Solid Income

Coach announced that its dividend of $0.075 is payable on December 28 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 7.

Bullish Forecasts

Analysts polled by Zacks are bullish on earnings for COH. For the year ending June 2010, the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.07 was increased by a penny in the past week and hiked from $1.92 over the past 60 days. For the following year, forecasts of $2.27 are up 2 cent in the past week and climbed from $2.07 over the past 60 days.

Favorable Benchmark Comparisons

The company offers solid fundamentals, trading with a forward P/E of 17. Coach's return on equity (ROE) of 38% soars past the industry average of 10%. The company's net profit margin of 19% compares to an industry average of 3%.

COH is also strong technically, outpacing the market by nearly 100% over the past year.

Read the October 27 commentary on COH.

Last Week's Growth and Income Zacks Rank Buy Stocks

Crane Co. (CR), which boasts an industry-leading yield of 2.7%, recently declared a quarterly dividend of 20 cents per share. The company also posted solid results for the third quarter, raising the lower end of its earnings outlook. Read the whole story on CR.

Gap Inc. (GPS), which announces third-quarter results after today's closing bell, just declared a quarterly dividend of $0.085 per share, which translates into an industry-leading dividend yield of 1.5%. The company also reported sales growth for the month of October. Read the whole story on GPS.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) recently posted October net sales of $5.68 billion, a 7% increase over last year’s $5.30 billion. Comparable sales spiked 5% year-over-year. Read the whole story on COST.

Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY) is watching analysts boost estimates ahead of reporting fiscal second quarter results in early December. For the year ending April 2010, the Zacks Consensus Estimate jumped from $2.19 to $2.21 per share in 1 month’s time. Read the whole story on CASY. Zacks Investment Research

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 18, 2009 – 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 (CMN), Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), China Green Agriculture, Inc. (CGA) and DryShips Inc. (DRYS).
    
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5607

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

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

Growth & Income – Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
Costco Wholesale Corporation recently posted October net sales of $5.68 billion, a 7% increase over last year’s $5.30 billion. Comparable sales spiked 5% year-over-year.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4310
  
Momentum – China Green Agriculture, Inc. (CGA)
China Green Agriculture, Inc. is once again pressuring its 52-week high after jumping higher on a recent third-quarter earnings surprise.

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

Value – DryShips Inc. (DRYS)
DryShips Inc. is now a Zacks #1 Rank (strong buy) stock as estimates rise after a tough year where earnings per share dropped by 90%. The stock is now cheap, trading at just 6.6x forward earnings.

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

How to Regularly Access Picks from the Zacks Rank Discovery for Free:  http://at.zacks.com/?id=5607
 
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 http://at.zacks.com/?id=5607 

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 http://at.zacks.com/?id=5642

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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.

Zacks.com

Aggressive Growth Stocks:
Contact: Bill Wilton
Phone: 312-265-9277

or

Growth & Income Stocks:
Contact: Alex Kolb
Phone: 312-265-9149

or

Momentum Stocks:
Contact: Michael Vodicka
Phone: 312-265-9226

or

Value Stocks:
Contact: Tracey Ryniec
Phone: 312-265-9232

Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: www.zacks.com

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

Company Description

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates an international chain of membership warehouses, mainly under the "Costco Wholesale" name. The company currently operates 562 warehouses, including 409 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 77 in Canada, 21 in the United Kingdom, 7 in Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 9 in Japan, 32 in Mexico and 1 in Australia. Costco also operates Costco Online at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The company plans to open an additional five new warehouses (including the relocation of one warehouse to a larger and better-located facility), prior to the end of calendar 2009.

Recent Events

In recent news, it was reported that Costco will stop carrying Coke products due to a dispute over prices as the retail giant is trying to win over customers with low prices, while Coca-Cola Co. (KO) is working hard to maintain profits amid a recessionary environment.

Solid Sales

Costco recently posted October net sales of $5.68 billion, a 7% increase over last year's $5.30 billion. Comparable sales spiked 5% year-over-year.

Competitive Income

In early October, the company declared a quarterly dividend of 18 cents per share, which was paid out on November 6. The dividend translates into an industry-leading yield of 1.2%.

Bullish Forecasts

Analysts polled by Zacks are upbeat on earnings. For the fiscal year ending August 2010, the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.87 per share was increased from $2.71 over the past 60 days. For the following year, Zacks analysts are calling for $3.22 per share, up from the 2 months-ago level of $3.00.

Zacks Investment Research