Zacks Buy List Highlights: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc., Deere & Company, Diana Shipping, Inc. and Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ADR.

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 Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSEA), Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), Diana Shipping, Inc. (NYSE: DSX), and Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ADR (Nasdaq: SPIL).

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 - Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSEA)

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc., which was last presented as an Aggressive Growth pick on Nov 28, is up over 21%. The company has exceeded analysts' earnings estimates in each of the past eight quarters. Over the past month, this year's estimates have increased 12.6%, representing upward revisions by nine analysts. The stock is cheap given the company's growth prospects. VSEA is trading at 18.6x this year's estimates, below the projected long-term growth rate of 23.3%, giving the stock a PEG ratio of 0.80.

Growth & Income - Deere & Company (NYSE: DE)

Deere & Company exceeded analysts' earnings expectations for six consecutive quarters by an average margin of 15.3%. DE increased revenues for the past seven years and expanded gross margins and grew profits for five years running. On Nov 29, the Board of Directors at DE announced a 12.8% increase in the company's quarterly cash dividend to 44 cents per share from 39 cents. This Zacks #1 Rank stock has a current dividend yield of 1.5% and a five-year average dividend yield of 1.8%.

Momentum - Diana Shipping, Inc. (NYSE: DSX)

Diana Shipping, Inc. reported earnings of 37 cents for the December 2006 quarter, up 8.8% from last year and a positive 2.8% surprise above analysts' consensus estimates. DSX has been in an uptrend since the stock bottomed out on June 9, 2006 at $9.50. After release of the December earnings report on Feb 21, the stock set a new 52-week high on more than twice normal volume.

Value - Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ADR (Nasdaq: SPIL)

Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ADR has returned 51% since first highlighted as a Value pick on Oct 11. The company topped analysts' earnings expectations for the past seven quarters. SPIL has a price-to-book ratio of 2.5 and its PEG ratio currently sits at 0.61. The company's return on equity more than doubles that of the industry average, and it is currently yielding 2.7%.

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 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.

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