For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 23, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Caterpillar (CAT) as the Bull of the Day and Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Gap Inc.(GPS), J.M. Smucker Company (SJM) and Stone Energy Corporation (SGY).

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:

Caterpillar (CAT) is a market leader in construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. With its strong brand name, pricing power and global dealer network, we believe Caterpillar is well positioned to take advantage of the growing need for infrastructure development globally.

Though the company expects 2009 sales to decline more than 35% year-over-year, it anticipates an improvement in its top-line in

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Dr Stock Pick HOT News & Alerts!

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FREE Daily Stock Alerts From DrStockPick.com

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Thursday November 5, 2009

DrStockPick.com Stock Report!

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PowerSafe Technology Corporation (PSFT.PK) subsidiary Amplification Technologies Inc. (www.amplificationtechnologies.com) (ATI), is offering higher performance thermoelectrically cooled discrete amplification single photon counting solid state photodetectors. These photodetectors are mounted on a two stage thermoelectric cooler inside a hermetically sealed TO8 package and can be operated down to a temperature of -30oC.

Daktronics Inc. (Nasdaq:DAKT), the world’s leading digital billboard manufacturer, today revealed its 6th generation digital billboard product: the Valo(R) 3000 Series. Highlighted by its substantial

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 3, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights ITT Corporation (ITT) as the Bull of the Day and Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Ford (F), Paccar (PCAR) and General Mills (GIS).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

We are initiating coverage on ITT Corporation (ITT) with an Outperform rating and $57 target price. The company exceeded its second quarter earnings guidance due to strong results overall.

Total defense organic orders improved 29% year over year on strong product activities. OEM pressures in the aerospace market including the Boeing-787 delay have resulted in downward forecast for motion and flow control business.

Finally, ITT was able to place $1

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 26, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) as the Bull of the Day and Cost Plus Inc. (CPWM) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Ford (F), Honda (HMC) and The Gap (GPS).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Intuitive Surgical’s (ISRG) story is improving. A new product was developed as an upgrade to the existing daVinci Surgical System. Furthermore, the company enjoys a virtual monopoly in robotic surgery without direct competition.

The company's razor/razor blade business model ensures recurring revenues even during difficult times. In the second quarter, earnings of $1.62 per share were higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.27.

Growth in revenues was witnessed across

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - May 28, 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: Gafisa (GFA), Tam (TAM), Vivo (VIV), Ambev (ABV) and Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579.

Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

Brazil Getting to Pre-Crisis Levels

As we said last week, the aggressive interventions of the BCB will not prevent a major appreciation of the Brazilian real. We also said that the real would test the BRL/USD level 2.00 soon. In fact, today the real reached 2.00 per dollar and we expect further appreciation.

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First quarter sales and earnings per share for Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM) were slightly above our estimates. Even so, the company's sales declined 9% year-on-year and it reported a net loss of $20 million. The company is closing stores, cutting costs, and trying to preserve cash, but those moves will do little reverse its weak sales trends and merchandise margins.In addition, management's guidance for the second quarter cautioned investors to prepare for more of the same. Cost Plus expects same-store sales to decrease 9.5%-14.5% and a pre-tax loss from continuing operations of $14-$21 million. We reiterate our Sell rating on CPWM shares and our six-month target price of $0.50.Our discounted cash flow analysis pegs the company's fair value at less than $1. Unless Cost Plus manages to pull off a successful turnaround, its shares are headed lower. We think the stock has downside risk ...

Highlights include JC Penney Co., Inc. (JCP), Macy's, Inc. (M), Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST).This morning the U.S. Census Bureau announced that April retail sales declined 0.4% vs. expectations of 0.0%; retail sales (ex-auto) declined 0.5% vs. expectations of +0.2%. March retail sales were revised lower.Department stores, electronics, food/beverages, furniture, and online all experienced sales declines in April. Restaurants, sporting goods, health/personal care, and building materials all saw gains in April. On a year-over-year basis, retail sales fell 11.4% in April. The market was clearly disappointed by this news.This was the second straight monthly drop in retail sales, and the eighth decline in the last ten months. Recall that retail sales increased in January and February, and the equity market gravitated to the idea that consumer spending bottomed out in the ...

Highlights include Select Comfort Corp. (SCSS), Retail Ventures, Inc. (RVI), Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) and Target Corp. (TGT).Low-priced retail stocks are jumping again today. Names moving higher include Select Comfort (SCSS) up 20%, Retail Ventures (RVI) up 20% and Cost Plus (CPWM) up 10%.The catalyst was this morning's Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which beat expectations of by about 10 points. The Index improved considerably in April and now stands at 39.2, up from 26.9 in March. That is the Index's biggest increase since November 2005 and its highest reading since November 2008.There are two components to the Index: consumers' present situation and expectations. The Present Situation Index was 23.7, up from 21.9 in March, but the Expectations Index rose to 49.5 from 30.2 in March. The Conference Board noted that "[t]he ...

Cost Plus Inc. (CPWM) is a leading specialty retailer of home furnishings. Fourth-quarter sales were slightly above our forecast, but the company's EPS missed our estimate by a wide margin. Cost Plus reported a net loss of $0.19 per share vs. our estimate of a net profit of $0.18 per share.The shortfall was due to lower merchandise margins and higher operating costs than we estimated. What's more, management's guidance for the first quarter was not bullish. Macro economic headwinds are pressuring the company's results, and management does not anticipate an economy recovery for at least a year. We agree and would avoid Cost Plus shares.The combination of the company's mounting losses and weak balance sheet point to further weakness in its stock price. We reiterate our Sell rating and our 6-month target price of $0.50.Read the full analyst report on "CPWM"...

Highlights include Nordstrom, Inc. (JWN), Cost Plus, Inc. (CPWM) and BRE Properties (BRE).What do Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming have in common? Low population densities and agricultural-based economies to be sure -- but what else?How about California, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina? Not much at first blush.The answers are, the first group has unemployment rates under 5%, while the second group has unemployment rates above 9%. The graph below (larger version available at http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/) shows that the unemployment rate is higher now than a year ago for every state in the Union. However, there are very real regional differences in the impact so far. Perhaps noteworthy by their absence from the list of the worst unemployment rates are two of the "rust belt" states, Ohio and Pennsylvania.I'm not ...