RIMM - Research In Motion Ltd - estimates were increased, the fourth upward revision in three months

Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) blew away analyst forecasts with the release of first-quarter results and second-quarter guidance. The stock has skyrocketed roughly 29% since the 10.3% earnings surprise on much stronger-than-average volume. While RIMM may take a breather in the coming days, look for the renewed momentum to continue to the upside. Full Analysis Research In Motion Ltd. engages in the design, manufacture and marketing of wireless solutions for the mobile communications market worldwide. It provides platforms and solutions for access to email, phone, short messaging service, Internet and Intranet-based applications. The company offers technology that enables third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. Its portfolio of products includes BlackBerry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handhelds product line, software development tools, radio-modems and other hardware and software products. On Jun 28, RIMM reported first-quarter earnings of $1.17 per share, up from 68 cents in the year-ago period and 11 cents above expectations. Driving the earnings growth, revenues rose 77% to $1.08 billion, exceeding analysts’ estimates of $1.05 billion. Looking forward, RIMM forecasted second-quarter earnings between $1.37 and $1.49 per share on revenues between $1.30 billion and $1.37 billion. The guidance was well above analysts’ expectations of $1.12 earnings-per-share on revenues of $1.11 billion. RIMM officials also announced that it would add between 1.325 million and 1.375 million subscribers during the second quarter, more than the 1.2 million the company added throughout the latest quarter. Lastly, the company also announced a 3-for-1 stock split, payable on Aug 20 for shareholders on record Aug 17. Regarding the introduction of the highly lauded iPhone, RIMM Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie commented, “I think they did a great favor because they drove attention to the converged appliance space. iPhone is launching in one carrier in one country. We're in about 100 countries and have 300 carriers. To the extent that there's interest there, there is another 109 countries that are interested in these kinds of things.” Following the company’s impressive 10.3% earnings surprise, full-year 2007 estimates were increased by 51 cents to $5.29, the fourth upward revision in three months. Next year’s projections have been guiding higher as well and currently stand at $7.27, implying earnings growth of 37.4%. RIMM shares have been on a tear since the latest earnings release, skyrocketing over 29%. Year-to-date RIMM has gained 56.5% after returning an impressive 93.6% during 2006. With the stock trading above $200, on almost three times the normal trading volume, investor enthusiasm is hardly being contained. Buying on such strong price acceleration can be risky. RIMM may pause in the coming days and give back some of the most recent gains; however, the stock should continue to move higher over the longer-term. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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BRS - Bristow Group, Inc - return on equity of 13% tops the industry average of 8%

Bristow Group, Inc. (BRS) recently reported record revenues, operating income, net income and earnings per share for fiscal 2007. Consensus earnings estimates for both this year and next have risen over the past 30 days. BRS has a price-to-book ratio of 1.9, compared to 4.5 for the market and 2.2 for the industry. Its return on equity of 13% tops the industry average of 8%. Full Analysis Bristow Group, Inc. is one of the world’s largest providers of helicopter services, providing helicopter transportation, maintenance, search and rescue and aviation support, as well as oil and gas production management services worldwide. The company has major transportation operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia and Trinidad. On May 22, BRS beat the consensus earnings estimate by 15.0% when it posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2007 profits of 69 cents per share. Analysts were calling for earnings per share of 60 cents. Revenues came in at $228.7 million, compared with $201.3 million for the fourth quarter of last fiscal year. The company cited favorable change in mix of aircraft operating, improved pricing and the addition of new aircraft as fueling the record quarterly revenues. For the entire year, BRS reported profits of $67.5 million, or $2.74 per share, compared with a profit of $57.8 million, or $2.45 per share last year last year. Revenues were $897.9 million versus $768.9 million in fiscal 2006. It is notable that revenue, operating income, net income and earnings per share were the highest ever in the company's history. President and CEO William E. Chiles stated. "We are very pleased with our latest fiscal year and quarterly results. This record performance is the result of our strategic efforts over the past year to improve our position, take advantage of expanding business opportunities and to improve our financial performance." The consensus earnings estimate for this year currently sits at $3.24, up six cents over the past 30 days. One analyst upped his estimate. Profit forecasts for next year have risen 12 cents to $3.87 over the same period of time, with one analyst also submitting an upward revision. BRS has worked to expand its fleet capacity. Due to continued robust demand for the company’s services, coupled with the limited supply of aircraft, it ordered additional large aircraft during the fourth quarter and expects to realize profits from this investment and other new aircraft throughout fiscal 2008 and 2009. BRS is currently trading at a valuation of 15.8x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 13.3x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The market, as represented by the S&P 500, is trading at a valuation of 16.4x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 15.3x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The company has a price-to-book ratio of 1.9, compared to 4.5 for the market and 2.2 for the industry. Its return on equity of 13% tops the industry average of 8%. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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PCP - Precision Castparts Corp - sixteenth consecutive earnings surprise - estimates have been raised two additional times

