Zacks Buy List Highlights: Cryptologic, Inc., Macromedia, Inc., Claire's Stores, Inc., and Emerson Electric Co.

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 Cryptologic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRYP) and Macromedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:MACR). Further, Zacks announced #2 Rankings (Buy) on two other widely held stocks: Claire's Stores, Inc. (NYSE:CLE) and Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE:EMR). 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 CRYP and MACR have a Zacks Rank of 1. Note that a #1 Strong Buy rating is applied to only 5% of all the stocks Zacks ranks:

Cryptologic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRYP) recently announced third-quarter earnings of 36 cents per share, surpassing the consensus estimate by approximately 16% and improving on last year's 21 cents. Quarterly revenue grew 35% year-over-year to a record $21.0 million. The company expects fourth-quarter earnings of 39 cents to 40 cents per share, which is in line with analysts' expectations. For the 2005 full year, analysts project earnings of $1.43 per share, nearly 7% above one month ago levels.

Macromedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:MACR) released fiscal second-quarter non-GAAP earnings of 30 cents per share in late October, eclipsing last year's 22 cents and beating the consensus estimate by 25%. The company noted that with the advancement of rich Internet application development, new mobile adoption on the Flash Platform, and the launch of Studio 8, this has been an outstanding quarter. Earnings estimates for the year ending March 2006 climbed 10 cents, or about 9%, over the past 30 trading days.

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

Claire's Stores, Inc. (NYSE:CLE) recently reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of 38 cents per share, surpassing the previous year's 27 cents and outperforming the consensus estimate by almost 12%. The company noted that third quarter results were extremely strong, adding that its back to school and fall merchandise selection was absolutely on target. CLE is forecasting earnings of $1.70 to $1.72 per share for the year ending January 2006. Wall street estimates were recently increased to $1.70 from last week's $1.68.

Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE:EMR) recently posted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $1.01 per share compared to 84 cents for the year prior. The result was ahead of the consensus estimate by approximately 2%. The company said it delivered another strong year in fiscal 2005, as record sales and earnings per share both saw double-digit increases for the second consecutive year. Earnings estimates for the year ending September 2006 increased by five cents, or roughly 1%, from one month ago.

Truly taking advantage of the Zacks Rank requires the understanding of how it works. The free special report, "Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions," provides an insightful background about this wealth-building tool. Download your free copy of the report now to prosper in the years to come by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=93.

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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