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Industry Outlook Article Archive

Hotels and Lodging
By Zacks Equity Research
Nov 19, 2009
With some early signs of economic recovery, we believe that hotel occupancy will improve in the fourth quarter of 2009 and in 2010.

Steel Industry
By Zacks Equity Research
Nov 13, 2009
The largest drivers of steel consumption have historically been the automotive and construction markets, which make up more than 50% of total steel consumption.

Big Pharma & Biotech
By Zacks Equity Research
Nov 10, 2009
The next five years are expected to reflect a significant imbalance between new product introductions and patent losses.

Alternative Energy
By Zacks Equity Research
Nov 05, 2009
Earlier this year, quite a few alternative energy companies were in the trough. These companies have recovered from their lows.

Aerospace & Defense
By Zacks Equity Research
Nov 04, 2009
Smaller niche companies may accelerate hiring as the United States garners resources to protect ground troops and strategic computer networks.

U.S. Airlines Industry
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 27, 2009
Though almost all carriers are expected to post negative earnings in 2009, we favor Southwest Airlines and JetBlue going forward.

Real Estate Investment Trusts
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 23, 2009
Both new and existing home sales have increased during the last four consecutive months and are now 32% and 17% above their recent lows, respectively. We like AGNC and SPG.

Restaurant Industry
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 20, 2009
The U.S. restaurant industry, which constitutes fast food, casual dining and upscale chains, is facing its toughest times in three decades.

Medical Devices
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 16, 2009
The Healthcare IT landscape has changed since the Obama Administration passed a health care stimulus package to encourage hospitals and physicians practices to modernize their health record keeping.

Telecommunications Industry
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 15, 2009
Companies in the telecommunications industry continue to be at the forefront in terms of mergers and acquisitions.

U.S. Banks
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 14, 2009
The banking system is not yet out of the woods, as there are persistent problems that need to be addressed by the government before shifting the strategy to growth.

Electrical Products
By Zacks Equity Research
Oct 12, 2009
The U.S. Electrical Products industry is highly fragmented, with the largest suppliers together accounting for only a small percentage of total sales.

Oil & Gas Industry
By Sheraz Mian
Sep 15, 2009
Our view is that oil should be able to hold onto its recent gains and consolidate around current levels, provided this favorable economic view remains in place.

Retail Industry
By Zacks Equity Research
Aug 17, 2009
The strong relative performance of retailing stocks thus far has been due to low expectations, "less bad" sales declines and cost cutting efforts. We discuss Whole Foods, Winn-Dixie and Safeway.

Healthcare: HMOs and Hospitals
By Zacks Equity Research
Aug 07, 2009
Long-term growth of the healthcare sector overall continues to be fuelled by aging of the population and decisions in Congress related to government funding. We discuss UHS, MD and AGP.

Hotels & Lodging
By Sean P. Smith
Aug 04, 2009
As the recession continues, hotel industry operating metrics are showing no signs of improvement as both business and leisure travelers are cutting back. We would continue to avoid lodging companies such as Starwood and Marriott.

Restaurant Industry
By Ann Northrop
Aug 03, 2009
While there are pockets of opportunity in the sector, we think the recovery will be slower than anticipated by the market. We are favorable on DRI and BWLD, but not on BJRI or RRGB.

REIT Industry
By Greg Sukenik
Jul 31, 2009
In this environment, we like well-capitalized companies that have adequate liquidity to fund maturing debt at least through 2010. We like Avalon Bay and Vornado.

Non-U.S. Banks
By Ann Heffron
Jul 30, 2009
We believe that banks in stable emerging economies, such as Chile, Brazil or India, may be more attractive investments -- similar to what we expect for certain regional banks in the US. Our Buy recommendations include ITUB, SAN and HDB.

Metals & Mining
By Paul Raman
Jul 29, 2009
The slowdown in the U.S./Europe/Japanese economies remains a negative issue facing producers. We discuss Newmont, Kinross and Harmony Gold.

Consumer Electronics
By Ian T. Gilson
Jul 28, 2009
It appears that the worst is over as demand for computers and the Flat Panel Display TV group is showing more strength than would be expected on a seasonal basis. We discuss AAPL, PALM, S, BBY, LPL and GLW.

Transportation
By Ann Heffron
Jul 22, 2009
We would avoid companies that are in very volatile industries, such as shipping and airlines. Stock prices in these industries can display enormous gains and losses on a frequent basis and are not for the faint of heart. We have Sells on OSG, CEA, DRYS, EXM and FDX.

Chemicals & Fertilizers
By Paul Raman
Jul 21, 2009
The global slowdown in economic growth will directly affect the chemical industry. Celanese is rated a Sell due to weak demand growth.

Telecom Industry
By David Weissman
Jul 20, 2009
Qualcomm and China Mobile have significant cash, and each has unique exposure to wireless and international business, along with strong balance sheet positions to sustain their expansion initiatives.

Software Sector
By Abdul Saleh
Jul 17, 2009
Generally speaking, a downturn is when investment in IT is most critical because these investments can make operations more efficient. This idea is one reason why we think that the tech sector would weather a downturn better than other parts of the economy. SAP, Fiserv and Intuit offer opportunities.

Automotive Industry
By Paul Raman
Jul 16, 2009
AutoZone is a Buy due to improving same-store sales and a resurgence in the used car and auto parts market. TRW Automotive is a Buy due to restructuring.

Medical Devices
By Brian Marckx
Jul 15, 2009
In the coming year, investors should allocate funds to companies with high earnings quality profiles. We like St. Jude Medical, Baxter International and C.R. Bard.

U.S. Banks
By Neena Mishra
Jul 14, 2009
For the last few quarters, the banks have mainly suffered due to the losses in mortgages and Commercial Real Estate. We have a Buy on Ocwen, but Sells on Wilmington Trust, KeyCorp, Zions Bancorp and Sallie Mae.

Consumer Staples
By Steven Ralston
Jul 13, 2009
It is expected that stocks in the Consumer Staples sector will underperform as cyclical stocks begin to discount the recovery out of the current global economic recession. In particular, we have Sells on Altria and Reynolds.

Business Consulting Services
By Sean P. Smith
Jun 29, 2009
With businesses in nearly every industry looking for ways to lower non-critical expenses, we expect the business consulting industry to face a challenging operating environment in the near term. We retain Sells on EXBD, NCI and CRAI.

Insurance
By Neena Mishra
Jun 26, 2009
A highly challenging environment for the U.S. insurance industry is expected to continue through the end of the current year, though some signs of improvement can be seen now. We have recently upgraded from Sell ratings HIG, PRS and PMI.

Coal Industry
By Neil Malkin
Jun 25, 2009
Although the rest of 2009 is likely to continue on a path of weak steel and electricity demand relative to 2008 levels, several factors should help lift the coal producers in 2010. We discuss Peabody, Arch Coal, Rio Tinto and Walter Energy.

Semiconductors
By Ken Nagy
Jun 24, 2009
Looking at industry bellwethers Intel and Texas Instruments' past quarterly results, it appears as though excess inventory has been worked off, and future quarters will likely look more like end-market demand.

Retail Industry
By Rob Plaza
Jun 23, 2009
Retailers are going to have a harder time beating estimates because expectations have climbed higher, while "less bad" results and cost cuts are already reflected in analyst estimates. We still favor Kroger, Safeway and GameStop.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
By Abdul Saleh
Jun 22, 2009
Shares of nearly all of the companies in the group got a boost immediately following the election results in India on May 17th. Shares of Patni Computers have appreciated the most, nearly 77% YTD (as of June 2nd), compared to the heavy-hitters in the industry: Infosys up 43.6% YTD, Wipro Inc. up 50.1% YTD, Cognizant Tech up 43.6% YTD and Tata Consultancy up 46.5% YTD.

Latin American Markets
By Claudio Freitas
Jun 18, 2009
The outlook for Brazil remains quite encouraging. Brazil will lead the Latin American economic recovery. We recommend Vivo, Cemig, Petrobras and Embotelladora Andina.

Hotels & Lodging
By Sean P. Smith
Jun 17, 2009
As the recession continues, hotel industry operating metrics are showing no signs of improvement, as both business and leisure travelers are cutting back. We are keeping Sells on Marriott and Starwood.

U.S. Banks
By Neena Mishra
Jun 15, 2009
The worst of the credit crisis is now probably behind us, but the banking system is not yet out of the woods. We have upgraded Ocwen to a Buy, but retain Sells on Wilmington Trust, Zions Bancorp and Freddie Mac.

Consumer Staples
By Steven Ralston
Jun 12, 2009
It is expected that stocks in the Consumer Staples sector will underperform as cyclical stocks discount the recovery from the global recession. We have Sells on Altria and Reynolds American.

Medical Devices
By Christopher Titus
Jun 11, 2009
We continue to recommend that investors focus on companies providing life-sustaining products. These should remain insulated from the current economic crisis. We like Boston Scientific, Becton Dickinson and St. Jude Medical.

Financials
By Eric Rothmann
Jun 10, 2009
We continue to fail to see signs of enough positive catalysts to mitigate our negative outlook for the near-term prospects. We retain our Sell recommendations on the shares of Huntington Bancshares Inc., MGIC Investment Corporation and MBIA.

Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
By Jason Napodano
Jun 09, 2009
We would be cautious on three names in particular: Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly, as these are the three largest players in the sector that are likely to "go shopping."

Automotive Industry
By Paul Raman
Jun 08, 2009
We upgrade the industry from Negative to Neutral, and have Buy recommendations for AutoZone and TRW Automotive.

Machinery Industry
By Mario Ricchio
Jun 05, 2009
Monetary conditions have helped to put a bid into commodity prices. We would become more constructive on commodity stocks, such as Freeport McMoRan.

Chemicals & Fertilizers
By Paul Raman
Jun 02, 2009
Nearly 10% of chemical demand is directly tied to the housing sector, and an additional 10% is tied to the auto sector. We have Sells on Celanese and Eastman.