Precision Castparts Corp. (PCP) continues to reach new highs due to continued strength in the commercial aerospace market and a successful acquisition strategy. With increasing earnings estimates for this year and next, look for the company’s impressive momentum to continue. Full Analysis Precision Castparts Corp. manufactures metal components and products for aerospace, power generation, general industrial and automotive markets. It operates in three segments: Investment Cast Products, Forged Products and Fastener Products. Also, the company was added to the S&P 500 in late May. On May 9, the Zacks #1 Rank stock reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $1.39 per share, up from 74 cents in the year-ago period and 12 cents above expectations. Continued strength in the commercial aerospace market drove revenues to $1,546 million, up 64% from the prior-year. All segments reported double-digit percentage increases in revenues. Investment Cast Products reported a 13.5% increase in sales to $477.3 million. Forged Products increased fourth quarter sales by 201.5% to $727.8 million. Lastly, the Fastener Products segment reported sales of $341.4 million, up 21.8% from last year. A portion of the company’s most recent profits have been due to a successful acquisition strategy. Mark Donegan, CEO, commented, “Special Metals has certainly performed well beyond our initial projections and we have solid plans in place for continued upside. The company will remain relentlessly focused on cash…providing a solid platform for further profitable growth.” On Jun 18, Precision Castparts announced that it will acquire Caledonian Alloys Group, a Scottish company that recycles nickel superalloy and titanium for the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 and will add immediately to earnings. Following the company’s sixteenth consecutive earnings surprise, full-year fiscal 2008 estimates were increased by 52 cents to $6.04. Since then, estimates have been raised two additional times, most recently by three cents to $6.08. Fiscal 2009 projections have been guiding higher as well and currently stand at $7.02, implying year-over-year earnings growth of 15.5%. Furthermore, the company is ranked number one out of 26 companies in the Aerospace-Defense Equipment category. Over the last four years, PCP has returned an average of 60.2%. This impressive trend is looking to continue as PCP has climbed over 55% year-to-date and is trading against record highs. In support of renewed momentum, the MACD line made a convincing cross above the signal line on Jul 2. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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PLL - Pall Corp - equity easily tops that of the industry average - 17% compared to 11%

Pall Corporation (PLL), a Zacks #1 Rank stock, reported solid third-quarter fiscal 2007 results in late May. Consensus earnings estimates for both this year and next year are up over the past month. PLL has a current dividend yield of 1.03% and a five-year average dividend yield of 1.67%. Its return on equity easily tops that of the industry average—17% compared to 11%. Full Analysis Pall Corporation is the largest and most diverse filtration, separations and purifications company in the world. The company provides leading-edge products to meet the demanding needs of customers in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, transfusion medicine, energy, electronics, municipal and industrial water purification, aerospace, transportation and broad industrial markets. On May 31, PLL reported record third-quarter fiscal 2007 profits of 53 cents per share. The result beat the consensus earnings estimate of 43 cents by 23.3%. This marked the second quarter in a row in which the company managed to surprise by a double-digit percentage. Even more impressive was the year-over-year improvement—43.2% when compared to earnings of 37 cents per share in the prior-year period. Revenues climbed 9.7% to $559.4 million from $510 million in the third quarter of last year. For the first nine months of the year, profits came in at $147.3 million compared to $82.7 million for the first nine months of last year. Revenues jumped 14.3% to $1.6 billion from $1.4 billion. Commenting on the most recent quarters, Chairman and CEO Eric Krasnoff stated, "Pall's broad cost reduction initiatives were a major contributor to the gross margin expansion to 49.5%. Continued improvement in the profitability of systems played a key role. We are on track to achieve further gross margin expansion in fiscal 2008 as our cost reduction and facilities rationalization initiatives continue to gain traction." The consensus earnings estimate for this year has risen eight cents to $1.82 over the past 30 days. One analyst raised his estimate. Profit forecasts for next year jumped 11 cents to $2.10 over the same period of time, with one analyst submitting an upward revision. Earnings per share are projected to grow 17% over the next 3-5 years, with the industry expected to grow by 13%. On Apr 11, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share. PLL has a current dividend yield of 1.03% and a five-year average dividend yield of 1.67%. The company’s return on equity easily tops that of the industry average - 17% compared to 11%. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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ROLL - RBC Bearings Inc - exceeded analysts’ expectations for four consecutive quarters

