Dollar Thrifty Automotive (DTG) and CARBO Ceramics (CRR)

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. (DTG - Snapshot Report) announced a pretty good first-quarter report last Thursday, which included a substantial positive earnings surprise and an enhanced outlook for the full year.

But that's not the main reason why DTG gained 13.75% on Monday to reach the upper echelon of the Zacks #1 Rank Top Performers List. Nor was it the reason that volume surpassed 3 million shares, compared to a daily average of around 415,000.

The main catalyst behind all this activity was actually rival and fellow Zacks #1 Rank Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (HTZ - Snapshot Report), which raised its buyout offer of DTG to approximately $2.25 billion. Hertz is trying to block Avis Budget Group, Inc. The two companies have been fighting for Dollar Thrifty Automotive for more than a year now.

Yep, it's good to be wanted.

Now, not to be confusing, but last week's solid quarterly report DID have a big impact on earnings estimates for Dollar Thrifty Automotive. Expectations have been moving higher for a while now, including in just the past 7 days as 2 of 5 total estimates for 2011 moved higher.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this year is currently $4.39 per share, which has gained 2.6% in the past week. It is also up as much as 41% in the past 2 months.

Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2012 is $4.47 per share, marking a gain of 1.1% in 7 days and 28% in 2 months.

In the quarter, Dollar Thrifty Automotive reported earnings per share of 53 cents, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate by more than 43%. Revenue was flat at $348.3 million.

DTG said it now expects Corporate Adjusted EBITDA between $260 million to $285 million for 2011, instead of the earlier outlook at $235 million to $260 million.

Through its Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental brands, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group maintains a strong presence in domestic leisure travel in virtually all of the top U.S. and Canadian airport markets, and also derives a significant portion of its revenue from international travelers to the U.S. under contracts with various international tour operators.

DTG is part of the Business Services industry. There are 2 other names from this space on today's Zacks #1 Rank List: fellow car rental company HTZ and Crawford & Company (CRD.B - Snapshot Report).

CARBO Ceramics Inc. (CRR - Snapshot Report) surpassed profit expectations in each quarter of 2010, and began 2011 with the best quarter in its history. Earnings estimates for this ceramic proppant supplier have been moving steadily higher over the past month, underscoring its Zacks #1 Rank.

Today, CRR made its presence known on the Zacks #1 Rank Top Performers List, as shares gained nearly 8.3%. Volume almost reached 651,000 shares, which was a bit better than the daily average of around 605,000.

In the past 30 days, there have been 6 upward revisions out of 11 total estimates. There were no downward estimates. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has moved higher by 10% in that time to the current reading of $4.74 per share. There has also been a nearly 2% improvement in the past 7 days.

The trajectory is similar for 2012. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for next year is $6.14 per share presently, marking an advance of 10.8% in 30 days as 7 of 12 estimates moved higher with none moving lower. Furthermore, the past 7 days has seen a gain of 3.7%.

At the moment, analysts are expecting profit growth of 30% for 2012 over 2011.

CARBO Ceramics earned $1.30 per share for the first quarter, which was more than 27% ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This marked the fifth straight quarter with a positive earnings surprise. Revenues jumped by 22% to $150.8 million.

CARBO Ceramics is the world's largest supplier of ceramic proppant for fracturing oil and gas wells; provider of the industry’s most popular fracture simulation software; and a provider of fracture design and consulting services. It provides a broad range of technologies for spill prevention, containment and countermeasures, along with geotechnical monitoring.

CRR is part of the oil – field services industry. There is only one other name from this space on today’s Zacks #1 Rank List: Basic Energy Services, Inc. (BAS - Snapshot Report).

Read the full analyst report on BAS

Read the full analyst report on CRD.B

Read the full analyst report on HTZ

Read the full analyst report on DTG

Read the full analyst report on CRR