Healthcare Industry
By Chris Kallos
May 29, 2009
Investor sentiment in healthcare continues to be driven by both Washington, DC and the state of the broader economy. We have Buys on Bioscrip, WellPoint and NovaMed.

Consumer Electronics
By Ian T. Gilson
May 28, 2009
The average US household spent $1,229 on consumer electronics in 2008, a drop of 12.5% from 2007. We see positives for Apple, but negatives for Sony.

Telecom Industry
By David Weissman
May 27, 2009
We recommend selected net cash positive companies able to weather financial market volatility. Companies that match well with the aforementioned considerations include Tekelec, Kongzhong and China Mobile.

Oil & Gas Industry
By Sheraz Mian
May 21, 2009
Our view is that oil should be able to hold onto its recent gains and consolidate around current levels. We like Exxon, Schlumberger, Ensco and Weatherford.

Transportation
By Ann Heffron
May 20, 2009
Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. Our Sell recommendations include OSG and CEA.

Metals & Mining Industry
By Paul Raman
May 14, 2009
Prices have peaked due to the record commodities run-up and also by slowing economies. We do, however, have Buys on DRD Gold and Harmony Gold.

Non-U.S. Banks
By Ann Heffron
May 13, 2009
We believe that banks in stable emerging economies, such as Chile, Brazil or India, may be more attractive investments. Our Buys are ITU, SAN and HDB.

Alternative Energy
By Jonathan Kolb
May 12, 2009
We favor companies offering photovoltaics (PV) and large-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) and nuclear systems over other forms alternative energy such as biofuels, geothermal or hydropower. Our Buys include Entergy, FPL Group, Evergreen Solar, Energy Conversion Devices and SunPower.

Semiconductor Industry
By Abdul Saleh
May 08, 2009
Historically speaking, the Semiconductor sector is able to manage and recover from periods of weak demand. We discuss ATML, TQNT, ANAD, BRCM and CY.

Business Consulting
By Sean P. Smith
May 07, 2009
Although the majority of attention regarding the current recession has focused on the consumer sector, business are being forced to cut back on expenditures as well. We have Sells on EXBD, NCI and CRAI.

Automotive Industry
By Paul Raman
May 04, 2009
Changes may result in lower demand for US auto suppliers. Ford is likely to be a beneficiary, but Magna, Lear and American Axle may be headed for trouble.

Coal Industry
By Neil Malkin
May 01, 2009
Decreased demand for steel and electricity caused by a global recession has pushed global coal prices down off their highs of 2008. Our two Buys remain Peabody and Arch Coal.

Retail Industry
By Rob Plaza
Apr 30, 2009
While there have been some signs that conditions have stabilized from the freefall in the fourth quarter of 2008, there haven't been any real signs of improvement for retailers. We have Buys on Kroger and GameStop, but Sells on Oxford Industries and Cost Plus.

Semiconductors & Electrical Components
By Ken Nagy
Apr 29, 2009
Firms that provide solutions to so-called "energy vampires" will outperform. Our favorite name in this arena is Power Integrations.

Latin American Markets
By Claudio Freitas
Apr 28, 2009
We remain skeptical on commodity stocks -- or in other words, there are less risky and equally profitable (at least) alternatives in the Latin American domestic market. We like VIV and AKO.A, but not GGB.

U.S. Insurance Industry
By Neena Mishra
Apr 27, 2009
Ongoing turmoil in the financial markets has resulted in a highly challenging environment for the U.S. insurance industry -- a trend that is expected to continue at least through the end of the current year. We have a Buy on PartnerRe, but Sells on Hartford and Primus.

Medical Devices & Supplies
By Tom Park
Apr 24, 2009
Medical device companies have been more sensitive to this economy as a result of the additional impact from the credit crunch. We have a Buy on Immucor.

Restaurant Industry
By Ann Northrop
Apr 23, 2009
The chief catalysts in the recent restaurant stock rally were better-than-expected earnings reports by Darden Restaurants (DRI), Brinker International (EAT), Ruby Tuesday (RT) and California Pizza Kitchen (CPKI). With the exception of Darden, however, the out-performance was driven by strong cost controls, decelerating commodity prices and conservative assumptions.

Biotech Industry
By Grant Zeng
Apr 17, 2009
The major indices declined as much as 40% while the NASDAQ Biotech Index declined only 12.6% and the AMEX Biotech Index was down 17.7%. We like MYGN, ONXX and AMAG.

Machinery & Industrials
By Mario Ricchio
Apr 15, 2009
Despite the significant equity market rally off the March lows, we still see a challenging global economic backdrop and a less than robust environment for the Machinery sector.

Business Process Outsourcing
By Abdul Saleh
Apr 14, 2009
BPO companies were all under significant pressure even before the economic malaise, with a slowdown in its growth trajectory. We recommend Holds on Cognizant, Infosys and Wipro -- and a Sell on Satyam.

Medical Devices
By Christopher Titus
Apr 13, 2009
We continue to recommend that investors focus on companies providing life-sustaining products. We like STJ, BDX, BAX, BSX and BCR.

Consumer Staples
By Steven Ralston
Apr 08, 2009
For now, concentrate on high quality companies with stable and consistent cash flow. Also, focus on stocks with high dividend yields. We like Estee Lauder, Sara Lee and Dean Foods.

Pharmaceutical Industry
By Jason Napodano
Apr 03, 2009
Attractive valuations, along with big dividend yields, should protect investors against significant downside risk even if the economy continues to languish well into the second half of the year. Buy BMY, ABT and JNJ.

U.S. Banks
By Neena Mishra
Apr 02, 2009
We maintain a Negative outlook on the U.S. Banks -- though we are now less negative than we were at the time of our earlier reports, as we see some signs of deceleration in the economic slowdown. We retain our Sells on WL, ZION, KEY, CMA and FRE.

Consumer Electronics
By Ian T. Gilson
Apr 01, 2009
All of the major markets are down year-to-year in dollar terms with many suppliers selling products at a loss. Apple Inc. is a Hold, and Sony remains a Sell.

Hotels & Lodging
By Sean P. Smith
Mar 31, 2009
When evaluating hotel companies like Starwood and Marriott during this down cycle, we will be paying especially close attention to changes in average daily room rates as an indication of how quickly the sector may recover once the economy improves.

Restaurant Industry
By Ann Northrop
Mar 30, 2009
Our restaurant index's rebound has been sharper than the broader market, in part because its fall was greater. All 3 indexes remain 43% off their 52-week highs. We have Buys on DRI and BWLD, but Sells on BJRI and RRGB.

Financials
By Eric Rothmann
Mar 27, 2009
While we remain negative over all, we would note our outlook has begun to improve a bit around the edges given the comparatively limited downside potential remaining for certain entities. We retain Sells on HBAN, ABK, MTG and MBI.

Telecom (Asia/Pacific Rim)
By Peter Chua
Mar 26, 2009
For telecom services, with its low penetration rate of 40% and low ARPU (average revenue per user), in many cases less than $10 per month, the industry in this region should be more resilient to a downturn. Philippine Long Distance is currently a Hold.

Business Consulting Services
By Sean P. Smith
Jan 16, 2009
With businesses in nearly every industry looking for ways to lower non-critical expenses, we expect the business consulting industry to face a challenging operating environment in the near term. We have Sells on EXBD, NCI and CRAI.

Non-US Banks
By Ann Heffron
Jan 15, 2009
As in the US, non-US bank stocks continue on a downward trend this year due to the financial problems that began in the US subprime mortgage market and spread globally to engulf many major financial institutions in most countries. Our Sell recommendations include BBV and STD.

Alternative Energy
By Jonathan Kolb
Jan 14, 2009
Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment. We have Buys on ETR, ENER, JASO, FPL and ESLR.

Medical Devices & Supplies
By Tom Park
Jan 13, 2009
Many medical device companies have been also negatively impacted by the current economic slowdown. Our main Buy recommendation currently is Immucor.

Retail Industry
By Rob Plaza
Jan 12, 2009
In our view, the 50-day upward move in retail stocks was a bear-market rally. Investors should begin to lighten up on exposure to retail stocks. We do, however, have Buys on Kroger, PetMed Express and GameStop.

Japanese Automakers
By Paul Raman
Jan 07, 2009
Senior automotive industry analyst Paul Raman, CFA, recently returned from the San Diego Auto Show, had these comments to make about Toyota Motors (TM), Honda Motor Company (HMC), Nissan Motors (NSANY) and others.

Three Steel Industries in Top 100
By James Giaquinto
Oct 05, 2006
Steel continues to be in demand both domestically and internationally.

Linking Up with Computer Networks
By James Giaquinto
Sep 21, 2006
Approximately 26% of the industry has a Buy rating, including the networking leader Cisco Systems.

Machinery Still Working
By James Giaquinto
Sep 07, 2006
Approximately 40% of both the general machinery and construction/mining machinery industries enjoy a buy rating.

Trucks Still Rolling
By James Giaquinto
Aug 31, 2006
Despite high oil prices and a shortage of drivers, trucking remains in the Top 25 of the Zacks Industry Rank.

Impressive Fundamentals in Software
By James Giaquinto
Aug 24, 2006
Approximately 21% of the computer software industry enjoys a Zacks #1 Rank or Zacks #2 Rank.

Insuring Your Portfolio
By James Giaquinto
Aug 17, 2006
The HMO industry has three Zacks #1 Ranks (Strong Buy) and two Zacks #2 Ranks (Buy).

Step Up to Shoes & Related Apparel
By James Giaquinto
Aug 10, 2006
The industry has five stocks with either a Strong Buy or Buy rating.

Demand Remains High in Wire & Cable Products
By James Giaquinto
Aug 03, 2006
There are four Zacks #1 Rank stocks in the industry.

