For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 19, 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: Ford (F), CarMax (KMX), AutoNation (AN), Apartment Investors (AIV) and Equity Residential (EQR).

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Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

CPI Up on Cars, Energy

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October rose by 0.3%, a little bit hotter than the 0.2% that was expected. If one strips out volatile food and energy prices to get the core consumer price index, prices were up 0.2%, also one tick higher than the 0.1%

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The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October rose by 0.3%, a little bit hotter than the 0.2% that was expected. If one strips out volatile food and energy prices to get the core consumer price index, prices were up 0.2%, also one tick higher than the 0.1% expected. A rise in energy prices was not unexpected. Heck, one only has to see what the price of crude oil and natural gas have done over the last month or so. For the month, the price of energy rose 1.5% overall. The rise was sharpest among energy commodities, like gasoline and heating oil, which rose by 1.9%. Energy services, like electricity rose a more moderate -- but still steep -- 0.9%. The rise in core consumer prices was a bit more of a surprise. However, the rising prices were very narrow, with almost all of the increases due to ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 11, 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: AT&T Inc (T), Centennial Communications Corp (CYCL), Verizon (VZ), JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO) and AutoNation (AN).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

AT&T Completes CYCL Acquisition

AT&T Inc (T) has reportedly completed its much anticipated acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp (CYCL), the eighth largest US wireless carrier by subscribers. This follows the recent approvals of the transaction by the US Department of Justice and US

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AutoNation (AN) has sketched its industry outlook, revealing a gloomy 2010 preceding an improvement in the years following. The company stated that it anticipates a marginal rise in industry sales to 11 million cars and trucks from the current-year rate of 10 million vehicles. This was in stark contrast to an annual rate of more than 16 million vehicles ticked earlier this decade. AutoNation blamed tight credit for pulling down sales this year. However, sales will hit bottom in 2009. Many banks have kept their credit standards extremely high for car loans, which is depressing the industry sales despite continuous efforts taken by the government to ease credit standards. Further, job loss and stability in housing prices are also an issue. Thus, the Richmond, Virginia-based automotive retailer -- the largest in the U.S. -- expects the industry to recoup sales gradually by 2011 and beyond....

AutoNation (AN) has revealed that it would reappraise its mix of domestic and foreign brands in the auto inventory as General Motors (GM) switches from a "push production" to "pull production" business model. GM’s "push production" model was based on pushing out the maximum number of cars the plants could produce in order to meet the fixed costs. However, AutoNation disliked the business model's inefficiencies. Consequently, the Florida-based automotive retailer -- the largest in the U.S. -- has shown little respect for the quality and designs of many domestic brands, including GM. After emerging from bankruptcy, GM has abandoned it old model and started focusing on the "pull production" model. This implies that the company will establish its production schedule driven solely by consumer demand. GM’s new model has convinced AutoNation enough to reverse its inventory strategy. At a town hall meeting with GM’s CEO ...

Several local news outlets are reporting that car dealers are experiencing a post-Cash for Clunkers Slump in sales. There is concern that the government's incentive program took sales away from the fall (and even 2010) by giving consumers reason to purchase new vehicles over the summer instead.

It is definitely taking sales away from September. Edmunds.com calculates that September sales are running at an 8.8 million unit pace. To put this number in perspective, Edmunds Senior Statistician Zhenwei Zhou said sales last September were 12.5 million. He also added "it had been over 16 million for years".

Whether this month's slump continues throughout the remainder of this year and into 2010 remains to be seen. Many carmakers are expected to introduce new incentive programs in addition to rolling out new models. Plus, two of the best-selling cars over the past several years - the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord

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AutoNation (AN) has increased vehicle orders in the fourth quarter of the year in an effort to restock showrooms that had been emptied out during the "Cash for Clunkers" program. The Florida-based largest automotive retailer in the U.S. has revealed that it has hiked orders by 50% in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter. The company has already ordered more cars than expected in the third quarter. AutoNation greatly benefited from the “Cash for Clunkers" program, a.k.a. Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) – introduced by the U.S. Government in late July. The $3 billion cash incentive program, ended August 24, allowed consumers to trade in their old gas-guzzling cars and trucks with a mileage of 18 miles per gallon or less for a value of up to $3,500–$4,500. A few days before the program ended, AutoNation withdrew to make sure it could submit ...

The Federal Reserve just released its "Beige Book," which is largely a collection of anecdotal information about the state of the economy in the various Federal Reserve districts. Below are some of the key passages and my reactions to them. In the interest of space and to highlight the key trends, I have edited out most of the individual district information. However, if you want to read the full report, go to: http://www.federalreserve.gov/fomc/beigebook/2009/20090909/default.htm "Reports from the 12 Federal Reserve Districts indicate that economic activity continued to stabilize in July and August. Most Districts noted that the outlook for economic activity among their business contacts remained cautiously positive." This is a much better tone than in recent months, with talk of actual stabilization. Up to this point, the best that could be said that things were generally getting worse at a slow rate. Now, overall, it looks ...

CarMax (KMX) will release its sales and earnings results for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 ended August 31, 2009 on September 22. The Richmond, VA-based used car retailer reported earnings of 11 cents per share, excluding special items, for the first quarter of the fiscal year. This was high above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 4 cents per share. For the second quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company is 16 cents per share, an improvement of 45% compared to the recorded earnings in the previous quarter.   CarMax, the largest retailer of used vehicles in the U.S., conducts its operations through its wholly owned subsidiaries -- CarMax Auto Superstores Inc., Virginia; CarMax Auto Superstores West Coast Inc., California; CarMax Auto Superstores California LLC, California; CarMax Auto Superstores Services Inc., Virginia; CarMax Business Services LLC, Delaware; and Glen Allen Insurance Ltd., Bermuda. The company operates ...

The U.S. Government has pacified dealers who sold cars under the Cash for Clunkers program. It has approved $500 million in reimbursements, which are to be paid by late this month. “Cash for Clunkers," a.k.a. the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), introduced by the U.S. government in late July, was a $3 billion cash incentive program. The program, ended August 24, allowed consumers to trade in their old gas-guzzling cars and trucks with a mileage of 18 miles per gallon or less for a value of up to $3,500–$4,500. The surge of applications under the program saw dealers run out of stock for popular models such as Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Altima. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that as many as 690,114 new cars were sold under the program, reflecting a $2.88 billion in rebate applications, which is close to the program ...