Zacks Releases Four Powerful ''Buy'' Stocks: Hexcel, AmTrust Financial Services, Weight Watchers International and Valero Energy Corporation

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – May 17, 2011 – Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry’s leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Hexcel Corp. (HXL - Snapshot Report), AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (AFSI - Snapshot Report), Weight Watchers International (WTW - Snapshot Report) and Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Snapshot Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free. http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

From 1988 through the present – a period that included serious corrections and recessions – the Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the market with a fully documented average gain of +28% per year.

Here is a summary of today's selected stocks that are now highly rated by Zacks:          

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

Growth & Income – AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. (AFSI - Snapshot Report)
AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. recently reported much better than expected financial results for the first quarter of 2011.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!) - http://at.zacks.com/?id=4310

Momentum – Weight Watchers International (WTW - Snapshot Report)

Weight Watchers International continues to defy the skeptics, recently hitting a new all-time high after reporting a 12% earnings surprise. With estimates on the rise and a bullish growth projection, this Zacks #1 rank stock is a healthy choice for momentum.

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

Value – Valero Energy Corporation (VLO - Snapshot Report)
Valero Energy Corporation recently surprised on the consensus for the 6th straight quarter. Shares are also cheaper than just a few months ago, as the Zacks Consensus has risen but shares have pulled back from recent highs. VLO is attractive, trading at just 8.8x forward estimates.

Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!) -  http://at.zacks.com/?id=4312

How to Regularly Access Top Zacks Rank Picks for Free - http://at.zacks.com/?id=7154

Underlying the four free stock picks is a simple truth that first appeared in a Financial Analysts Journal article published in 1979. Leonard Zacks, a Ph.D. from M.I.T. found that "earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices."  Zacks #1 Rank is awarded to a stock when analysts sharply upgrade their estimates of what the company will earn.

Today, Zacks is promoting its stock recommendations by offering four daily picks free to those who register here: http://at.zacks.com/?id=7155

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Len Zacks. The company continually processes stock reports issued by 3,000 analysts from 150 brokerage firms.  monitors more than 200,000 earnings estimates, looking for changes. Then, when changes are discovered, they’re applied to help assign more than 4,400 stocks into five Zacks Rank categories: #1 Strong Buy, #2 Buy, #3 Hold, #4 Sell, and #5 Strong Sell. This proprietary stock-picking system continues to outperform the market by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.  

More Free Stock Picks

Each weekday, new Zacks #1 Rank or Zacks #2 Rank stock picks are released on the free email newsletter, Profit from the Pros. Investors are invited to register for their free subscription here: http://at.zacks.com/?id=91

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Read the full analyst report on HXL

Read the full analyst report on AFSI

Read the full analyst report on WTW

Read the full analyst report on VLO