U.S. Integrateds Should Outperform Peers
By James Giaquinto
Jul 26, 2006
The industry is fairly diversified within the energy space, pay steadily growing dividends and spend significant amounts on buybacks.

Spending in Computer Storage
By James Giaquinto
Jul 20, 2006
Computer storage companies with new technologies should outperform in 2006.

Telecom Equipment in Top 100
By James Giaquinto
Jul 13, 2006
Though carriers are being careful, growing technologies, such as 3G wireless, provide potential for investors.

Consumers Backing Chips
By James Giaquinto
Jul 06, 2006
Consumer products, especially cell phones, are helping the semiconductor industry to prosper.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of July 3
By Charles Rotblut
Jul 03, 2006
Estimates are rising on foreign oil companies.

Companies Rely on Business Services
By James Giaquinto
Jun 29, 2006
Solid economy and business spending growth fueling demand.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jun 26
By Charles Rotblut
Jun 26, 2006
The second-quarter earnings season is looking bullish.

Steel Producers Ranked 11th
By James Giaquinto
Jun 22, 2006
Despite high raw materials prices, steel producers continue to benefit from U.S. manufacturing and expansion overseas.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jun 19
By Charles Rotblut
Jun 19, 2006
Investment banks profits and why the outlook for railroads remains bright.

Still Shopping
By James Giaquinto
Jun 14, 2006
The retail-miscellaneous/diversified industry is benefiting from undaunted consumers.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jun 12
By Charles Rotblut
Jun 12, 2006
Ironically, given the inverted yield curve, estimates for brewers and distillers are rising.

Oil Machinery and Equipment in Demand
By James Giaquinto
Jun 07, 2006
Half of the companies in Oil Field ? Machinery & Equipment are Zacks #1 Ranks.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jun 5
By Charles Rotblut
Jun 05, 2006
Earnings estimate revision data suggests analysts believe demand for metals is not weakening.

A&D Equipment Flying High
By James Giaquinto
Jun 01, 2006
The industry should benefit from further outperformance of the aerospace and defense sector in 2006.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of May 29
By Charles Rotblut
May 31, 2006
Several components of the Industrial Products sector command industry ranks of 2.44 or better.

Strong Connections for Wire & Cable Products
By James Giaquinto
May 24, 2006
Despite a volatile environment, wire & cable products is in the top five.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of May 22
By Charles Rotblut
May 22, 2006
The earnings outlook for commodity stocks has not changed.

Machinery Demand Continues
By James Giaquinto
May 17, 2006
Markets for the construction & mining machinery industry remain strong.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of May 15
By Charles Rotblut
May 15, 2006
Earnings estimate revision momentum remains positive for oilfield companies.

Rebound Continues for Hotels
By James Giaquinto
May 10, 2006
Companies with premium services should outperform their peers.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of May 8
By Charles Rotblut
May 08, 2006
Some trends can be derived from first-quarter earnings.

Non-Ferrous Mining Has the Top Spot
By James Giaquinto
May 04, 2006
High commodity prices likely to enhance earnings over the next two to three years.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of May 1
By Charles Rotblut
May 01, 2006
Bullish results from electrical companies are notable in what is shaping up to be a stock picker?s earnings season.

The Industry That Could
By James Giaquinto
Apr 26, 2006
Railroads is the best-performing segment of the transportation industry.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Apr 24
By Charles Rotblut
Apr 24, 2006
First-quarter earnings season has started off on a positive note.

Steel Leads the Industry Rank
By James Giaquinto
Apr 19, 2006
The sector is getting help both here at home and overseas.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Apr 17
By Charles Rotblut
Apr 17, 2006
Positive earnings surprises have outnumbered negative surprises by a margin of greater than 2:2:1.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Apr 10
By Charles Rotblut
Apr 10, 2006
Commodity-related stocks should lead a bullish first-quarter earnings season

Spending Growth Helping Business Services
By James Giaquinto
Apr 06, 2006
Outsourcing to experience strong growth over the next three-to-five years.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Apr 3
By Charles Rotblut
Apr 03, 2006
Find out which sectors are poised to do well heading into the summer months.

Retail Preparing for Spring
By James Giaquinto
Mar 30, 2006
Retailers should benefit from an improving economy and consumer confidence.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Mar 27
By Charles Rotblut
Mar 27, 2006
Steel-Producers has a Zacks Industry Rank of 2.29 and seven Zacks #1 Rank stocks.

Built to Last
By James Giaquinto
Mar 23, 2006
Building products industry still strong in 2006.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Mar 20
By Charles Rotblut
Mar 20, 2006
When external factors affect one industry group, other related groups are also often affected.

Demand for Machinery Stays Strong
By James Giaquinto
Mar 16, 2006
Manufacturing sector grew for the 33rd straight month in February.

Industry Rank Analysis for the Week of Mar 13
By Charles Rotblut
Mar 13, 2006
With inflation worries likely to continue, investors may want to look towards metal stocks ? particularly copper stocks.

Bullish Freight Volumes Help Trucking
By James Giaquinto
Mar 08, 2006
Despite high fuel costs and a shortage of drivers, the trucking industry continues to roll along.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Mar 6
By Charles Rotblut
Mar 06, 2006
Investors need to place an increased emphasis on stocks with positive earnings estimate revisions, such as this week's large-cap and micro-cap picks.

Finding a Niche in Software
By James Giaquinto
Mar 02, 2006
Long-term growth prospects for computer software are still modestly above average.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Feb 27
By Charles Rotblut
Feb 28, 2006
More companies are enjoying price power, which improves prospects for earnings growth.

Pricing Power Continues to Improve
By James Giaquinto
Feb 23, 2006
The oil field machinery & equipment industry is benefiting from increased activity from E&P companies.

Industry Rank for the Week of Feb 20
By Charles Rotblut
Feb 21, 2006
The earnings reports from the retail sector have been roughly inline with most other sectors.

A Positive Story in 2006
By James Giaquinto
Feb 16, 2006
Worldwide sales of semiconductors are expected to grow 7.9% to $245 billion this year.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Feb 13
By Charles Rotblut
Feb 13, 2006
Positive earnings surprises and upwardly revised earnings estimates are being driven by company-specific issues.

Aerospace/Defense Set for Strong 2006
By James Giaquinto
Feb 08, 2006
The industry is poised to once again outperform the broader market indices.

Industry Rank for the Week of Feb 6
By Charles Rotblut
Feb 06, 2006
Fourth-quarter earnings surprises continue to exceeded misses by a margin of 2.4:1.

The Tanker Freight Market has Strengthened
By James Giaquinto
Feb 03, 2006
The transportation - shipping industry is running on a full tank.

Valuations in telecom equipment back to `pre-bubble` levels
By James Giaquinto
Feb 01, 2006
But picking winners still requires selectivity in the current environment.

Industry Rank for the Week of Jan 30
By Charles Rotblut
Jan 30, 2006
Just under half of all earnings misses have come from the financial sector, while tech stocks account for about a quarter of all positive surprises.

E-commerce Clicking
By James Giaquinto
Jan 25, 2006
E-commerce put together another solid performance in the 2005 holiday shopping season.

Industry Rank Analysis for the Week of Jan 23
By Charles Rotblut
Jan 23, 2006
In response to early fourth-quarter reports, analysts have raised estimates on 152 companies and cut estimates on 151 companies.

An Illuminating Idea
By James Giaquinto
Jan 20, 2006
With a Zacks Industry Rank of 2.40, the fiber optics industry is knocking on the door of the top ten

Making Room for Computer Storage
By James Giaquinto
Jan 18, 2006
Some computer storage companies experiencing strong demand despite modest spending.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jan 16
By Charles Rotblut
Jan 16, 2006
Fourth-quarter earnings have been exceeding expectations.

Air Freighters Deliver
By James Giaquinto
Jan 12, 2006
Pickup in global economy causes increase in demand for shipping.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jan 9
By Charles Rotblut
Jan 09, 2006
Signs point to a strong fourth-quarter earnings season and bullish guidance for 2006.

Trend Toward BPO Continues
By James Giaquinto
Jan 05, 2006
Business-process outsourcing is a hot spot in the business services industry.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Jan 2
By Charles Rotblut
Jan 03, 2006
A look at a few industries that could perform well in 2006.

Drillers Digging Up Profits
By James Giaquinto
Dec 29, 2005
Growth in energy industries should come from smaller companies in 2006.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Dec 26
By Charles Rotblut
Dec 27, 2005
Analysts are upping their 2006 profit forecasts on drilling and oilfield companies.

Try This on for Size
By James Giaquinto
Dec 22, 2005
Consumers doing their part this holiday season for the retail - apparel/shoe industry.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Dec 19
By Charles Rotblut
Dec 19, 2005
Mining stocks appear poised to benefit from rising metal prices.

Machinery Still Working
By James Giaquinto
Dec 15, 2005
The machinery industry should have a positive fourth quarter with demand likely to grow year-over-year.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Dec 12
By Charles Rotblut
Dec 12, 2005
Transportation continues to displace Oils-Energy as the top-ranked sector.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Dec 12
By Charles Rotblut
Dec 12, 2005
Transportation continues to displace Oils-Energy as the top-ranked sector.

Beaming Over Lasers
By James Giaquinto
Dec 09, 2005
The lasers ? systems/components industry is getting help from semiconductors and telecom.

Profiting from the Steel Age
By James Giaquinto
Dec 08, 2005
Steel is growing in demand both at home and abroad.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of Dec 5
By Charles Rotblut
Dec 06, 2005
The decline in the increased/total estimates ratio is not a reason to worry.

Consumers Chip In
By James Giaquinto
Dec 02, 2005
Consumer demand is fueling the semiconductor industry.

BioTech Research Paying Off
By James Giaquinto
Nov 30, 2005
BioTech companies should have a meaningfully better second half of the decade.

