Zacks Sell List Highlights Cost Plus, PetroKazakhstan, Saks, and Winnebago.

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): Cost Plus (NASDAQ:CPWM) and PetroKazakhstan, Inc. (NYSE:PKZ). Further, Zacks announced #4 Rankings (Sell) on two other widely held stocks: Saks Incorporated (NYSE:SKS) and Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO). 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 155.5% annually (11.88% vs. 4.65% 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 CPWM and PKZ have a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) and should most likely be sold or avoided for the next 1 to 3 months. Note that a #5 Strong Sell rating is applied to 5% of all the Zacks ranked stocks:

Cost Plus (NASDAQ:CPWM) exceeded the consensus estimate by two cents with first quarter earnings of eight cents per share, but predicted that sales and earnings could decline in the second quarter. CPWM said that same-store sales could be as much as 1% lower. Earnings could come in between 6-11 cents per share compared to 15 cents for the second quarter last year. Analysts reacted to the guidance by cutting their guidance by 25% (nine cents per share versus 12 cents).

PetroKazakhstan, Inc. (NYSE:PKZ) easily exceeded first quarter expectations, but analysts have been slashing expectations for the remainder of the year. Over the past 30 days, the consensus estimate has dropped from $7.20 per share to $5.74 -- a 20% reduction. One reason may be production cutbacks in Kazakhstan, at the request of government officials.

Here is a synopsis of why SKS and WGO 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:

Saks Incorporated (NYSE:SKS) recently released preliminary first-quarter results. The company said it earned 12 cents per share versus expectations for profits of 16 cents--the second earnings miss in three quarters. Saks CEO R. Brad Martin described gross margin performance for the first quarter as disappointing. Analysts responded to the report by cutting full-year profit forecasts to 64 cents from 66 cents. Over the past 30 days, forecasts for the entire year have dropped by nearly 6%.

Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO) is going to restate fiscal second-quarter and year-to-date results for the periods ended February 26, 2005. The company announced last week the discovery a formula error in a spreadsheet used to calculate inventory. As a result, WGO anticipates a five-cent reduction in second-quarter earnings. Notably, the consensus estimate for fiscal 2005 has dropped from $2.10 to $2.03 over the past seven days, signaling that analysts are anticipating a larger decline in full-year earnings.

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About the Zacks Rank

For over 17 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 +32.8%. 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 (+4.65% vs. +11.88%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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