CHICAGO, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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): Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATNI) and Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR). Further, Zacks announced #4 Rankings (Sell) on two other widely held stocks: Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCHN) and Central European Distribution Corp (Nasdaq: CEDC). To see the full Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=92
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Since inception in 1988, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Rank List of Stocks to Sell Now by 80% annually (+2% vs. +10%). 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 ATNI and OTTR 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:
Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATNI) posted a fourth-quarter earnings of 12 cents per share on while analysts projected a profit of 36 cents. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year is pegged at a profit of $1.20 per share, a decline of $1.29 in the last 30 days. The past month has seen downward revision by 2 analysts out of 5, bringing the average forecast for 2012 down $2.25 to $2.66 per share.
Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR) announced a fourth-quarter profit of 23 cents per share on Feb 7, which missed analysts expectations by 36%. Moreover the diluted earnings per share also fell by nearly 92%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year decreased 6 cents to $1.14 per share over the past couple of months. Next year's estimate fell 3 cents to $1.48.
Here is a synopsis of why SCHN and CEDC 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;
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCHN) reported first-quarter earnings per share of 64 cents on Jan 6, which came in 7 cents shy of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The first quarter revenue dipped by 7%. The full-year average forecast dipped 2 cents to $4.08 per share in the last 60 days as the covering analysts lowered expectations. Next year's estimate dropped 7 cents to $5.18 per share in the same time span.
Central European Distribution Corp's (Nasdaq: CEDC) fourth-quarter profit of 18 cents per share, posted on March 1, came in 99 cents worse than the average forecast. Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2010 fell $26.8 million from $255.2 million for the same period in 2009. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year is pegged at a profit of $1.15 per share, 46 cents wider than the projections made 7 days back. Next year's forecast fell by a penny to a profit of $2.39 per share in a span of 60 days.
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." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank Stocks have generated an average annual return of +27%. 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 significantly underperformed the S&P 500 (-0.9% versus +9%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, 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 at http://at.zacks.com/?id=95
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