Zacks Industry Rank for the Week of November 28
By Charles Rotblut
Nov 28, 2005
Promotional pricing attracts consumers on Black Friday.

More Than Microsoft
By James Giaquinto
Nov 23, 2005
The long-term growth prospects for computer software remains modestly above average.

Industry Rank for the Week of November 21
By Charles Rotblut
Nov 23, 2005
Some Thanksgiving-related stocks could add gravy to your portfolio.

Gear Up
By James Giaquinto
Nov 18, 2005
Fundamentals for telecom equipment have bottomed and stocks should move higher if the economy does.

Transportation Delivers
By James Giaquinto
Nov 17, 2005
The transportation industry should perform in-line with the economy.

Industry Rank for the Week of November 14
By Charles Rotblut
Nov 14, 2005
With cracks in the housing industry forming, investors may want to look elsewhere.

At Your Service
By James Giaquinto
Nov 11, 2005
There are significant growth opportunities in the various outsourcing markets.

Connecting to Wire and Cable Products
By James Giaquinto
Nov 10, 2005
Despite high raw material costs, earnings estimates for this industry are rising.

Industry Rank for the Week of November 7
By Charles Rotblut
Nov 07, 2005
Margins are rising for cable and wire companies, but retailers are relying on promotional pricing.

The Two Faces of the Aerospace and Defense Industry
By James Giaquinto
Nov 03, 2005
Strength in the defense area is being offset by weakness in commercial aviation.

Industry Rank for the Week of October 31
By Charles Rotblut
Oct 31, 2005
Banking stocks once again were beneficiaries of bullish analyst forecasts.

A Well-Oiled Industry
By James Giaquinto
Oct 28, 2005
The machinery industry is being helped by solid manufacturing activity.

Healthy Outlook for Medical Instruments
By James Giaquinto
Oct 27, 2005
Growth rate for the medical instruments industry is above the U.S. GDP.

Industry Rank for the Week of October 24
By Charles Rotblut
Oct 24, 2005
A sizeable percentage of full-year estimates are being revised upwards for major banks.

Positive Developments in Steel
By James Giaquinto
Oct 21, 2005
Growth in U.S. manufacturing and from China is aiding the steel industry.

Semi`s Solid Future
By James Giaquinto
Oct 20, 2005
The semiconductor industry is a positive story in the long-term.

Industry Rank for the Week of October 17
By Charles Rotblut
Oct 17, 2005
Expectations for oil continue to gush, but fears of avian flu have yet to have any impact on earnings estimates for drug stocks.

Rationalization Takes Hold in Pharma Industry
By James Giaquinto
Oct 13, 2005
Deep R&D spending and strong secular growth drivers are helping the drugs industry.

Industry Rank for the Week of October 10
By Charles Rotblut
Oct 12, 2005
Analysis and detail of industries experiencing positive and negative earnings estimate revisions.

Airlines Far From Grounded
By James Giaquinto
Oct 07, 2005
Airline companies have found ways to survive through various initiatives.

Still Breaking Ground
By James Giaquinto
Oct 06, 2005
If homebuilding is leveling off, it does so at near-record levels.

Industry Rank for the Week of October 3
By Charles Rotblut
Oct 03, 2005
A weekly summary of industries experiencing upward and downward earnings estimate revisions.

Making Connections
By James Giaquinto
Sep 30, 2005
Telecom equipment stocks should continue to move higher on improved capital spending.

Checking In
By James Giaquinto
Sep 29, 2005
Lodging companies with premium services should continue to outperform their peers.

Industry Rank for the Week of September 26
By Charles Rotblut
Sep 26, 2005
A weekly summary of industries experiencing upward and downward earnings estimate revisions.

Outsourcing Should Continue to Grow
By James Giaquinto
Sep 23, 2005
The business services industry offers growth opportunities for investors.

Software Strengthening
By James Giaquinto
Sep 22, 2005
Long-term growth prospects remain slightly above average for computer software.

The Next Wave for Drugs
By James Giaquinto
Sep 16, 2005
The second half of the decade should be better for biotech.

Money in the Bank
By James Giaquinto
Sep 14, 2005
Large-cap banks should have an easier time showing earnings growth than their smaller peers.

Semi`s Second Half Potential
By James Giaquinto
Sep 07, 2005
The semiconductor industry is shifting from corporate IT to consumer demand.

Taking Care
By James Giaquinto
Aug 31, 2005
Favorable demographic trends and expanded Medicare reimbursements are pluses for medical care.

Breaking Ground
By James Giaquinto
Aug 26, 2005
The machinery industry is looking good for the second half.

Plan for the Future
By James Giaquinto
Aug 24, 2005
Fundamentals for the life insurance industry remain positive.

Try These Stocks On For Size
By James Giaquinto
Aug 19, 2005
Retail sales growth should remain fairly healthy

It`s All About Location
By James Giaquinto
Aug 17, 2005
Rising interest rates could be a positive for certain real estate services companies.

Making a Clear Connection
By James Giaquinto
Aug 12, 2005
The sustained economic recovery has led to renewed profit growth among telecom equipment makers.

Furnish Your Portfolio
By James Giaquinto
Aug 11, 2005
The furniture industry is being helped by positive, long-term demographic trends.

Riding the Rails
By James Giaquinto
Aug 04, 2005
The transportation industry is expected to perform in-line with the economy.

At Your Service
By James Giaquinto
Jul 29, 2005
There are significant growth opportunities in the various outsourcing markets.

Software is Growing Up
By James Giaquinto
Jul 27, 2005
Long-term growth prospects for the computer software industry are still modestly above average.

Prescription for Profit
By James Giaquinto
Jul 22, 2005
Drugs industry balanced between negative cyclical pressures and positive secular growth.

Chip Stocks Are Processing Gains
By James Giaquinto
Jul 21, 2005
The second half could be positive for the semiconductor industry.

Building Products Continue Upswing
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 20, 2005
Residential homebuilding has carried the day for this industry over the last two years.

Low-Cost Pharmacy Offerings in Play
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 19, 2005
Discount retailers, in particular, have made substantial inroads in gaining market share.

Auto Industry Headed for Changes
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 18, 2005
The SUV and truck sector may begin to suffer pricing pressure in the coming years.

Telecom Equipment Spending Up
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 15, 2005
Most activity is in 3G wireless technology, broadband equipment, and fiber-to-the-home/node gear.

Oil`s Well that Ends Well
By James Giaquinto
Jul 14, 2005
Despite concerns of a correction, integrated oil still has attractive buying opportunities.

Transportation Delivers, but Modestly
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 13, 2005
Although revenue may grow slightly over this year, rising costs should offset most of those gains.

Lodging and Travel Meet Expectations
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 12, 2005
While the economy continues its expansion phase, we remain concerned about increased inflationary pressures.

Supplies Keep Steel Strong
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 11, 2005
Prices will be aided by the ongoing industry consolidation, which reduces excess capacity conditions.

Printing Services Suffer
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 08, 2005
Commercial printing patterns based on traditional offset methods are giving way to more efficient methods.

Heading Home
By James Giaquinto
Jul 07, 2005
The homebuilding industry continues to outperform, despite concerns.

Overseas Telecom a Mixed Bag
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 07, 2005
Wireless penetration is approaching saturation at 70%-plus in some countries.

Economic Outlook Buoys Insurance Companies
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 06, 2005
An improving economy should lead to better credit quality for life insurance bond portfolios.

Apparel Sales Bolstered by Economy
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 05, 2005
Profit margins for most industry players are trending higher, in part due to currency influences.

Rapid Growth in Neurological Treatments
By Zacks Investment Research
Jul 01, 2005
This is expected to grow into a multi-billion dollar segment of the medical device industry.

Machinery Looking Good for the Second Half
By James Giaquinto
Jun 30, 2005
Rising order trends show that the machinery industry has positive momentum.

Bigger Autos May Go Out of Style
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 29, 2005
The SUV and truck sector may begin to suffer pricing pressure in the coming years.

Drug Industry Under Pressure from Generics
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 28, 2005
Generic alternatives reduce revenue growth by stealing away market share and eating into margin.

Proceed with Caution into Computer Hardware
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 27, 2005
Expensing employee stock options may have a greater impact on the earnings of technology companies.

Waste Industry Gains from Economic Pick-Up
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 24, 2005
Internal growth rates in this space will be tied to the 3-4% expected U.S. growth.

Software Industry Modestly Optimistic
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 23, 2005
The last few quarters have indicated signs of demand stabilization and cost-cutting initiatives.

Consumer Discretionary Relies on Good News
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 22, 2005
Retailers should benefit from an improving economy and consumer confidence, along with lower unemployment.

U.S. Machinery Sees Improvements
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 21, 2005
The second half of 2005 should be positive, with demand likely to grow between 10-15%.

Electronics Cost-Cutting Increases Efficiency
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 19, 2005
Though it is difficult to predict a recovery, long-term growth prospects are above average.

Look for Strong Growth in Outsourcing
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 17, 2005
Customer contract outsourcing is expected to support strong growth opportunities over the next few years.

Telecom Equipment Vendors Keep Costs Low
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 16, 2005
Now slimmed down, profit margins should respond rapidly to even a modest increase in demand.

Software Segments Reaching Maturity
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 15, 2005
Top-line growth is likely to remain below historical levels even after the industry recovers.

Oil Supply and Demand Remains Tight
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 14, 2005
We do not expect significant, sustained falling prices for crude oil over the next twelve months.

No Short-Term Relief for Paper Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 13, 2005
Continuing price wars and flat industry-wide revenues are likely to pressure industry operating margins.

U.S. Healthcare Costs Rampant
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 10, 2005
Drug manufacturers now limit wholesalers` ability to make large purchases in advance of price increases.

Semiconductors Offer Long-Term Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 09, 2005
However, inventory issues and weak consumer demand will lead to flat growth rates in 2005.

