Zacks Buy List Highlights: Schering-Plough Corporation, Acuity Brands, Inc., AptarGroup, Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases the latest list of Zacks Rank Buy Stocks. Everyday on Zacks.com, four stocks are selected based on how well they match the criteria for the four main schools of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum and Value. The four Zacks Rank Buy stocks highlighted today are Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : SGP SGP Singapore (ISO Country code) SGP Schering-Plough (stock symbol) SGP Stability and Growth Pact SGP Southern Great Plains SGP Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij SGP Speedway Grand Prix ), Acuity Brands Acuity Brands, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, production, and distribution of lighting equipment and specialty products worldwide. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. , Inc. (NYSE: AYI AYI Academy of Young Investors ), AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR ATR Achilles tendon reflex, see Ankle reflex ), and JPMorgan Chase JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM TYO: 8634 ) is one of the oldest financial services firms in the world. The company, headquartered in New York City, is one of the leaders in investment banking, financial services, asset and wealth management and private equity. With assets of $1. & Co. (NYSE: JPM JPM J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. (stock symbol) JPM Juan Pablo Montoya (formula 1 driver) JPM Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Malaysia) JPM Journal of Property Management ). Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of +31.8% 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%. To see the full Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List, or the rank for any other stock, visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88 Here is a synopsis of today's Zacks Rank Buy Stocks: Aggressive Growth - Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) Schering-Plough Corporation has engineered an excellent turnaround that shows no signs of abating. The company crushed estimates by almost 45% in its most recent quarter and raised guidance. Over the past month, this year's estimates have increased seven cents to $1.16 per share. The stock is still attractive at about 22x next year's earnings, below its long-term growth rate of 26.56%. Growth & Income - Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) Acuity Brands, Inc., which was last highlighted as a Growth and Income pick on Nov 1, is up nearly 26%. The company recently reported record earnings per share, net income and net sales Net Sales The amount a seller receives from the buyer after costs associated with the sale are deducted. Notes: This amount is calculated by subtracting the following items from gross sales: merchandise returned for credit, allowances for damaged or missing goods, freight for both the second quarter and first half of fiscal 2007. Consensus estimates have risen over the past 30 days. Earnings per share are projected to grow 23% over the next 3-5 years. AYI is currently yielding 0.97%. Momentum - AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR) On Apr 18, AptarGroup, Inc. reported first-quarter earnings of 82 cents per share Cents per share The amount of a mutual fund's dividend or capital gains distributions that a shareholder will receive for each share owned. , up from 57 cents per share in the prior-year period and nine cents above expectations. Also announced, the Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend by 18% to 26 cents per share. As testament to the company's earnings momentum, AptarGroup has exceeded analysts' expectations for six consecutive quarters. The stock's momentum should continue to be positive. Value - JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) JPMorgan Chase & Co. topped the Street's earnings estimate in nine consecutive quarters. The company recently released solid results for the first quarter of 2007. The Board of Directors announced an increase in its quarterly cash dividend and authorized a new $10 billion common stock repurchase Stock repurchase A firm's repurchase of outstanding shares of its common stock. program. Consensus estimates for both this year and next are up over the past week. This Zacks #1 Rank stock has a price-to-book ratio of 1.6 compared to 4.5 for the market. 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 Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." A $10,000 investment in the Zacks Rank list made in 1988 would now be worth $1.77 million - equivalent to a 31.8% 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. return! 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 143.6% annually (+4.8% vs. +11.8%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter offers continuous coverage of Zacks Rank Buy stocks and highlights those stocks poised to outperform the market. 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=90. 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 http://at.zacks.com/?id=91 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. *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 to buy or sell any security. |
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