RBC Bearings Inc. (ROLL) once again reported solid earnings momentum and as a result, estimates for this fiscal year and next continue to rise. With expected earnings growth above the industry average and a year-to-date return of over 40%, ROLL is clearly demonstrating aggressive growth characteristics. Full Analysis RBC Bearings Inc. is an international manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered precision bearings and components. Founded in 1919, the company is primarily focused on producing highly technical or regulated bearing products requiring sophisticated design, testing and manufacturing capabilities for the diversified industrial, aerospace and defense markets. Headquartered in Oxford, Connecticut, RBC Bearings currently employs approximately 1,850 people and operates 16 manufacturing facilities in three countries. On Jun 12, RBC Bearings reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of 47 cents per share, up from 33 cents in the year-ago period and six cents above expectations. Driving the earnings growth, revenues rose 7% to $81 million, just beating analysts’ expectations of $80.9 million. For the full-year, the company posted a profit of $1.33 per share, up from 76 cents per share in 2006. Revenues rose to $306.1 million from $274.5 million. This Zacks #1 Rank stock has exceeded analysts’ expectations for four consecutive quarters and has never reported a negative surprise. After the latest release, analysts raised their 2008 profit projections by 14 cents to $1.90. Next year’s projections have been guiding higher as well and currently stand at $2.32, implying year-over-year earnings growth of 22%. Furthermore, the company is ranked a number one out of 15 companies in the Metals Procurement & Fabrication category. The company’s expected 2008 earnings growth of 21.7% is a full six percentage points above the forecasted industry growth. Furthermore, over the next five years, ROLL is expected to grow earnings at a 16.7% annual rate, just beating the expected industry average of 16.5%. Lastly, the company’s ROE of 21.4% more than doubles the peer group average of 10.5%. After returning 76.4% in 2006, ROLL has climbed an impressive 43.9% year-to-date. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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WOR - Worthington Industries, Inc - topped analysts’ earnings expectations in 11 out of the past 15 quarters by an average margin of 33.8%

Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR), a Zacks #1 Rank stock, exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in 11 out of the past 15 quarters by an average margin of 33.8%. The company has returned value to its shareholders through both dividend payments and share buybacks. Consensus earnings estimates for this quarter and for the full year are up over the past week. WOR has a price-to-book ratio of 2.2, compared to 4.5 for the market. Full Analysis Worthington Industries, Inc. is a global company that processes steel for use in the automotive, construction, hardware, aerospace and many other industries. WOR is also a leader in manufactured metal products such as metal framing, pressure cylinders, automotive past model service stampings, metal ceiling grid systems and laser welded blanks. The company has 64 facilities throughout 10 countries. WOR topped analysts’ earnings expectations in 11 out of the past 15 quarters by an average margin of 33.8%. In eight out of the aforementioned 11 quarters, the company managed to surprise by a double-digit percentage. On Jun 28, WOR surprised to the upside by 32.4% when it posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2007 earnings per share of 45 cents. Revenues came in at $786.6 million, down when compared to fourth-quarter fiscal 2006 revenues of $822.0 million. However, quarterly net sales, operating income and units shipped for the Pressure Cylinders segment were a record $169.3 million, $26.1 million, and 13.6 million, respectively. Chairman and CEO John McConnell stated, "The fourth quarter was significant in that it represented an impressive turnaround from the third quarter and helped make fiscal 2007 our third best year." The company has returned value to its shareholders through both dividend payments and share buybacks. On May 15, the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 17 cents per share. WOR has a current dividend yield of 2.99%. During the past fiscal year, the company repurchased 4,449,594 common shares and over five million shares remain on the existing share repurchase authorization. Analysts’ optimism about WOR’s future prospects has been growing. The consensus earnings estimate for this quarter currently sits at 40 cents and represents a two-cent increase over the past week. Profit forecasts for this year are also up, climbing two cents to $1.63 over the same period of time. WOR is currently trading at a valuation of 14.0x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 13.0x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The market, as represented by the S&P 500, is trading at a valuation of 16.3x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 15.3x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The company has a price-to-book ratio of 2.2, compared to 4.5 for the market. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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NKE - Nike, Inc - Six of the 10 covering analysts submitted upward revisions