Food Industry Expected to Outperform S&P
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 08, 2005
Firms now have improving cost structures, which should help to better leverage top-line growth.

Americans Purchasing More Foreign Autos
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 07, 2005
Imports now command 37% of the U.S. market, up from 22% in the early 1980`s.

Chemical Industry Keeps Eye on Housing Market
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 06, 2005
Nearly 10% of chemical demand is directly tied to the housing sector.

Demand Keeps Strength in Steel
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 03, 2005
Prices will also be aided by the ongoing industry consolidation, which reduces excess capacity conditions.

Economy Keeps Home Building Upright
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 02, 2005
Affordability and employment mostly affect those firms catering to entry-level and first-time homebuyers.

Conglomerates Thrive on Diversity
By Zacks Investment Research
Jun 01, 2005
Most companies within the S&P 500 are continually meeting or beating their earnings expectations.

Oil Refineries Plan for Compliance Measures
By Zacks Investment Research
May 31, 2005
The need to make capital expenditures for compliance with new environmental regulations is a major issue.

Business Services Get Back to Basics
By Zacks Investment Research
May 27, 2005
We expect strong growth in the outsourcing industry over the next three-to-five years.

Improving Global Economy Helps Airfreight Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
May 26, 2005
Air transportation companies` prices remain flat to slightly up in this very competitive market.

Water Utilities Benefit from Population Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
May 25, 2005
However, they are unable to charge whatever price the market will bear as regulated utilities.

Many Real Estate Stocks Overvalued
By Zacks Investment Research
May 24, 2005
On a valuation basis, most sectors are trading at the upper end of historical ranges.

Cosmetics Dominated by Large Manufacturers
By Zacks Investment Research
May 23, 2005
Pricing pressure tends to be somewhat offset by brand recognition and perceived quality.

Pricing Competition Should Brace Insurance Stocks
By Zacks Investment Research
May 20, 2005
Slower premium growth will eventually translate into slower earnings growth for the industry.

Bigger is Better for Consumer Discretionary Stocks
By Zacks Investment Research
May 19, 2005
We believe the operating environment has become more favorable for companies with relative pricing power.

Banks Stay Consistent, Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
May 18, 2005
Large-cap banks should continue to benefit from their diverse revenue streams.

Medical Care Growth to Bring Double-Digit Earnings
By Zacks Investment Research
May 17, 2005
Competition may pressure margins, but an aggressive focus on cost reductions will benefit well-run organizations.

Coal Remains Lower Cost Energy Source
By Zacks Investment Research
May 16, 2005
Coal`s chief drawback is the high capital cost to burn it due to pollution control requirements.

Telecom Equipment Valuations Improve
By Zacks Investment Research
May 13, 2005
We continue to favor companies with significant exposure to the faster growing equipment categories.

Weaker Dollar Boosts Machinery Exports
By Zacks Investment Research
May 12, 2005
This, in addition to improved fundamentals, make us positive about the machinery industry.

Electric Utilities Return to Stable Business Mix
By Zacks Investment Research
May 11, 2005
The risk is that regulators may seek to lower utilities` allowed returns over the coming years.

Semiconductor Growth Unlikely in Near Term
By Zacks Investment Research
May 10, 2005
A less favorable supply-and-demand balance will be the major factor in dampening expansion.

New Drugs Balance Out Growth in Generics
By Zacks Investment Research
May 09, 2005
We believe the industry is evenly balanced between negative cyclical pressures and positive secular growth.

Life & Annuities Could Use Market Boost
By Zacks Investment Research
May 06, 2005
More prolonged weakness or declines in the equity markets could dampen annuity sales.

Media Companies Suffer Audience Fragmentation
By Zacks Investment Research
May 05, 2005
Consumers have access to an unprecedented selection of independent media outlets, resulting in audience dilution.

Home Construction Stocks Moderate
By Zacks Investment Research
May 04, 2005
Affordability and employment issues affect those firms catering to entry-level and first-time homebuyers.

Oil Investors Track Supply
By Zacks Investment Research
May 03, 2005
What is important for oil stocks is not the level of commodity prices, but the trend.

Domestic Auto Makers Cope with UAW Agreement
By Zacks Investment Research
May 02, 2005
Costs are much higher in the U.S., which is creating a loss of market share.

Tech Firms Seek Out Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 29, 2005
Demand for repair and maintenance outsourced services should pick up as companies defer capital spending on technology and further reduce capacity.

Consumer Discretionary Leveraged to U.S. Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 28, 2005
Excluding education services, companies within the consumer discretionary sector are positively leveraged to an improving economy.

Tanker Freight Leads Transportation
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 27, 2005
World fleet growth is tempered by strict regulations that will phase out old single-hull tankers and ban the carriage of heavy oils on them.

Drug Company Pipelines Growing Larger
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 26, 2005
Drug companies are finding new ways to reformulate and enhance current drugs and treatments.

Computer Hardware Faces Hard Facts
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 25, 2005
IBM`s recent announcement that business activity slowed during the last few weeks of March raises the prospect that spending is slowing industry-wide.

Apparel Industry Seeks International Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 22, 2005
Profit margins are trending higher due to currency influences. Many apparel makers source their products in Asia and pay for them in U.S. dollars.

Utilities Return to Basics
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 21, 2005
The return to more stable earnings, coupled with cash proceeds from asset sales--all in a low interest rate environment--enabled many utes to repay (or refinance) debt.

IT Firms May See Stock Appreciation
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 20, 2005
However, with a lack of evidence of any imminent recovery, we remain neutral on the industry as a whole.

Retail/Wholesale Tied to Consumer Comfort Level
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 19, 2005
Consumer debt is high by many measures, though including mortgages may be somewhat misleading, as U.S. home ownership is at an historic high.

Crude Prices Not Expected to Fall
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 18, 2005
The world economy continues to grow and OPEC has proven to be disciplined in controlling supplies. Consequently, we do not see crude prices falling significantly.

Semiconductors Rely on Consumer Demand
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 15, 2005
Advances in technology are enabling the industry to create lifestyle-changing devices that we could only imagine a few years ago.

Consumer Discretionary Waits on Economic Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 14, 2005
While the economic environment is improving, our neutral outlook is based primarily on the current early stage of the economic cycle.

Banks Stay Consistent, Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 13, 2005
Large-cap banks should continue to benefit from their diverse revenue streams, as they have multiple ways of showing earnings growth.

Oil Valuations at Peak Levels
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 12, 2005
Earnings and cash flows, while continuing to benefit from peak-cycle crude oil prices, remain exposed to the long-awaited correction in commodity prices.

Specialized Business Services Find Niche
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 11, 2005
A stricter regulatory environment, combined with robust M&A activity, support solid growth opportunities for search firms that are responsible for finding top-level executives.

Few Cost Reductions in Chemicals & Fertilizer
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 08, 2005
Managements are hesitant to reduce costs because there is a 15-25% cost advantage versus other chemical companies on a worldwide basis.

U.S. Population Will Fuel Medical Services
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 07, 2005
As a large segment of the U.S. population ages, there should be a corresponding increase in demand for healthcare services.

Machinery Builds for Mining and Farms
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 06, 2005
While higher commodity prices increase the demand for mining equipment, higher crop prices and farm subsidies drive demand for agricultural equipment in North America.

Oil Supply/Demand Remains Tight
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 05, 2005
We do not expect to see crude prices falling significantly from current levels for a sustained period over the next twelve months.

Slower Growth Expected for Insurance Stocks
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 04, 2005
With higher profitability due to higher premiums and benign losses, the industry`s capital has been built up. This should lead to increasing pricing competition going forward.

Big Pharma Seeking to Acquire Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Apr 01, 2005
Many of the larger drug companies are well capitalized, and significant mergers and acquisitons activity is always present in the sector.

Plastic Containers Can`t Hold Costs
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 31, 2005
The plastics market continues to face imposing demand conditions and higher resin prices, which manufacturers are finding difficult to pass on.

Plastic Containers Can`t Hold Costs
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 31, 2005
The plastics market continues to face imposing demand conditions and higher resin prices, which manufacturers are finding difficult to pass on.

Semiconductor Market Relies on Private Consumers
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 30, 2005
More than 50% of the $214 billion worth of semiconductors sold in 2004 will go into products purchased by consumers, rather than corporate IT departments.

Electric Utilities Turn Conservative
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 29, 2005
While a return to a more stable business mix has positive implications for credit quality, the electric business is only growing at around 2-3% annually.

Retail Focuses on Inventory Management
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 28, 2005
Expectations are high for new systems to provide management with faster and better information regarding what is selling.

Construction Services Expected to Moderate
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 24, 2005
The risks that could impact growth in homebuilding--a sluggish economy, higher interest rates, and weak consumer confidence--are issues that could derail this sector.

Insurance Stocks Offer Stability
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 23, 2005
The volatility in the markets could draw customers who want exposure to the equities--but with less risk--to the guaranteed features of annuity contracts.

Diversity Keeps Conglomerates Balanced
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 22, 2005
Most companies within the S&P 500 met or exceeded their earnings expectations for 2004. On average, companies have shown double-digit top-line and bottom-line growth.

Wide-Scale IT Recovery Unlikely
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 21, 2005
With more realistic expectations in place, we believe the stage is set for stock appreciation on evidence of firming spending patterns.

Dividends at Risk in Real Estate Investment Trusts
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 18, 2005
Most office and apartment REITs are running at negative free cash flow after a few years of declining cash flow, and must sell properties to help pay quarterly dividends.

Stagnant Demand Hampers U.S. Automakers
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 17, 2005
This sector is facing competition from imports, which now make up 37% of the U.S. market, up from 22% at the beginning of the 1980s.

Steel Prices Aided by Consolidation
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 16, 2005
Over the longer term, we think that the ongoing consolidation process in the industry will reduce the number of players, and make the steel sector less fragmented.

