Dear Subscribers,

The near panic of Monday made way for a calmer and seemingly more positive outlook on Tuesday. That makes sense because the majority of economic data is pointing to a continued economic recovery which is good for corporate earnings and stocks. Helping the cause was one of the first good reports of the earnings season from Johnson & Johnson. But even better were the afterhours reports from tech heavy weights IBM and Intel. Throw in solid growth and guidance from leading railway CSX and that bodes well for stocks on Wednesday...if only it were that easy.

It truly seems that each new day brings a new obstacle into the mix. Traders call these "ticker bombs". Meaning a new, surprise event that comes across the news ticker that blows up stocks in a hurry. Gladly each time these bombs have gone off in the recent past, cooler heads prevailed later and stocks got back on the rise. And that is because none of those pieces of news could truly stop the progress of the economy. That is true to date. But no one can guarantee that all future ticker bombs can be so easily diffused. For now the evidence leans towards more upside for stocks. Let's hope it stays that way.

Featured Commentaries on Zacks.com
•  Zacks Rank Video: Value Stock Picks
•  Screen of the Week: First Profit
•  Top 5 Blackrock Mutual Funds
•  Restaurant Industry Stock Review - April 2011

Best,

Steve Reitmeister
Executive VP, Zacks Investment Research

Today's Top Stories: Wednesday- April 20, 2011

ZACKS RANK BUY STOCKS

• Aggressive Growth - VeriFone Systems (PAY) reported its 7th surprise in the past 8 quarters. The company saw revenue for the fiscal first quarter jump 27%. EPS came in at $0.35, which was 2 cents better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Read More...
   
• Growth & Income - OGE Energy Corp. (OGE) Zacks Consensus Estimate is at $3.15, a 5% increase. Analysts expect solid double-digit EPS growth next year. The 2012 consensus estimate $3.61, representing 15% growth. Read More...
   
• Momentum - Foot Locker, Inc. (FL) earnings came in strong at 39 cents, 8% ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the company has an average earnings surprise of 40% over the last four quarters. Read More...
   
• Value - Men's Wearhouse Inc. (MW) reported its fiscal fourth quarter 2010 results which saw sales rise 18.6%. Tuxedo same store sales were particularly hot, climbing 11.1% at its Men's Wearhouse and Men's Wearhouse and Tux chains. Read More...
   

Learn how to profit from our exclusive Zacks Rank stock-ranking system with free resources. Read More...

• Top 5 Small cap Mutual Funds Read More...
• Mutual Fund Homepage

• Bull Of The Day: PetroChina Co. - ADR
  Full Zacks research report: Read More...
  
  
• Bear Of The Day: Bank of America Corp.
  Full Zacks research report: Read More...
  
  
• Ahead of Wall Street
  Read More...
  


• Analyst Blog Highlights
• More Patients for Amedisys
• Earnings Preview: Edwards Lifesciences
• Earnings Preview: Boston Scientific
• Full Analyst Blog

Sponsor

• Value Stock Picks—April 19, 2011
• PFP-TV: Mixed Signals on Inflation
• Momentum Stock Picks-April 14, 2011

EDUCATION: Aggressive Growth

Sustainable Growth Rates Read More...

PeopleAndPicks.com:

VIP "horsedentist" corrals in returns in profit with BUY calls in (CIB), (CRR), (PH) and (ROSE). Read More...

EARNINGS TRENDS: Another Strong Start

While earnings season will really pick up this week, the early results from the 32 reports we already have are very strong with total net income rising 33.4% over a year ago. Read More...

• Dow bolstered by J&J earnings @ CNNMoney.com
• VMware Jumps on 1Q Beat, Strong Outlook @ TheStreet.com
• 7 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Sell @ MAINSTREET.com
• Debt Ceiling's Impact on Bond Investors @ FOXBUSINESS.com

FACEBOOK

Visit the Zacks.com Facebook page and get the latest insight on stocks and the market:
Zacks On Facebook

TWITTER

Get the Zacks.com newsfeed delivered straight to your Twitter account:
Zacks On Twitter

OTHER ZACKS RESOURCES:

• Read current and past issues of this newsletter online
• Zacks.com Home Page
• All Zacks #1 Rank Buy Stocks (Premium)
• People & Picks from Zacks: Share ideas and picks with the top stock pickers in the Zacks Community. Click here.
• Research Wizard: Use Zacks' Top 10 Screening Strategies. Get Started Now>>

Manage your Profit from the Pros subscription:

• Free Subscription plus 4 Strong Stock Picks
• Would you like to give us input on new products and features for Zacks.com?
• Unsubscribe

REFER-A-FRIEND

If you enjoy this e-mail newsletter, then please pass it along to a friend. Simply forward them the link below to sign up for their own free subscription. THANKS!
Refer a Friend

Best,

Steve Reitmeister
Executive VP, Zacks Investment Research

p.s. What is the mission for Zacks Profit from the Pros? To find out how we will help you become a more successful investor, click here.

Visit /performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this newsletter.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

To contact us by mail:

Zacks Investment Research
Attn: Profit from the Pros
111 N. Canal St., Suite 1101
Chicago, IL 60606

To unsubscribe from receiving "Zacks.com Profit from the Pros"
e-mail newsletter, Click here....