Nike, Inc. (NKE) exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in 15 out of the past 16 quarters. Consensus earnings estimates for both this quarter and the full year have risen over the past week. Earnings per share are projected to grow 14% over the next 3-5 years. NKE is currently yielding 1.3% and has a five-year average dividend yield of 1.1%. Full Analysis Nike, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and marketing of footwear, apparel, equipment and accessory products worldwide. The company sells its products to retail accounts, through its owned retail stores, and through a mix of independent distributors and licensees. When it comes to exceeding analysts’ earnings expectations, NKE has a very impressive track record. The company beat the Street’s estimate in 15 out of the past 16 quarters. Earnings per share grew 21% over the past five years. On Jun 26, NKE met analysts’ expectations when it reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2007 profits of 86 cents per share. Compared to earnings of 69 cents per share in the prior-year period, the result marked a 24.6% year-over-year improvement for the company. Revenues jumped 10% to $4.4 billion from $4 billion in the fourth quarter of last year. For the entire year, profits came in at $1.5 billion, or $2.93 per share, up from $1.4 billion, or $2.64 per share, last year. Revenues jumped 9% to $16.3 billion. NKE has successfully increased revenues for the past eight years, while growing profits for four years running. CEO Mark Parker stated, "We have a lot of competitive advantages and behind them all is our relentless pursuit of performance and innovation in product. That's something you either have or you don't. You can't buy it, you can't fake it, all you can do is live it and strive to get better at it every day, which is what we do." The consensus earnings estimate for this quarter has risen three cents to 87 cents over the past seven days, with three of the eight covering analysts upping their projections. Estimates for the full year are up four cents to $3.31 over the same period of time. Six of the 10 covering analysts submitted upward revisions. Earnings per share are projected to grow 14% over the next 3-5 years. On May 14, the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 18.5 cents per share. NKE is currently yielding 1.3% and has a five-year average dividend yield of 1.1%. The company has a return on equity of 21% compared to 17% for the industry average. NKE is a Zacks #2 Rank (Buy) stock. Zacks #2 Rank stocks have generated an average annual return of 21.6% since 1988. Because the Zacks Rank has a market cap bias, Growth & Income investors may find a greater number of large-cap stocks by considering both Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) and Zacks #2 Rank (Buy) stocks in their selection criteria. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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SWIR - Sierra Wireless Inc - 100% earnings surprise marked the seventh consecutive to exceed expectations by double-digit percentage

Sierra Wireless Inc. (SWIR) expects strong contributions from four new product lines, further fueling the company’s expected earnings momentum. SWIR has soared 88% since first being featured as an aggressive growth play on Mar 16. Full Analysis Sierra Wireless Inc. provides wireless wide-area modem solutions for mobile computing. It develops and markets a range of products that include wireless modems for mobile computers, embedded modules for original equipment manufacturers and rugged vehicle-mounted modems. The company’s products permit users to access wireless data and voice communications networks using laptop computers, handheld computing devices, vehicle systems, or fixed wireless terminals. On Apr 26, this Zacks #1 Rank stock reported first-quarter earnings of 24 cents per share, up from 10 cents per share in the year-ago period and 12 cents above expectations. Fueling the earnings growth, revenues rose 89% to $85.4 million, also above analysts’ estimates of $82.6 million. According to CEO Jason Cohenour, "By the end of the quarter, we commenced initial commercial shipments of three new and important products: our 3G MPs for both HSDPA and EV-DO and our new USB modem for HSDPA. We also announced an agreement with Sprint to launch our new EV-DO USB modem for use on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network. We expect all four of these new products to be important contributors to our financial results in the coming quarters.” Looking forward, Sierra Wireless forecasted second-quarter earnings of 21 cents per share on revenues of $92 million. The guidance was above analysts’ estimates, who were expecting earnings of 15 cents per share and revenues of $84.4 million. The latest 100% earnings surprise marked the seventh consecutive quarter Sierra Wireless has exceeded expectations by at least a double-digit percentage. Following the latest earnings release, full-year consensus estimates were increased by 14 cents to 76 cents. Since then, estimates have increased twice, most recently by three cents to 87 cents. Next year’s projections have been guiding higher as well and currently stand at $1.16, implying earnings growth of 33.3%. After climbing over 26% in 2006, roughly double the S&P 500 return over the same period, SWIR has soared over 80% year-to-date. In fact, since Roopak first featured Sierra Wireless as an Aggressive Growth play on Mar 16, 2007, the stock has risen 88%. The company’s expected 2008 earnings growth of 33.3% is a full 9.3 percentage points above the forecasted industry growth. Furthermore, over the next five years, SWIR is expected to grow earnings at a 20% annual rate, also above the industry average. Lastly, the company’s ROE of 8.4% exceeds the current 5.5% peer group average. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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FMC - FMC Corp - exceeded expectations in 8 of 10 by an average 13.9%

