Top Performing Stocks for the Week Ended Mar 2

The five best performing stocks on the Zacks #1 Rank List last week were: Western Refining, Inc. (WNR - Snapshot Report), NCI, Inc. (NCIT - Snapshot Report), TeleTech Holdings, Inc. (TTEC - Snapshot Report) and GAMCO Investors, Inc. (GBL - Snapshot Report).

Western Refining, Inc. (WNR - Snapshot Report) announced solid fourth-quarter and year-end results on Feb 27, and also sees first quarter results at or above the sequential period. Due to the strong performance and guidance, the independent crude oil refiner and marketer gained 9.3% last week. Fourth-quarter earnings per share of 76 cents topped the consensus by almost 77%, helping this Zacks #1 Rank company reach 52-week highs on both Mar 1 and Mar 2.

Western Refining said it was pleased with its 2006 achievements and believes it is well-positioned for continued success in 2007. Analysts seem to agree, and have boosted their earnings per share guidance for the year ending December 2007 by 14% in the past seven days. In addition, expectations for the quarter ending this month jumped 61% in the same time frame.

NCI, Inc. (NCIT - Snapshot Report) reported strong fourth-quarter and full-year performances on Feb 21, helping shares of this Zacks #1 Rank company advance 7.7% for the week ending Mar 2. Furthermore, the provider of information technology services and solutions hit a 52-week high last Wednesday. Fourth-quarter revenues rose to $64.6 million, versus $47.4 million a year earlier, marking an organic revenue growth rate of 36%. Earnings per share of 23 cents bettered Wall Street expectations by 15%.

Revenues advanced to $218.3 million for 2006, versus $191.3 million in 2005, marking an organic revenue growth rate of 14%. NCI stated that it was a year of significant expansion of its customer base, excellent financial results and outstanding positioning in its marketplace. Expectations are high for 2007 as well. NCI forecasted full-year 2007 earnings per share between 83 cents and 88 cents on revenue between $255 million and $265 million. The consensus estimate calls for profits of 84 cents per share, eight cents more than brokerage analysts were forecasting a month ago.

TeleTech Holdings, Inc. (TTEC - Snapshot Report) reached a 52-week high on Mar 1. Early last month, the business process outsourcing provider announced its fourth-quarter results. Revenue of $336.7 million was the highest quarterly revenue in the company’s history and marked an almost 11% year-over-year gain from $304.2 million. Earnings per share improved from the previous year and eclipsed the consensus.

The Zacks #1 Rank company, which expects revenue to grow approximately 15% in 2007 and between 12% and 15% in 2008, was one of last week’s top performing companies with a gain of 2.1%. TeleTech Holdings was also one of the best-performing stocks for the week ending Feb 9, which was the same week of its earnings announcement. Over the past month, analysts raised their earnings per share expectations for this year by 13.4%, including a slight rise in the past seven days.

GAMCO Investors, Inc. (GBL - Snapshot Report) is a Zacks #1 Rank company that gained almost 1.6% last week. The company, through its subsidiaries, manages assets in private advisory accounts, mutual funds and closed-end funds, and partnerships and offshore funds. For its fourth quarter, GAMCO announced earnings per share of 86 cents, improving year over year and bettering the consensus by about 28%. Revenues rose to $82.5 million. For full-year 2006, earnings per share improved to $2.38, compared to $2.10, while total revenues rose to $261.5 million, compared to $253.3 million in 2005. Over the past month, earnings estimates for the year ending December 2007 are up 5.6%.