For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 9, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Avnet, Inc. (AVT), Arrow Electronics (ARW), VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN), Patterson-UTI Inc. (PTEN) and Nabors Industries (NBR).

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Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Avnet Tops Estimates

Avnet, Inc. (AVT) recently reported revenues of $4.36 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, down 3.1% from a year ago. Excluding the negative impact of foreign currency exchange rates, revenues declined 0.6%.

Management stated that the impact of global slowdown led to

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Avnet, Inc. (AVT) recently reported revenues of $4.36 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, down 3.1% from a year ago. Excluding the negative impact of foreign currency exchange rates, revenues declined 0.6%.

Management stated that the impact of global slowdown led to the year-over-year decline, but the business environment is improving.

On a segment basis, Electronics Marketing (EM) sales came in at $2.44 billion, down 9.8% year over year (down 8.0% when adjusted to exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates). The rate of revenue decline moderated in the reported quarter and management is encouraged by pace of bookings for this segment in recent months.

Technology Solutions (TS) generated sales of $1.92 billion, up 6.9% year over year (up 10.5% when adjusted to exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates), driven by growth in Americas and Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA).

The company

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Avnet, Inc. (AVT) recently announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Vanda Group from Hutchinson Whampoa Limited in a strategic move to expand its presence and customer base across China. Vanda Group will operate as an Avnet company while maintaining its current operations, management team and the Vanda brand. Vanda Group is a leading IT solutions and services provider covering major cities in China, Hong Kong and Macau, and has been around 27 years. Vanda Group provides systems integration services and solutions incorporating hardware and software from major suppliers including IBM (IBM), Lenovo, Cisco (CSCO), Sun (JAVA), Nokia (NOK) and Oracle (ORCL). The company serves clients from diverse industries including major banks, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, utilities and government departments. Vanda Group generated revenues of approximately $50 million in 2008 and employs more than 600 people. The transaction will ...

Arrow Electronics (ARW) recently agreed to sell its $300 million aggregate principal 6% notes due Apr 1, 2020. The company expects to close the transaction on Sep 30, 2009. Management plans to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes and for the repurchase of its existing 9.15% Senior Notes due 2010.

Earlier, the company commenced a fixed price cash tender offer for its outstanding $200 million aggregate principal 9.15% Senior Notes due 2010. The company is offering cash for the principal and interest due on the notes.

The company generated $300 million of cash from operating activities in the second quarter of 2009. As of Jul 4, 2009, the company had a total debt of $1261.0 million and cash and equivalents of $908.4 million.

The company reported weak results for the second quarter due to the weakening demand. Electronic distributors have been hit hard by the global slowdown, which continues to

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Avnet Inc. (AVT) recently entered into a distribution agreement with India-based MosChip Semiconductor Technology Ltd.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Avnet is one of the world’s largest distributors of electronic components and computer products. MosChip provides high performance multimedia and connectivity solutions for consumer, industrial and computing applications.

According to the deal, Avnet’s Electronics Marketing unit will distribute MosChip products throughout Asia. The distribution agreement spans Australia, China, India, Korea, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. MosChip products include Network Appliance Processors and co-processors, audio / video processors, USB and PCI / PCI Express connectivity semiconductors.

Last month, Avnet reported weak fourth-quarter results as its top line remained challenged by adverse business conditions amid the global economic slowdown. The company’s organic growth continues to be lackluster and it continues to expand only through acquisitions.

Although both bookings and billings increased during the period and backlog was up

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New York-based Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW) is one of the world s largest distributors of electronic components and computing products. The company sources products from about 800 suppliers and distributes them to over 130,000 customers (original equipment manufacturers, contract manufactures and commercial customers).Arrow reported revenues of $4.09 billion in Q4:08, down 7.5% y/y and down 4.9% q/q. On a pro forma basis (including the impact of acquisition of LOGIX S. A.), sales were down 12% y/y. Gross margin came in at 12.7%, down from 13.9% generated a year ago and down from 13.1% recorded in the prior-year period, primarily due to an increase in the mix of business from Asia and ECS, as well as weakness in North American and European components.Operating margin came in at 3.1%, down from 4.6% generated a year ago. GAAP EPS was $0.36. Non-GAAP EPS was $0.60. For full ...