FMC Corporation (FMC), a Zacks #1 Rank stock, beat analysts’ earnings expectations in eight out of the past 10 quarters by an average margin of 13.9%. After posting strong first-quarter results, the company raised its full-year profit guidance to between $6.00 and $6.20 per share. Consensus earnings estimates for both this year and next are up over the past seven days. FMC has a price-to-book ratio of 3.2, compared to 4.5 for the market. Full Analysis FMC Corporation is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial and consumer markets globally for more than a century with innovative solutions, applications and quality products. The company operates its businesses in three segments: Agricultural Products, Specialty Chemicals and Industrial Chemicals. FMC exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in eight out of the past 10 quarters by an average margin of 13.9%. In four out of the aforementioned eight quarters the company surprised by a double-digit percentage. On Apr 30, FMC beat the consensus estimate by 8.3% when it posted first-quarter earnings per share of $1.83. Analysts were calling for profits of $1.69 per share. FMC reported earnings of $1.74 per share in the prior-year period. Revenues came in at $674.1 million, compared with $594.1 million for the first quarter of last year. Chairman, President and CEO William G. Walter stated. "The year is off to a great start with strong first-quarter sales growth across all of our businesses. Our strong first-quarter sales growth translated into record first-quarter earnings despite the impact of higher energy and raw material costs." Based on its strong first-quarter results, the company raised its full-year profit guidance to between $6.00 and $6.20 per share. Moreover, FMC cited it anticipates stronger growth in Agricultural Products and Specialty Chemicals than previously expected. The consensus earnings estimate for this year currently sits at $6.31, up 10 cents over the past week. One analyst upped his estimate. Profit forecasts for next year have risen 27 cents to $6.97 over the same period of time, with one analyst also submitting an upward revision. On Jun 15, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 21 cents per share. The dividend is payable on Jul 19 to shareholders of record at as of Jun 29. The company has a current dividend yield of 0.94%. FMC is currently trading at a valuation of 14.2x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 12.8x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The market, as represented by the S&P 500, is trading at a valuation of 16.2x current fiscal-year estimated earnings and at 15.2x next fiscal-year estimated earnings. The company has a price-to-book ratio of 3.2, compared to 4.5 for the market. FMC’s return on equity tops that of the industry average—21% compared to 17%. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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BCSI - Blue Coat Systems Inc - projections have been guiding higher implying earnings growth of 42.7%

Blue Coat Systems Inc. (BCSI) recently reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenues that surpassed expectations. In addition, the company released first-quarter guidance that exceeded analysts’ forecasts. With the stock up 106% year-to-date, investors are clearly being rewarded for the company’s improved fundamentals and strong momentum. Full Analysis Blue Coat Systems provides a family of intelligent appliances, along with a suite of powerful software applications, that work together to give IT organizations the ability to effectively control security and performance for all users and applications. The appliances are available in a broad range of configurations and are typically deployed in enterprise branch offices, Internet gateways, end points and data centers – as well as in global service provider organizations. Blue Coat gives IT organizations visibility and very granular control over security and performance, so that policies can set based on who, what, where, when and how users and applications communicate with each other. On May 29, the Zacks #1 Rank stock reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of 31 cents per share, up from a loss of 21 cents in the year-ago period and 15 cents above expectations. Driving the strong earnings growth, revenues climbed 51% to $54.5 million, above analysts’ estimates of $53.2 million. The company also released first-quarter guidance that was largely above expectations. Blue Coat expects net income between 27 cents and 38 cents per share on revenue between $57 million and $60 million. Analysts were calling for earnings of 29 cents per share on revenues of $55.4 million. According to Brian NeSmith, President and CEO, “The record revenue we achieved in the fourth quarter reflects continued strength in our core market and growth in the WAN application delivery infrastructure market. Although we are pleased with our recent growth, we continue to invest in our sales and marketing organization in an effort to expand our market share.” Following the company’s impressive 93.7% earnings surprise, full-year 2007 estimates were increased by 23 cents to $1.04. Since then, estimates have been raised again by an additional six cents to $1.10. Next year’s projections have been guiding higher as well and currently stand at $1.57, implying earnings growth of 42.7%. Lastly, the company is currently rated a number one out of 34 companies in the Computer-Networks category. After a disappointing 2006, BCSI has soared over 106% year-to-date and is currently trading near 52-week highs. In fact, the stock is rapidly approaching two-year $52 resistance levels on stronger-than-average volume. Investors should note that Blue Coat is one of at least 214 companies to disclose government or internal investigations related to their stock options practices, according to an Associated Press review. BCSI’s fundamentals are driving the stocks upward momentum and stock option investigation aside, the upward trend should continue. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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CBI - Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V - exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in the past four quarters by an average margin of 25.4%

