Zacks.com featured expert Kevin Matras highlights: PetSmart, Inc., Dycom Industries, Inc., Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc., The Timken Co. and Lithia Motors, Inc.

Chicago, IL – December 6, 2011 - Stocks in this week's article include PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM - Snapshot Report), Dycom Industries, Inc. (NYSE: DY - Snapshot Report), Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc. (NYSE: AEA), The Timken Co. (NYSE: TKR - Snapshot Report) and Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE: LAD - Snapshot Report). Kevin Matras gives you his checklist for finding winning stocks.

Screen of the Week written by Kevin Matras of Zacks Investment Research:

I'm regularly asked how I go about picking winning stocks.

Since there are over 10,000 stocks out there, you need a way to find the good ones. And by focusing on what works vs. guesswork (or worse), you'll not only be able to pick winning stocks, but you'll be able to do so consistently.

And that's really the key to success: having a repeatable way to find profitable stocks, again and again and again.

I run a lot of individual strategies. But I will often go thru a checklist on all of my candidates before I get in.

By sticking with a basic set of proven criteria, I know I have a high probability of success in picking winning stocks. And if it doesn't work out, I don't have to panic and wonder if my system works or scurry to change these up. That's the kiss of death.

Picking winning stocks consistently comes down to a set of rules. And these are my basic building blocks. I look at plenty of others as well. But this is my basic checklist...

For the rest of this Screen of the Week article, including Kevin's checklist, please visit Zacks.com at: http://www.zacks.com/commentary/19627/

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Read the full analyst report on PETM

Read the full analyst report on DY

Read the full analyst report on AEA

Read the full analyst report on TKR

Read the full analyst report on LAD