For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 17, 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: Ctrip.com International Ltd. (CTRP), Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY), Skechers USA Inc. (SKX) and Bristow Group Inc. (BRS).
    
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 – Ctrip.com International Ltd. (CTRP)
Ctrip.com International Ltd. has been taking advantage of the rebound in the Chinese economy. The company is expected grow 2009 earnings by 35.79%.

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

Growth & Income – Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY)
Casey's General Stores Inc. 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.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4310
  
Momentum – Skechers USA Inc. (SKX)
Skechers USA Inc. reported third-quarter results on Oct 21 that came in far ahead of expectations on strong international sales and margin expansion.

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

Value – Bristow Group Inc. (BRS)
Bristow Group Inc. has surprised on estimates 3 out of the last 4 quarters by an average of 10.50%. The company is trading at 11.7x 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

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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.
 

 

Zacks Investment Research

Bristow Group Inc. (BRS) has surprised on estimates 3 out of the last 4 quarters by an average of 10.50%. The company is trading at 11.7x forward earnings. Company Description Bristow Group is one of the largest providers of helicopter services in the world. Its primary customers are in the offshore energy industry in the North [...]

(BRS) Bristow Group Inc. – Earnings Report Surprised by 39.39%

Bristow Group Inc. (BRS) has surprised on estimates 3 out of the last 4 quarters by an average of 10.50%. The company is trading at 11.7x forward earnings.

Company Description

Bristow Group is one of the largest providers of helicopter services in the world. Its primary customers are in the offshore energy industry in the North Sea, Nigeria, the Gulf of Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Russia and Trinidad. The company provides transportation, maintenance and search and rescue services.

Bristow Surprised by 39.39%

On Nov 4, Bristow Group reported its fiscal second quarter and surprised on the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 26 cents per share. Earnings per share rose 19.5% to 92 cents from 77 cents in the year ago period. Analysts were expecting just 66 cents.

Revenue was virtually unchanged from the second quarter of 2008 at $291.6 million compared to $291.7 million in 2008.

While the operating environment is still challenging in the energy industry, the company saw good operating results in Latin America, Nigeria and Australia during the quarter.

In Australia, the company won new business from several customers and also implemented cost cutting measures which boosted results. Nigeria is also a challenge because of the political environment.

Results in the Gulf of Mexico also fell from the previous quarter but the company said it wasn't as impacted as some of its competitors due to an upgrade in its air fleet which allowed it to serve projects further offshore in deeper water.

Bristow is expecting a turnaround in the energy industry, and therefore its business, by next year.

Zacks Consensus Estimates Jump

Given the big beat in the fiscal second quarter, covering analysts have been scrambling to raise estimates.

The fiscal third quarter Zacks Consensus is up 2 cents in the last week to 70 cents per share. The fiscal 2010 consensus also rose to $2.94 from $2.84 per share in the last 7 days with 2 out of 8 analysts raising during that time.

Value Fundamentals

Bristow Group is a Zacks #1 Rank (strong buy) stock. It has a price-to-book of 0.93. The company has a solid 5-year average return on equity (ROE) of 11.86%.

Zacks Investment Research

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

• 3D Systems Corp (TDSC)
• AboveNet Inc (ABVT)
• Air Methods Corp (AIRM)
• Cia de Bebidas das Americas (ABV)
• Avnet Inc (AVT)
• Briggs & Stratton Corp (BGG)
• Bristow Group Inc (BRS)
• Cavco Industries Inc (CVCO)
• CNinsure Inc (CISG)
• John Bean Technologies Corp (JBT)
• Lumber Liquidators Inc (LL)
• National Semiconductor Corp (NSM)
• Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP)
• NBTY Inc (NTY)
• Oxford Industries Inc (OXM)
• Park Electrochemical Corp (PKE)
• Schawk Inc (SGK)
• Teekay LNG Partners LP (TGP)
• Trimas Corp (TRS)
• Universal Corp (UVV)
• Weis Markets Inc (WMK)

View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List
"TDSC" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"ABVT" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"AIRM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"ABV" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"AVT" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"BGG" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"BRS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"CVCO" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"CISG" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"JBT" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"LL" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"NSM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"NRP" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"NTY" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"OXM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
Zacks Investment Research

Monday:
Economic Construction (-0.8%), ISM (42.0)
Earnings Allegheny Energy (AYE), DryShips (DRYS), Goodyear (GT), Oshkosh (OSK), Anadarko (APC), Auto Data (ADP), Herbalife (HLF), MasterCard (MA), Mohawk (MHK), Open Text (OTEX), Otter Tail (OTTR), Rock Tenn (RKT), Pitney (PBI), Principal Fin (PFG), Viacom (VIA.B)

Tuesday:
Economic Truck / Auto, Factory Orders (-1.5%)
Earnings Archer D (ADM), Emerson (EMR), FirstEnergy (FE), Graftech (GTI), Jacobs (JEC), Marvel (MVL), Rowan (RDC), RTI (RTI), Vornado (VNO), West Pharma (WST), Blue Nile (NILE), Kendle (KNDL), Ultra Petrol (UPL), Weight Watchers (WTW), W Greatbatch (GB)

Wednesday:
Economic Weekly Crude, ADP (-80K), ISM Services (48.5)
Earnings Agrium (AGU), AMBAC (ABK), Arcelor Mittal (MT), Clean Harbors (CLHB), Cognizant (CTSH), Duke (DUK), GM (GM), Molson (TAP), Quanta (PWR), Sara Lee (SLE), Time Warner (TWX), Transocean (RIG), XTO (XTO), Activision (ATVI), Central Euro Dist (CEDC), Charles River (CRL), Excel M (EXM), Leap W (LEAP), Ormat (ORA), Sina (SINA), Vulcan (VMC), Whole Foods (WFMI)

Thursday:
Economic Weekly Claims (473K), Productivity (1.0%)
Earnings AmBev (ABV), Arena (ARD), Beazer (BZH), Blackstone (BX), Bristow (BRS), DIRECTV (DTV), Dynegy (DYN), Hornbeck (HOS), James River (JRCC), Lamar (LAMR), NASDAQ (NDAQ), OfficeMax (OMX), OM Group (OMG), Toyota (TM), Wendy’s (WEN), Bally (BYI), Fluor (FLR), FMC (FTI), Fuel Systems (FSYS), Hansen Nat (HANS), Priceline (PCLN), Qualcomm (QCOM), Verisign (VRSN), Disney (DIS)

Friday:
Economic Monthly Jobs Report, Wholesale Invs, Consumer Credit
Earnings Cooper Tire (CTB), Ford (F), Sprint (S), TETRA (TTI), Tim Hortons (THI), Sotheby’s (BID)