Zacks Releases Four Powerful ''Buy'' Stocks: Powell Industries, Yum! Brands, Athenahealth, and Amedisys

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.

“earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices.”

The four highlighted picks are: Powell Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWL), Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM), Athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHN) and Amedisys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED).

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

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +28%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% – but Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%.

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

Aggressive Growth – Powell Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWL)

Powell Industries recently reported its fourth consecutive surprise on record earnings and revenues. Shares have responded and are trading at good valuations.

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

Growth & Income – Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM)

Yum! Brands continues to outperform the Dow ($DJI), S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq (COMP). The company boasts an excellent history of positive surprises on earnings estimates. For 2009, analysts are calling for annual earnings per share growth of about 10%.

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

Momentum – Athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHN)

Athenahealth is operating in an industry that is not just holding up in this tough environment, but actually doing well. The company's third-quarter results were ahead of estimates, and the analyst community is bullish on the next-year period, projecting 79% earnings growth.

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

Value – Amedisys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED)

Amedisys is finding big profits in the home health care arena as the company recently provided a bullish 2009 earnings outlook. In Oct 2008, the company surprised on third quarter estimates by 8.54%. AMED is cheap but also has a solid growth story. Its PEG is only 0.48.

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

How to Regularly Access Picks from the Zacks Rank Discovery for Free: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

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. in Mathematics 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 at http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

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. It 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 at http://at.zacks.com/?id=91

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

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.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.