For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 18, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights NeurogesX (NGSX) as the Bull of the Day and Sears Holdings (SHLD) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Target Corporation (TGT), Wal-Mart Stores Inc.(WMT) and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5506

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

NeurogesX (NGSX) received some very good news this week when the U.S. FDA approved Qutenza for the management of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Management will now move forward with preparing for the commercial launch during the first half of 2010.

Securing reimbursement and hiring the sales force remain the next biggest hurdles for the company. However, with approval now complete and the financial position solid ($57 million in cash on hand),

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Target Corporation (TGT) recently reported better-than-expected third-quarter 2009 results. Net earnings for the quarter jumped 18.4% year-over-year to $436 million, on the heels of a 5.5% decline in credit card expenses, an 18.3% fall in net interest expense, and lower effective tax rate (36.1% in the quarter as against 41.7% in the prior-year quarter). Target’s quarterly earnings of 58 cents a share outdid the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 49 cents. Earnings for the quarter rose 18.6% year-over-year from 49 cents a share reported in the year-ago quarter. Total revenue for the quarter inched up by 1.1% to $15,276 million. Retail sales rose 1.4% to $14,789 million, but the revenue from the Credit Card segment fell 7.5% to $487 million. Despite the stronger-than-expected result, Target holds a cautious outlook about its fourth-quarter results. Realizing the fact that customers are reluctant to pay higher prices, Target announced ...

U.S. stocks posted modest gains Friday even as a surprisingly weak jobs report failed to deter investors from taking a broader view that the economy is improving.  Analysts’ upgrade of General Electric and Amazon.com helped the market keep its head above water as many on the Street averred the worst for the labor market was over.  Although the unemployment rate – at its highest level in 26 years – aggravated concerns about consumer spending, it nevertheless reassured some investors that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates near historically low levels in the near future.      

On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 17.46 points, or 0.2%, to 10,023.42 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index added 2.67 points, or 0.3%, to 1,069.30.  The Nasdaq composite index advanced 7.12 points, or 0.3%, to 2,112.44.  For the week, the Dow and the S&P 500 index advanced 3.2%, while the Nasdaq

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Today we are featuring top-performing "Aggressive Growth" equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in higher-risk equity securities of companies in search of maximum growth.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Aggressive Growth Equity Funds.

3 Outstanding Samples

Hartford Capital Appreciation A (ITHAX) seeks growth of capital. The fund normally invests at least 65% of total assets in common stocks of companies with market capitalization less than $2 billion.

The fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers and non-dollar securities, including emerging market securities. It has topped total returns of its benchmark index in the last 3- and 5-year periods.

Shareholders have to make minimum initial investment of $1,000 to enter this Zacks#1 Rank ("Strong Buy") fund. It offers dividends and capital gains annually.

Pin Oak Aggressive Stock (POGSX) seeks long-term growth by concentrating investments primarily

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Today we are featuring top-performing “Aggressive Growth" equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of companies.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Aggressive Growth Equity Funds.

2 Solid Samples

Pin Oak Aggressive Stock (POGSX) seeks long-term growth by concentrating investments primarily in small and medium-size companies within growth-oriented industries.

The fund generally does not base stock selections on a company’s size, but rather on assessment of a company’s fundamental prospects for growth. As of April 2009, its portfolio turnover was 38%.

Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW - Analyst Report), Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN -

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Today we are featuring top-performing “Aggressive Growth" equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of companies.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Aggressive Growth Equity Funds.

2 Solid Samples

Pin Oak Aggressive Stock (POGSX) seeks long-term growth by concentrating investments primarily in small and medium-size companies within growth-oriented industries.

The fund generally does not base stock selections on a company’s size, but rather on assessment of a company’s fundamental prospects for growth. As of April 2009, its portfolio turnover was 38%.

Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW), Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) and Expedia Inc. (EXPD) are among the fund’s top holdings.

Wasatch Ultra Growth (WAMCX) was incepted in August 1992. The investment seeks long-term growth of capital, with income as a secondary objective.

The fund invests primarily in the equity securities

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The probably bankruptcy of CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) could have major implications on the retail and manufacturing sectors this week, as many related companies are reliant on the financing giant.

With options running out over the weekend, CIT advisors began preparations for a bankruptcy filing. As of Sunday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) and Morgan Stanley (MS) were talking with other banks about a debtor-in-possession loan, used to fund a company’s operations after it seeks court protection from creditors, Bloomberg News reported.

Bondholders held calls last week to discuss whether to swap some claims for equity to reduce indebtedness. Thomas Lauria, a lawyer at White & Case LLP, told Bloomberg that a group of CIT creditors he represents offered to provide $3 billion in new loans to bridge CIT to an out-of-court restructuring or an orderly bankruptcy, but had yet to hear back from CIT management.

“It seems CIT was

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SAM Flexible Income A (SAUPX) was incepted in July 1996. The investment seeks to provide a high level of total return, consisting of reinvestment of income with some capital appreciation.

The fund operates as a fund of funds and invests principally in underlying funds. It may invest up to 40% of assets in any single fixed-income fund as well as cash equivalents, no more than 30% of its net assets in equity funds, and may invest up to 30% of the assets in any single equity fund.

The fund offers dividends quarterly and capital gains annually. It has an expense ratio of 0.67%.

LargeCap Growth I A (OMSOX) seeks long-term growth of capital. The fund mainly invests in equity securities of companies with market capitalizations within the range of Russell 1000 Growth index.

The fund normally focuses on companies with an above-average rate of

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Van Kampen Enterprise A (ACENX) was incepted in January 1954. The fund seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks of growth companies, focusing on securities that offer a combination of strong business fundamentals and attractive valuation.

The fund is currently closed to new investors, with limited exceptions, but will continue to offer shares to existing unit holders. It pays dividends quarterly and capital gains annually.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN), Monsanto Co. (MON) and Google Inc. (GOOG) are among the fund's key holdings.

Van Kampen Harbor A (ACHBX) seeks current income and capital appreciation, consistent with preservation of capital. The fund largely invests in a portfolio of debt securities, primarily convertible bonds and convertible preferred stocks.

The fund has topped the total returns of its benchmark index in the last 1-,3- and 5-year periods. Unit holders need to

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At this point, it is good to look for the defensive plays that have been neglected in this upturn and for safe havens for investors taking profits from the recent run.  After looking long and hard, I came to General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS).

We have been raking in huge profits in all our cyclical and aggressive plays since we called the turnaround in Brazil last October 27:  Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR) — known as Petrobras – Vale (NYSE: VALE), Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), BHP Billiton Ltd. (NYSE: BHP), Research in Motion Ltd. (Nasdaq: RIMM), IBM (NYSE: IBM), Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN),  Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE: DO), and Ciena Corp. (Nasdaq: CIEN) have all done splendid.

And over the longer term, all of these companies are going to continue

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