Small Town Newspapers Outperform Big City Ones
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 15, 2005
We expect revenues to continue expanding at a modest rate in coming months, but don?t expect a dramatic change in the current outlook.

Trucking Freight Volumes Improve
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 14, 2005
Nevertheless, cost increases in freight equipment, insurance and diesel fuel will continue to put pressure on margins.

Banks & Thrifts Seek Margin Expansion
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 11, 2005
Though an increasing rate environment as a rule is not the best scenario for bank stocks, this slow, steady increase from recent historic lows is most likely favorable.

Coal Industry Works Through Stockpiles
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 10, 2005
Favorable weather conditions and continued strength in competing fuel prices has helped increase coal consumption by power plants.

Audience Fragmentation Hampers Big Media
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 09, 2005
Consumers have access to an unprecedented selection of independent media outlets, resulting in audience dilution for most traditional media services.

Telecom Equipment Vendors Expect to Grow Margins
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 08, 2005
Now that these companies have slimmed down, profit margins should respond rapidly to even a modest pickup in demand.

Consumer Discretionary Cautiously Optimistic
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 07, 2005
We expect the operating environment for the sector to become more favorable as the economy moves further into the expansion phase.

Great Prospects for Business Services
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 03, 2005
With an improving economy the outsourcing and staffing industry offers attractive opportunities for investors.

Electric Utilities May Be Shorting Out
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 02, 2005
There are still some nice income opportunties in this group, but overall fundamentals make capital appreciation difficult. Why? Read on...

Insurance Industry Offers a Mixed Bag of Opportunities
By Zacks Investment Research
Mar 01, 2005
Life insurance companies are showing some positives signs while prospects for theproperty/casualty segment is less promising.

Pharmaceuticals: Clean Bill of Health for 2005?
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 28, 2005
The recent Medicare Reform bill offers some positive and negative potential outcomes for the industry.

What`s in Store for Chemical Stocks?
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 25, 2005
Increased demand and increased raw material costs create an interesting environment for chemical firms at this point in time.

Oil Refinery Gains Expected to Plateau
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 24, 2005
The need to make capital expenditures for compliance with new environmental regulations is a major issue with a large number of refiners.

Construction Services Turn Cautious
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 23, 2005
The risks that could impact growth in homebuilding--a sluggish economy, higher interest rates, higher unemployment, and weak consumer confidence--are issues that could derail this sector.

Banks Augment Business Mix
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 22, 2005
Commercial and industrial lending (C&I) remains weak at the moment, but we are hopeful that levels have bottomed and increasing demand is on the way.

Another Fruitful Year Expected for Machinery
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 18, 2005
Companies such as CAT, DE and ITW will benefit on the export front (at the expense of their European counterparts) due to a weaker U.S. dollar.

Business IT Has Yet to Find a Catalyst
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 17, 2005
Given the flat market for technology stocks over the past year, many of the expectations for a continued recovery have likely been removed.

Footwear and Apparel Growth Continues
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 16, 2005
Our main concern is the possibility that higher interest rates will slow home refinancing activity, which has fueled consumer spending over the past several years.

Extensive Media Consolidation Unlikely
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 15, 2005
Large media companies look to reinvest in additional media outlets, but growth is limited by government regulations on media ownership.

Surpluses Weaken Paper Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 14, 2005
Continuing price wars and flat industry-wide revenues in 2004 are likely to pressure industry operating margins.

Slow, Steady Growth Expected for Retail/Wholesale
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 11, 2005
Merchandising will continue to be very important, as consumers are selective in terms of product and price.

Interest Rates Remain Relatively Low
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 10, 2005
Credit quality has generally improved, and reduced provisioning is providing a boost.

Innovation Continues to Fuel Medical Devices
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 09, 2005
The major factors that influence the industry are the aging U.S. population, the U.S. third-party payment system, and rapid technological changes that flow through the industry.

Commercial Real Estate Keeps Humming
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 08, 2005
With continuing strong consumption in the U.S., retail REITs should continue to see favorable returns.

Coal Stockpiles Being Worked Through
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 07, 2005
A combination of colder weather and continued strength in competing fuel prices is helping to increase coal consumption.

Oil Refining Margins to Remain at Mid-Cycle
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 04, 2005
After experiencing trough-level refining and marketing margins for most of 2002, margins rebounded nicely in 2003 and remained strong throughout 2004.

Improved Mix Key for Auto Parts Companies
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 03, 2005
Option packages that include safety features have led to pricing power due to a perceived increase in value.

Conglomerates Hope to Parlay Strong 2004
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 02, 2005
On average, companies have shown double-digit top-line and bottom-line growth when compared to fiscal 2003.

Insurance Industry May Consider Mergers
By Zacks Investment Research
Feb 01, 2005
A catalyst for life and annuity stocks is industry consolidation, as new regulations increase reserve requirements, making scale more important.

High Costs Trim Margins for Chemical Companies
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 31, 2005
The chemical industry is the largest consumer of oil and gas for industrial purposes.

Electronics Industry Awaits a Rebound
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 28, 2005
Given the amount of cost cutting that has occurred, profit margins should respond quickly to a pick up in key end markets.

Publishing Industry Slow to Gain Traction
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 27, 2005
Educational book publishers have some of the best prospects, since trends are turning more favorable (e.g. there are currently more school-aged children).

Real Estate Fundamentals Begin to Stabilize
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 26, 2005
We see a relatively flat outlook for share prices, but overall positive returns when including dividends, which currently yield about 5%.

Corporate Spending in IT Plateaus
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 25, 2005
With more realistic expectations in place, we believe the stage is set for stock appreciation on evidence of firming spending patterns.

Pricing Competition May Temper Insurance Gains
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 24, 2005
Slower premium growth will eventually translate into slower earnings growth for the industry.

Medical Equipment Ingenuity Key to Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 21, 2005
The lone negative in this industry is the pressure from both the government and private pay customers to contain costs.

Strengthened Balance Sheets to Sustain Business Services
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 20, 2005
Stronger balance sheets and favorable capital markets may also lead to consolidation in the industry.

Trucking Profits to Shift Up
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 19, 2005
With fewer major firms to share the freight volume after numerous bankruptcies and consolidations, it should be possible to pass on modest price increases.

Electric Utilities Offer Little Besides Dividends
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 18, 2005
While a return to a more stable business mix has positive implications, the business is only growing at around 2-3% annually.

Increasing Rate Environment to Help Banks & Thrifts
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 17, 2005
Long-term rates moved up long ago, therefore increases in the short end will likely create a flattening of the yield curve.

Positive Telecom Sentiment Based on Economic Recovery
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 14, 2005
After being burned by the collapse of the telecom bubble a few years ago, carriers now keep a tight lid on spending.

Tech Outsourced to India Keeping Robust
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 13, 2005
As industry leader Infosys has just announced third quarter net gains of 51%, indications are that the industry remains quite healthy.

Oil Prices to Ease in 2005
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 12, 2005
Following a wave of consolidations over the past few years, most oil companies have been busy reducing their exposure to the mature North American hydrocarbon basins.

Auto Makers Struggle for Cost Competitiveness
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 11, 2005
The industry is increasing the utilization of its facilities by minimizing line changeovers and improving the speed to market.

Paper Demand, Price Being Driven Higher
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 10, 2005
Inventory levels of paper have fallen by nearly 25% on a year-over-year basis, and producer operating rates remain high.

Signs of Stability in Electronics
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 07, 2005
While the fragile economy makes it difficult to predict when a recovery will take hold, long-term growth prospects are above average, in our opinion.

Satellite Radio, TiVo-like Products Changing Media
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 07, 2005
Disruptive technological changes are adding a layer of uncertainty to the industrial outlook for media companies.

Two- to Three-Year Outlook Strong for Metals
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 05, 2005
Our bullish theme is essentially based on higher consumption of non-ferrous metals in the Asia/Pacific region, especially China.

Building Traffic a Central Theme for Retailers
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 04, 2005
Target, Wal-Mart, and Dollar General are trying to attract customers by offering both groceries and other items in one place.

Building Traffic a Central Theme for Retailers
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 04, 2005
Target, Wal-Mart, and Dollar General are trying to attract customers by offering both groceries and other items in one place.

Chemicals & Fertilizer Industry Improving
By Zacks Investment Research
Jan 03, 2005
Demand for chemicals has accelerated from 1% to 3% per year; it tracks industrial production and GDP very closely.

Construction Services Expected to Level Off
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 30, 2004
New housing starts and building permits, a good indicator of future performance, have begun to show signs of lower rates of growth.

Steel Prices to Remain High
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 28, 2004
Prices will be aided by ongoing industry consolidation, which reduces excess capacity conditions.

Neutral View on Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 27, 2004
Zacks? has a neutral view on oil and gas exploration and production companies as a sector, due to the relatively rich trading multiples that the bulk of these companies have reached in this year?s run up.

Neutral Outlook for Auto Parts
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 27, 2004
Demand growth issues and pricing pressure provide a difficult outlook for this sector.

Toy Manufacturers Facing Weakened Demand
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 22, 2004
The retail environment for toys is difficult at best, and consumer demand remains lackluster.

Ad Spending in Publishing Slow to Develop
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 21, 2004
We expect revenues to continue expanding at a modest rate in coming months, but don?t expect a dramatic change in the current outlook.

Cold Winter Could be Boon for Coal
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 20, 2004
Coal`s chief drawback is the high cost required to burn it due to material handling and pollution control requirements.

Life & Annuities Offer Steady Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 17, 2004
Market volatility could draw customers who want exposure to the equity markets--but with less risk--to the guaranteed features of annuity contracts.

Invention, Expansion Drive Medical Products
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 16, 2004
Keeping in mind the aging population in the U.S., demand for orthopedic products (e.g., hip and knee replacement devices) should remain strong.

Construction Services Expected to Moderate in 2005
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 15, 2004
New building permits, a good indicator of future performance, have begun to show signs of lower rates of growth.

