Zacks #1 Rank Top Performers: Jones Soda, U.S. Physical Therapy, Acorda Therapeutics, Crocs and DryShips

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zacks.com announces the latest list of top performing Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks. The stocks on the prestigious list with the highest returns last week were Jones Soda Co. (NASDAQ: JSDA), U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (NASDAQ: USPH), Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACOR), Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS). Each of these stocks easily outperformed the S&P 500.

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

Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of +31.8% since inception in 1988. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8% while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%. To learn more about the Zacks Rank, go to http://at.zacks.com/?id=3172.

Here is a synopsis of the last week’s best performing Zacks #1 Rank stocks.

Jones Soda Co. (NASDAQ: JSDA) led all other Zacks #1 Rank companies last week with a gain of 26.3%. On Apr 2, shares for the premium soda company jumped after launching its 12 ounce bottled soda sweetened with pure cane sugar. The company believes that the transition to pure cane sugar will further solidify its leadership position as a result of the better taste, enhanced health benefits and positive perception of the new beverage line.

Jones Soda has displayed positive momentum of late. The company was featured as a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank company on Mar 16 as well, after reporting a 700% positive earnings surprise in its fourth quarter. In addition, revenue during the period advanced 15%. Earnings estimates for this year are now at 19 cents, up 46.1% from 13 cents 30 days ago.

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (NASDAQ: USPH) is a national operator of physical and occupational therapy outpatient clinics, which gained 12.14% last week. The earnings estimate for this year from the one analyst covering this company has improved six cents, or approximately 8.6%, over the past month.

Last month, U.S. Physical Therapy announced fourth-quarter earnings, after discontinued operations, of 18 cents per share, compared to 14 cents a year earlier. Revenue improved to $33.9 million from $32.3 million, thanks to a 5.7% increase in patient visits and an advance of 19 cents in average net patient revenue per visit to $96.09.

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACOR) is still expected to post a loss for this year, but the expectation has narrowed by 10 cents over the past two months to a loss of $1.28. The biotechnology company gained 10.4% last week to become one of the top-performing Zacks #1 Rank companies. In its fourth-quarter report from late February, Acordia Therapeutics announced a loss of 30 cents per share, marking a significant narrowing from the previous year’s loss of approximately $75. The result also bettered the consensus by almost 12%.

Shares of Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) advanced 9.55% last week, making the innovative footwear retailer one of the top-performing Zacks #1 Rank companies. Earnings estimates for this year increased 15% over the past two months to $2.39 from $2.07.

The company made big news in late February with a strong fourth-quarter performance. Earnings per share of 51 cents surged year over year from 12 cents, and also topped the consensus by approximately 18.6%. Revenues jumped 236% to $112.9 million from $33.6 million in the fourth-quarter of 2005. For the full year, EPS and revenues advanced 215.7% and 226.6% respectively. Crocs also raised its fiscal 2007 EPS and revenue growth targets. The company has come back to earth from its all-time high in early February, but its performance last week suggests that the retailer’s future remains bright.

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS), an international provider of drybulk carriers, announced on Apr 4 its eighth consecutive quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents per share since its listing on the NASDAQ Global Market in February 2005. In late March, the company continued with its strategy of fleet expansion and renewal. Through the purchase of two vessels and the disposal of another pair, the company will have a fleet of 34 vessels with an average of 9.3 years, which is well below the industry average of 12.6 years.

In its fourth quarter, DryShips announced earnings per share, excluding a gain, of 77 cents, which bettered the consensus by approximately 2.7%. Revenue also improved on a year-over-year basis. Shares for this Zacks #1 Rank company advanced 8.34% last week. Earnings estimates for this year are up 8.2% over the past two months, including an advance of 2.5% in the past 30 trading days.

About the Zacks Rank

Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank stocks have generated an average annual return of +31.8%. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled -37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988, Zacks Rank #5 stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 by 143.6% annually (+4.8% vs. +11.8%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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