2009-02-04 01:10:04 -

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: Open Text Corp. (Nasdaq: OTEX), Allied World Assurance Company Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: AWH), Starent Networks Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR) and Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI).


Today, Zacks is promoting its "Buy" stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at at.zacks.com/"id=88.


Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +28%. 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 - Open Text Corp. (Nasdaq: OTEX)


Open Text has continued its history of beating analyst estimates by announcing its ninth consecutive surprise. Fiscal second-quarter earnings of 62 cents per share topped Wall Street forecasts, which averaged 56 cents.


Zacks Guide to Aggressive Growth Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/"id=4309


Growth & Income - Allied World Assurance Company Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: AWH)


Allied World Assurance Company is seeing higher earnings estimates ahead of its fourth-quarter report. Analysts are forecasting earnings of $8.00 per share for 2008, up from the two months-ago level of $7.81. For 2009, analysts' estimates of $7.20 per share advanced 7 cents in just the past week.


Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/"id=4310


Momentum - Starent Networks Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR)


Starent Networks Corp. is fresh off the heels of another excellent quarter in which its earnings were easily ahead of analyst estimates. The company's share price has been accelerating since finding a short-term bottom in mid November.


Zacks Guide to Momentum Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/"id=4311


Value - Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI)


Triumph Group, the aviation parts manufacturer, continued its streak of beating Wall Street estimates as it recently surprised on estimates by 19.82% in the third-quarter 2009 and has now surprised 4 quarters in a row by an average of 24.39%. The stock is cheap. It trades with a PEG of 0.68.


Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!): at.zacks.com/"id=4312


How to Regularly Access Picks from the Zacks Rank Discovery for Free: at.zacks.com/"id=88


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


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.


More Free Stock Picks


Each weekday, new Zacks #1 Rank or Zacks #2 Rank stock picks are released on the free email newsletter, Profit from the Pros. Investors are invited to register for their free subscription at: at.zacks.com/"id=91


Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.


Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. 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.


Visit www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.








Zacks.com

Aggressive Growth Stocks:

Bill Wilton

Phone: 312-265-9277

or

Growth & Income Stocks:

Alex Kolb

Phone: 312-265-9149

or

Momentum Stocks:

Michael Vodicka

Phone: 312-265-9226

or

Value Stocks:

Tracey Ryniec

Phone: 312-265-9232

Email: pr@zacks.com

Visit: www.zacks.com