Electric Utilities Struggle for Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 14, 2004
Though some of the lawsuits have been settled, additional fallout from the Enron-type wholesale power scandals is likely.

Demand Keeps Paper Prices High
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 13, 2004
After witnessing weak fundamentals over the past couple of years, the paper sector now seems poised for cyclical growth.

Telecom Carriers Keep Tight Lid on Spending
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 10, 2004
Having been badly burned by the collapse of the tech/telecom bubble from a few years ago, carriers are focusing on rebuilding their strained balance sheets to improve free cash flow.

Change in Business Mix for Banks & Thrifts
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 09, 2004
Consumer lending, the bread-and-butter of many regional and local institutions, will face significant headwinds to revenue growth and year-over-year comparisons.

Business Services Continue Reaching Out
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 08, 2004
We expect strong growth in the outsourcing industry over the next three-to-five years, as this practice allows corporations to focus more on their core businesses.

Generic Drugs Target Big Pharma
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 07, 2004
Significant legislation (Watchman-Hatch) seems to have tilted the balance of power in the drug industry toward the generic producers.

Strength in Steel Tempered by Costs
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 06, 2004
Quite a few steel companies will not realize the benefits of higher product prices due to higher scrap costs.

Costs Remain Massive for Chemical Companies
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 03, 2004
Raw material costs are not falling as quickly as was hoped after the war with Iraq commenced.

Transportation Carries a Mixed Bag
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 02, 2004
The trucking segment has seen its revenues grow in the recovering economy, but it still suffers from a chronic shortage of drivers.

Variety in Media Help, Hinder Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Dec 01, 2004
Audience fragmentation and the lack of attractive near-term reinvestment opportunities temper our enthusiasm.

Financial Services Reach Important Inflection Point
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 30, 2004
Long-term rates have already moved up in appreciation of this, so the eventual increase in the short end will likely flatten the curve as well.

Good Buys Remain in Non-Ferrous Metals
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 29, 2004
Aluminum, copper and nickel are likely to increase earnings for metal companies over the next two to three years.

Consumer Demand Key for Glass & Containers
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 26, 2004
While an improvement in the economy augurs well for consumer spending, the rise in energy prices could offset these gains.

Oil & Gas Supplies Growing
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 24, 2004
We do not see crude prices falling below the mid-$30 per barrel range for a sustained period over the next twelve months.

Size Matters in Food & Drug Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 23, 2004
Discounters, led by Wal-Mart, continue to take market share from traditional grocers, demonstrating a trend that is not expected to abate in the near future.

International Sales Help Apparel Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 22, 2004
Revenues and profit margins for most industry players are trending higher, in part due to foreign currency influences.

Rising Orders Hoist Machinery
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 19, 2004
The acceleration in economic activity, together with a proposed road construction project, is likely to aid demand for construction equipment.

Wireless has Room to Grow in U.S.
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 18, 2004
Cingular`s acquisition of AT&T Wireless has boosted wireless company valuations and has the potential to improve long-term industry fundamentals.

Coal Stockpiles Keep Spot Prices Lower
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 17, 2004
We believe that utilities will want coal to play a more meaningful role in the future, though the continued lack of regulatory clarity has been a bit discouraging.

Customers Willing to Pay for New Semiconductor Tech
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 16, 2004
Growth in 2004 for semiconductors is expected to exceed 19% because corporations are starting to spend more on technology.

Life & Annuity Companies Show Favorable Fundamentals
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 14, 2004
Volatility in the equity markets could draw customers to the guaranteed features of annuity contracts.

Raw Material Costs Still Hinder Chemical Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 12, 2004
There is little pricing power in this group, which is still suffering from a capacity expansion phase that occurred from 2000-2002.

Building Products Keep Going Strong
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 11, 2004
Public construction has remained steady, and a more buoyant national economy may relieve fiscal budgets enough to maintain infrastructure spending.

Profits in Electronics to Improve
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 10, 2004
Throughout the technology downturn, demand for consumer-oriented items like cell phones, digital cameras, and printers have held up relatively well.

Toy Sales May Struggle This Season
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 09, 2004
The retail environment for these products remains difficult at best, and consumer demand remains lackluster.

Oil Stocks: Trends More Important than Prices
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 07, 2004
We are projecting margins to come off their spring/summer highs due to adequate gasoline supplies and seasonally weak demand.

Insurance Companies to Compete on Price
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 05, 2004
Slower premium growth will eventually translate into slower earnings growth for the industry.

Demand for Steel Recovering
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 04, 2004
Our expectation is that scrap, iron ore, and coke prices will continue to increase, driven mostly by increased Chinese consumption.

Pharma Fortunes Looking Clearer
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 03, 2004
We believe the current state of the industry is evenly balanced between negative cyclical pressures and positive secular growth.

Campaign Ads Boost Media Companies
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 02, 2004
Media companies should benefit from incremental ad spending in 2004, with both today`s presidential election and this past summer`s Olympic games.

Chemicals Predicted to Underperform
By Zacks Investment Research
Nov 01, 2004
Demand for chemicals is growing, but at a very slow pace. This demand generally tracks industrial production and GDP very closely.

Banks with Diverse Revenue Streams Should Benefit
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 29, 2004
Long-term rates have begun to move up, so the eventual increase in the short-end will likely create a flattening of the curve.

Paper Demand to Push Price Increases
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 28, 2004
After witnessing particularly weak fundamentals over the past couple of years, the paper sector now seems poised for a cyclical growth.

Homebuilding: Still a Shining Star?
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 27, 2004
A sluggish economy and weak consumer confidence are issues that could put this sector in jeopardy.

Conglomerates Seek Rise in S&P 500
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 26, 2004
It is our view that investors will soon begin to concentrate on earnings information again. At that point, the market is likely to rise.

Computer Hardware Y-O-Y Comparisons a Challenge
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 25, 2004
With valuations becoming less attractive, investors will look for evidence of stronger enterprise demand.

Food & Drugs Expected to Lag Overall Economy
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 22, 2004
We expect the mature segments of the industry to continue to post slower earnings growth and lower returns on investment.

Business Services Still Seek Hiring Growth
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 21, 2004
We expect the group to experience wide ranging results in 2004, and we anticipate business services stock returns to perform in-line with the market.

Apparel Industry Appears Fit
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 20, 2004
While the U.S. market is growing slowly, international sales of footwear and apparel are showing unprecedented strength.

Supply Deficits Helping Metals
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 19, 2004
Our bullish theme is predicated upon our favorable demand outlook driven by higher consumption in the Asia/Pacific region.

Materials and Benefits Costing Auto Makers
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 17, 2004
Lower interest rates are making cars more affordable. However, this sector is facing competition from imports, which now make up 37% of the U.S. market.

Rising Costs Offsetting Gains in Transportation
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 15, 2004
Manufacturers have reported rising demands for their goods, coupled with falling inventory levels, which are bullish signals.

Oil Exposed to Price Correction
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 14, 2004
Valuations have run up in-line with commodity prices, though there are still a number of attractive buying opportunities in the group.

Finally, Some Stability in Electronics
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 12, 2004
Surplus inventories are no longer much of a concern, and more than a few companies have begun to generate at least modest sales growth.

Steel Prices Rise, As Do Raw Materials
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 12, 2004
Quite a few steel companies may not realize the benefits of higher product prices, due to the margin impact from higher materials costs.

Telecom Services Restructuring Continues
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 10, 2004
The regulatory environment is poised to improve, stocks are no longer trading at growth stock multiples, and plump dividend yields may appeal to investors.

Pharmaceuticals - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 08, 2004
A prescription drug bill could have mixed results. While the increase in volume is a clear positive, we remain unsure what effects the future pricing implications will have.

Consumer Discretionary - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 06, 2004
While the economic environment is improving, our neutral outlook is based primarily on the current early stage of the economic cycle and the prospect of a ?jobless? recovery.

Coal Industry - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 06, 2004
Though recent trends indicate improvements in coal`s fundamentals, the ability to benefit from stronger prices is limited to the unpriced portions of planned production levels.

Media Companies - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 05, 2004
The industry should benefit from a widely anticipated recovery in the advertising market in 2004, but audience fragmentation tempers our enthusiasm.

Medical Products - Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 03, 2004
An aging population demanding quality healthcare, combined with expanded Medicare reimbursements, should continue to provide a favorable demand environment for this industry.

Computer Hardware - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Oct 01, 2004
Although a return to the heady days of the late 1990`s is unlikely, indications of a strengthening economy may give corporate leaders confidence to spend on IT infrastructure where necessary.

Electric Utility Outlook - Negative
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 30, 2004
Combining the poor fundamental outlook and the fallout from the Enron scandal, the Electric Utility industry should be avoided.

Large-Cap Banks - Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 29, 2004
Capital markets and asset management businesses should see improving returns and margins. Market-sensitive revenue streams should continue to show improvement.

Chemicals & Fertilizer - Negative
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 28, 2004
There is a lack of broad-based cost reduction and asset restructuring in many of the companies in this group. Company managers are passively waiting for raw material costs to fall, which has yet to happen.

Auto & Auto Parts - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 27, 2004
In the U.S., costs are being impacted by a recent UAW agreement that will require significant pension and healthcare funding.

Construction Services - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 24, 2004
The sector`s strong performance is expected to moderate into 2005. New housing starts and building permits have begun to show signs of lower rates of growth.

India Software Services - Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 22, 2004
Potential anti-outsourcing backlash is a concern for the industry. The recent surge in economic and job growth in the U.S. has put the anti-outsourcing issue on the sidelines for now. As long as the U.S. economy is able to add jobs, anti-outsourcing legislation should not be an immediate threat.

Telecom Equipment - Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 21, 2004
Telecom equipment vendors have moved aggressively to slash expenses in response to the protracted industry downturn. Now that they have slimmed down, profit margins should respond rapidly to even a modest pickup in demand.

