Buy List Highlights: ADTRAN, j2 Global Communications, Inc., Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, and Garmin Ltd.

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases another list of stocks that are currently members of the coveted Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List. The #1 Rank stocks highlighted today are ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN) and j2 Global Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:JCOM). Further, Zacks announced #2 Rankings (Buy) on two other widely held stocks: Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI) and Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN). To see the full Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List, or the rank for any other stock, visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of +33% since inception in 1988. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8% while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%.

Here is a synopsis of why ADTN and JCOM have a Zacks Rank of 1. Note that a #1 Strong Buy rating is applied to only 5% of all the stocks Zacks ranks:

ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN) recently announced third-quarter earnings of 42 cents per share, beating the consensus estimate by almost 8%. The company said it experienced strong and broad based revenue growth across both Carrier Network and Enterprise Network divisions. The company also issued a revised guidance for the year 2005. ADTN's earnings per share expectations are in the range of $1.26 to $1.28. Analysts responded by raising the one month ago estimates of $1.21 per share to current estimates of $1.27.

j2 Global Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:JCOM) released financial results for the third quarter last week. Earnings per share totaled 49 cents compared to last year's 32 cents. The result also exceeded the consensus estimate by 2%. For the fourth quarter, j2 Global anticipates earnings of approximately 50 cents to 54 cents per share. Analysts are in agreement as evidenced by their recent estimates of 52 cents per share for the quarter, which is nearly 2% above one month ago levels.

Here is a synopsis of why BNI and GRMN have a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Note that a #2 Buy rating is applied to 15% of all the stocks ranked by Zacks:

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE:BNI) recently reported record third-quarter earnings of $1.09 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate by 9% and outpacing last year's result. The company stated that demand for rail transportation continues to outpace the rest of the economy. Earnings estimates for the year ending December 2005 increased by 10 cents, or almost 3%, over the past seven trading days.

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN) recently announced third-quarter earnings of 67 cents per share, excluding items, exceeding the consensus estimate by about 8% and improving on last year's 58 cents. The company noted that it experienced triple digit growth in its automotive product line which demonstrates that GRMN's products are well-positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for portable navigation devices. Garmin raised its earnings outlook for fiscal year 2005 as did analysts. Current Wall Street estimates of $2.57 per share are nearly 3% above one week ago levels.

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About the Zacks Rank

For over 16 years, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank stocks have generated an average annual return of +33%. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988, Zacks Rank #5 stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 by 155.5% annually (+4.6% vs. +11.8%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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