Zacks Sell List Highlights: Yankee Candle, Shuffle Master, Pier 1 and Onyx Pharmaceuticals.

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases details on a group of stocks that are currently members of the exclusive Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now. These stocks are currently rated as a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell): Yankee Candle Co. Inc. (NYSE: YCC) and Shuffle Master Inc. (NASDAQ: SHFL). Further, Zacks announced #4 Rankings (Sell) on two other widely held stocks: Pier 1 Inc. (NYSE: PIR) and Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ONXX). To see the full Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=92

Since inception in 1988, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Rank List -- Stocks to Sell Now by 129.7% annually (11.9% vs. 5.2% respectively). While the rest of Wall Street continued to tout stocks during the market declines of the last few years, Zacks told investors which stocks to sell or avoid.

Here is a synopsis of why YCC and SHFL have a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell) and should most likely be sold or avoided for the next one to three months. Note that a #5 Strong Sell rating is applied to 5% of all the stocks in the Zacks Rank universe:

Yankee Candle Co. Inc. (NYSE: YCC) has seen this year's earnings estimates drop 18 cents per share over the past two months. Next year's estimates have dropped 12 cents per share. The company said in late-July its second-quarter profit fell, as higher selling and interest expenses offset improved revenue. The company lowered guidance earlier in July due to weak wholesale sales and higher costs.

Shuffle Master Inc. (NASDAQ: SHFL) has experienced a drop in analyst estimates. Earnings estimates for the second quarter stand at 83 cents per share, down eight cents from 30 days ago. In early-September, SHFL missed views for its fiscal third-quarter. The company also recently lowered its 2006 earnings-per-share guidance to a range of 97 cents to $1 from its previous range of $1.02 to $1.05.

Here is a synopsis of why PIR and ONXX have a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) and should also most likely be sold or avoided for the next one to three months. Note that a #4 Sell rating is applied to 15% of all the stocks ranked by Zacks:

Pier 1 Inc. (NYSE: PIR) has been the target of increasing bearishness by analysts. Over the past month, full year estimates have declined by over 5%. The new consensus estimate calls for a loss of 62 cents per share. The company said its August same-store sales fell 9.1 percent on weaker traffic trends, missing Wall Street's expectations for a smaller 8.1 percent decline.

Total sales for the month ending Aug. 26 declined 7.8 percent to $114.3 million from $124 million in the prior-year period.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ONXX) has seen its earnings estimates drop for this year. The current 2006 consensus estimate of a loss of $2.77 per share is 76 cents below the forecast of two months ago. The company said it lost $31.5 million, or 76 cents per share, in the quarter compared with a loss of $18.1 million, or 51 cents per share, a year ago. That fell far below Wall Street estimates, with analysts expecting a loss of 57 cents per share.

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" is available to provide this insightful background. Download a free copy now to prosper in the years to come at 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 $1.8 million - equivalent to a 32.4% 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 145.8% annually (+4.7% vs. +11.6%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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