Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day Highlights: Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sears Holdings, Moody's Corp., CBS Corporation and Forest Oil Corporation

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zacks Equity Research highlights Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISPH) as the Bull of the Day and Sears Holdings (Nasdaq: SHLD) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Moody's Corp. (NYSE: MCO), CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) and Forest Oil Corporation (NYSE: FST).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2678.

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISPH) is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for respiratory and ophthalmologic disorders.

Currently, the company has three products on the market and a robust pipeline. We see strong top line growth from 2009 and beyond. Inspire just reported positive phase III data of Denufosol for CF. The company has a strong collaborative alliance with Allergan Pharmaceuticals for key products that treat dry eyes and allergic conjunctivitis.

Current price is attractive. We maintain our Outperform rating on shares of Inspire with a price target of $7.00.

Bear of the Day:

Sears Holdings' (Nasdaq: SHLD) vulnerability to the continued economic downturn is adversely affecting its top-line growth. The company recorded an 8.6% decline in same-store sales and closed 28 non-performing stores during the fiscal 2009 second quarter amid a slump in housing and sluggish apparel sales.

Moreover, intense competition from giant discounters, mass merchants and regional stores, coupled with the seasonality of business and exposure to foreign currency fluctuations, severely undermine the company's future growth prospects and sustainability.

Consequently, we have changed the recommendation for the company from Neutral to Underperform as we anticipate it to perform well below the broader market.

Latest Posts on the Zacks Analyst Blog:

Raising Moody's Estimates

We are raising our estimates for Moody's Corp. (NYSE: MCO) for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 and full year of fiscal 2010 due to continued resurgence in the company's results. Moody's is an industry leader in the credit rating industry and enjoys a high organic growth rate, along with strong profit margins and cash flows.

Results for the first nine months of 2009, although below year-ago level were better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, reflecting an improvement in credit markets and growth in Moody's Analytics business.

CBS Tops Zacks Estimate

CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) recently reported better-than-expected third-quarter 2009 results. The quarterly earnings of 25 cents a share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 22 cents, but fell 35.9% from 39 cents posted in the prior-year quarter.

On a reported basis, including one-time items, quarterly earnings of 30 cents a share improved from quarterly loss of $18.58 delivered in the year-ago quarter.

Forest Misses on Lower Sales

Forest Oil Corporation (NYSE: FST) reported its third-quarter 2009 earnings of 48 cents per share, compared with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 53 cents and a year-ago profit of $1.26. Before adjusting one-time items, earnings were $1.53 per share. The results came in below expectations mainly due to lower sales volumes.

Sales volumes for the quarter came in at 476 MMcfe/d (77% natural gas), down 9% from 520 MMcfe/d in the corresponding 2008 period. The decrease in production was due to deferred and divested volumes.

Get the full analysis of all these stocks by going to http://at.zacks.com/?id=2649.

About the Bull and Bear of the Day

Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months.

About the Analyst Blog

Updated throughout every trading day, the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous analyst coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=2677.

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=4582.

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

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

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.