Zacks Releases Four Powerful ''Buy'' Stocks: Cantel Medical Corp, Avon Products Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc.

2009-10-20 23:07:03 -

Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry’s leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Cantel Medical Corp (NYSE: CMN : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww ..

), Avon Products Inc. (Nasdaq: AVP : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. ), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. ) and Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. (NYSE: PRX : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. ).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at at.zacks.com/?id=88 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. .. .

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +26%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% – but Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%.


Here is a summary of today's selected stocks that are now highly rated by Zacks:

Aggressive Growth – Cantel Medical Corp : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. (NYSE: CMN : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. )


Cantel Medical Corp posted yet another earnings surprise with a 65% increase in net income.

Zacks Guide to Aggressive Growth Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/?id=4309 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. ..

Growth & Income – Avon Products Inc. : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. (Nasdaq: AVP : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. )


Avon Products Inc. is seeing bullish earnings estimates ahead of reporting next week. The full-year Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.66 per share is up 5 cents over the past 90 days. For 2010, analysts polled by Zacks are projecting earnings of $2.11 per share, versus last month’s $2.08 and the 3 months-ago forecast of $1.95.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/?id=4310 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. ..

Momentum – Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. (NYSE: BIO : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. )

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. recently hit a new 52-week high as the global economy recovers from last year's drop.

Zacks Guide to Momentum Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/?id=4311 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. ..

Value – Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. (NYSE: PRX : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww .. )


Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. has surprised on the Zacks Consensus Estimate 3 out of the last 4 quarters by an average of 101.93%. With earnings estimates jumping, the company has a PEG ratio of just 0.2.

Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/?id=4312 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. ..



How to Regularly Access Picks from the Zacks Rank Discovery for Free: at.zacks.com/?id=88 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. ..

Underlying the four free stock picks is a simple truth that first appeared in a Financial Analysts Journal article published in 1979. Leonard Zacks, a Ph.D. in Mathematics from M.I.T. found that "earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Zacks #1 Rank is awarded to a stock when analysts sharply upgrade their estimates of what the company will earn.

Today, Zacks is promoting its stock recommendations by offering four daily picks free to those who register at at.zacks.com/?id=88 : cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fat. .. .



About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Len Zacks. The company continually processes stock reports issued by 3,000 analysts from 150 brokerage firms. It monitors more than 200,000 earnings estimates, looking for changes.

Then, when changes are discovered, they’re applied to help assign more than 4,400 stocks into five Zacks Rank categories: #1 Strong Buy, #2 Buy, #3 Hold, #4 Sell, and #5 Strong Sell. This proprietary stock-picking system continues to outperform the market by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.


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Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

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