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. (CBI), which was last highlighted as a Growth and Income pick on Dec 12, has returned over 40%. This Zacks #1 Rank stock exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in the past four quarters by an average margin of 25.4%. Consensus earnings estimates for both this year and next have risen over the past 30 days. CBI has a current dividend yield of 0.37%. Full Analysis Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. is one of the world's leading engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies, specializing in projects for customers that produce, process, store and distribute the world's natural resources. CBI serves various industries, including oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical, power, water and wastewater, and metals and mining. CBI, which was last presented as a Growth and Income pick on Dec 12, is up over 40%. The company continues to beat the Street’s earnings expectations and analysts are still raising their profit forecasts. As a result, CBI has maintained the coveted status of a Zacks #1 Rank stock. CBI exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations in the past four quarters by an average margin of 25.4%. In all four of the aforementioned eight quarters the company surprised by a double-digit percentage. On May 1, CBI topped the consensus estimate by 26.7% when it posted first-quarter earnings per share of 38 cents. Analysts were calling for 30 cents. Compared to earnings of 13 cents per share in the prior-year period, the result equated to an impressive 192.3% year-over-year improvement. Revenues jumped to $857.3 million from $646.6 million. As of Mar 31, the company’s backlog sat at $5.7 billion. President and CEO Philip K. Asherman stated, "I'm pleased to report a solid quarter for CB&I with backlog at an all-time high driven by robust growth in new awards. The quarter's results reflect a strong energy market, coupled with the successful execution of our business model." The consensus estimate for this year currently resides at $1.63 and marks a three-cent improvement over the past 30 days. One analyst submitted an upward revision for this year. Profit forecasts for next year have risen four cents to $2.01 over the same period of time, with one of the covering analysts upping his estimate. Earnings per share are projected to grow 18% over the next 3-5 years, with the industry expected to grow by 14%. On May 14, the Board of Directors declared an interim common stock dividend of four cents per share. CBI has a current dividend yield of 0.37%. The company’s return on equity doubles that of the industry average—26% compared to 13%. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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GEF - Greif Inc - full-year 2007 estimates were increased

Greif Inc. (GEF) recently reported earnings and full-year guidance that exceeded analysts’ estimates. The company is projected to grow earnings at a 27% annual rate, well above the expected industry average of 10%. Full Analysis Greif Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of industrial packaging products and containerboard and corrugated products worldwide. It operates in three segments: Industrial Packaging and Services; Paper, Packaging, and Services; and Timber. The company has over 160 operating locations in more than 40 countries. On Jun 6, the Zacks #1 Rank stock reported second-quarter earnings of 66 cents per share, up from 52 cents in the year-ago period and three cents above expectations. Overall revenues rose 31% to $815 million. The Industrial Packaging and Services segment reported the strongest growth overall, with net sales rising 41% to $647.3 million. The company also released fiscal 2007 guidance that was above expectations. Greif now expects earnings between $3.05 and $3.10 per share, up from $3.00 to $3.05 previously reported. Analysts were calling for earnings of $3.03 per share. Investors seem to be applauding the latest earnings release. GEF has risen 7.1% for the month of June versus a decline of 1.78% for the S&P 500. Following the company’s 4.7% earnings surprise, full-year 2007 estimates were increased by nine cents to $3.09. Next year’s projections were raised as well and currently stand at $3.88, implying earnings growth of 25.6%, which is above the expected industry average of 21.7%. In fact, over the next five years, GEF is expected to grow earnings at a 27% annual rate, more than twice the rate expected by the industry. This would signify an acceleration of earnings growth from the previous five years, which have averaged 17.2%, well above the industry’s 8.8%. Content Courtesy: Zacks Investment Research #1 Ranked Stocks Highlight Archive To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That is why we created the free special report: Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. | Blog Home| VitalStocks Home

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