Electronics Industry - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 21, 2004
We see some signs of stability after a two-year slump. Surplus inventories are no longer much of a concern, and more than a few companies have begun to generate at least modest sales growth.

Machinery Industry Outlook - Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 20, 2004
The machinery industry is benefiting from positive business fundamentals and rising order trends. See why we think construction equipment is going to outperform.

Non-Food Retail/Wholesale Industry Outlook - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 17, 2004
Our Industry outlook takes a look at which companies are expected experience the most growth in a sector that is driven by consumer confidence, job growth and employment.

Telecom Services Industry Outlook - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 17, 2004
Read our industry outlook to see which telecom companies are going to benefit the most from the industry?s much needed restructuring process.

Transportation Industry Outlook - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 15, 2004
While the outlook for the transportation industry is neutral, we believe opportunities exist for transportation related companies.

Medical-Drug Industry Outlook ? Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 14, 2004
With many Medicare and re-importation questions set to be decided in November we remain cautious, although there are some companies though that we expect to benefit from large late-stage pipelines.

Apparel Industry Outlook ? Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 13, 2004
With the economy and consumer confidence on the rise the Apparel Industry is benefiting. We have found some companies though that are showing unprecedented growth, see which ones.

Oil Machinery, Services and Drilling Industry Outlook - Negative
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 10, 2004
Our outlook for the oil machinery, services and drilling industry is negative. Our view is based more on current valuations than on long-term fundamentals - which remain positive. Find out why you should be avoiding the industry in the immediate future.

Electric Utility Industry Outlook - Negative
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 09, 2004
Zacks Investment Research has a negative fundamental outlook for the Electric Utility Industry. Read further to make sure that you do not fall victim to chasing dividend yields in the industry.

Business Services Industry Outlook - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 08, 2004
Zacks expects this group to see wide ranging results in 2004. See why Zacks thinks that Staffing and Placement firms are poised to outperform the industry.

Building Products Industry Outlook - Positve
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 07, 2004
The Building Products Industry has seen tremendous growth recently, which is expected to continue. Read Zacks Industry Outlook to see where investors should focus in this large and diverse industry.

Consumer Discretionary Sector Outlook - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 03, 2004
The Consumer Discretionary sector is comprised of a diverse group of companies. Read Zacks Industry Outlook to see which areas are more leveraged to outperform given the current economic conditions.

Regional Banks and Thrifts Industry - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 02, 2004
With interest rates moving upwards, it will be a challenging time for the small- and mid ?cap banks. Read our Industry Report to see which banks will excel.

Insurance Industry - Neutral
By Zacks Investment Research
Sep 01, 2004
Within the Insurance Industry investors should be focusing on the life insurance segment. The Proprerty/Casulty segment will likely be under pressure due to slower premium growth.

Computer Hardware Industry Waiting On Strong Spending
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 31, 2004
With a recent stall in the Information Technology sector, Zacks Investment Research`s sector report explains why investors need to keep an eye on IT.

Auto and Auto Parts Sector Becoming More Cost Competitive
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 30, 2004
Zacks Industry Outlook looks into the improving Auto and Auto Parts Sector Industry. Read more to see what this mature industry needs to do to outperform.

Outlook For The Intergrated Oil Industry Mixed
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 27, 2004
With inventories still below normal levels and the improving demand outlook, near-term margins should remain robust. Read Zacks Industry Outlook to see how investors should take advantage of these trends.

Weak Pricing Power For Chemical and Fertilizer Industry
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 26, 2004
Zacks outlook for the Chemical and Fertilizer Industry is negative. Read our industry outlook to see which factors need to change before demand increases and pricing power improves.

Increasing Demand Ahead For Large-Cap Banks
By Scott Jaggers
Aug 25, 2004
With the current interest rate enviroment and improving margins and revenues, the outlook for Large-Cap banks looks good. See which areas investors should focus on.

Earnings Are Good, but Production Growth Remains Elusive
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 24, 2004
Peak cycle commodity prices are helping generate strong earnings and cash flows. But companies are finding it difficult to grow volumes and costs are slowly creeping up.

Outlook For Drugs and Biotech Neutral
By Jason Napodano
Aug 23, 2004
Demographics and new product offerings remain strong, but politics may keep Drugs and Biotech under wraps for a while. Find out which sectors are growing.

Food and Beverage Stocks - Positive Outlook
By Roy Shepard
Aug 20, 2004
The food and beverage industries may provide some downside protection as economic growth slows. Read to see how the food and beverage sector will keep you from going hungry.

Specialty Retail - Neutral Outlook
By Rob Plaza
Aug 19, 2004
Lower-than-expected economic growth in the second half of the year will continue to pressure specialty retailers.

Residential/Construction ? Near Term Positive
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 18, 2004
Given the short-term fundamental backdrop, the residential construction sector will remain favoralble. Read more to see how long this positive market is going to last.

Metals Sector ? Non-Ferrous Positive, Steel Neutral
By Nachiket Moghe
Aug 17, 2004
While demand remains strong for both non-ferrous metals and steel, higher scrap prices continue to concern steel producers even though the existing surcharge mechanism seems to be working.

Semiconductor Industry - Here Comes The Consumer
By Ken Nagy
Aug 16, 2004
We are positive on the semiconductor industry, as demand for consumer electronics and wireless products will drive growth in the next five years.

Earnings Are Good, but Production Growth Remains Elusive
By Zacks Investment Research
Aug 13, 2004
Peak cycle commodity prices are helping generate strong earnings and cash flows. But companies are finding it difficult to grow volumes and costs are slowly creeping up.

Good News For Latin America
By Claudio Freitas
Aug 12, 2004
Recently there has been very interesting news for Latin America. US interest rates are behaving well and local economies are recovering, but we need more.

Outlook For Drugs and Biotech Neutral
By Jason Napodano
Aug 11, 2004
Demographics and new product offerings remain strong, but politics may keep Drugs and Biotech under wraps for a while. Find out which sectors are growing.

Information Technology?s Future Uncertain
By Steve Biggs
Aug 10, 2004
Questions surrounding the strength of corporate Information Tech spending could hamper stocks over the near-term. Look for better visibility in spending patterns moving forward.

Earnings Are Good, but Production Growth Remains Elusive
By Sheraz Mian
Aug 09, 2004
Peak cycle commodity prices are helping generate strong earnings and cash flows. But companies are finding it difficult to grow volumes and costs are slowly creeping up.

Telecom Storm Clouds Are Lifting
By Jay Ritter
Aug 06, 2004
After a brutal two-year downturn, the telecom industry is finally showing signs of stabilizing. See which segments of the industry should benefit the most.

What is the outlook for Business Services firms?
By Terrence Babe
Aug 05, 2004
Many of the Business Services firms will benefit from the later stage cycle of the economic recovery.

Travel Industry Trends Improving
By Matt Quinn
Aug 04, 2004
Certain segments of the consumer discretionary sector are poised to benefit from an improving economic environment. See which segments here.

Tech: Headed For Boom or Bust?
By Jeff Keene
Aug 03, 2004
Due to the market`s expectations of earnings growth, many technology stocks have seen their prices ascend toward pre-tech-bubble valuations. What`s in store? Learn more here.

Strong Profitability Driven by Scarcity of Supply
By Richard Wolfe
Aug 02, 2004
Expect tight natural gas markets and a second successive year of strong profit growth for selected independent producers.

Metals Sector ? Non-Ferrous Positive, Steel Neutral
By Nachiket Moghe
Jul 30, 2004
While demand remains strong for both non-ferrous metals and steel, higher scrap prices continue to be a cause for concern for steel producers even though the existing surcharge mechanism seems to be working.

Semiconductor Industry - Here Comes The Consumer
By Ken Nagy
Jul 29, 2004
We are positive on the semiconductor industry, as demand for consumer electronics and wireless products will drive growth over the next five years.

Chemical and Fertilizer Industry Outlook- Negative
By Paul Raman
Jul 28, 2004
As the chemical industry is struggling to pass along higher oil and gas prices, we continue to expect the group to under perform the S&P 500 over the balance of the year.

Medical Devices - Positive
By Patrick McGuinnis
Jul 27, 2004
Bullish outlook driven by demographics, politics, and technology

Higher US interest rates are always a challenge for Latin America.
By Claudio Freitas
Jul 26, 2004
Although we have a cautious view of Latin America due to the uncertainty surrounding potential interest rate hikes, the region presents many opportunities over the long-run.

Political Overhang for Drug Companies
By Jason Napodano
Jul 23, 2004
We see a balanced risk/reward given strong demographic and new product trends versus political overhang and generic competition.

Neutral Outlook for Hardware Companies
By Steve Biggs
Jul 22, 2004
Operating leverage has yet to show in bottom-line results of many companies within the industry, raising concern that volume growth has been achieved through aggressive pricing.

Fragmentation Defines Media Industry
By Mason Leith
Jul 21, 2004
Consumers have access to an unprecedented selection of independent media outlets resulting in audience dilution for most traditional media services.

It is getting harder and more expensive to find new reserves of oil and gas.
By Sheraz Mian
Jul 20, 2004
Despite benefiting from peak-cycle commodity prices, the major oil and gas producers have not increased their capital expenditures. This newfound capital discipline, largely reflecting the market`s focus on . . .

What is the outlook for Business Services firms?
By Terrence Babe
Jul 19, 2004
Many of the Business Services firms will benefit from the later stage cycle of the economic recovery.

Education Services Industry in trouble but rest...
By Matt Quinn
Jul 15, 2004
Companies dependent on consumer discretionary spending have a bright future due to the economy being in an early stage of economic growth...

Bubble Days Are Over But ...
By Jay Ritter
Jul 15, 2004
Telecom companies have had a tough time over the past two years but the future appears to hold some promise. The US government and the FCC have realized that current regulations are not encouraging growth . . .

 
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