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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Harris Corp. (HRS) recently won a  $419 million Basic Purchasing Agreement contract to supply the U.S. Army with Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multi-band tactical radios & vehicular power-amplifier adapter systems. The initial delivery order under the contract is valued at $165 million. Harris’ Falcon III AN/PRC-117G radios will be deployed by the U.S. Army for missions worldwide to provide next-generation, high-speed tactical satellite network and voice-and-data communications.   Harris has a strong market position in the government communications sector, with a broad product line and an enviable win rate on government contracts (more than 60% historically). The company’s Falcon III tactical radios are being widely used by U.S. Special Operations forces, the U.S. Army and various NATO and “Partnership for Peace" countries. Several industry researches have predicted that tactical radio segment may provide a multi-billion dollar business opportunity to Harris in the next couple of years as overall defense ...

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DrStockPick.com Watch List!

My Picks for Monday October 12, 2009, are:

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NCS,NCI Building Systems Inc.

NCS manufactures and markets metal products for the nonresidential construction industry in North America.

NCS has made further progress toward completing its previously-disclosed refinancing, which includes a $250 million equity investment by a fund managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.

Once effective, the refinancing will significantly reduce NCS’s debt and provide substantial flexibility in the current economic downturn as well as the resources to support future growth.

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SNWT, San West Inc., SNWT.OB

SNWT designs, manufactures, sells and repairs off-road buggies, and additionally provides aftermarket performance products and accessories for off-road

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 In a recent regulatory filing, Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)  announced its plans to increase prices by up to 2% worldwide on most of its  machinery effective January 2010. The company attributed this price increase to current industry factors and current and expected general  economic conditions.    This indicates the company’s optimism about demand improvement next year.  Caterpillar had earlier indicated that there was already an improvement in  industrial production growth and increase in commercial and residential  building sales in China. The company stated that the country’s economic  growth has rebounded in the second quarter. Caterpillar believes that the government stimulus package, along with the reduced interest rates, will drive the Chinese economic growth.    Apart from China, Caterpillar sees demand potential for its products in  other developing as well as developed countries. Given the need for basic  infrastructure globally, Caterpillar is confident of capitalizing on the economic recovery. Being ...

SunPower Corp. (SPWRA) recently teamed up with SunRay Renewable Energy to construct a 24MW solar electric power plant in Montalto di Castro, Italy. This project is the first phase of a planned 100MW development that is expected to be fully operational in 2010.

This would be Italy’s largest operating solar power plant after completion. Spread over 80 hectares, the Montalto di Castro project is owned by SunRay Renewable Energy. The company has engaged SunPower to design and construct the power plant apart from providing ongoing operations and maintenance services for the project. The project is being financed by a consortium of primary international and Italian. Electricity produced at the plant will find a ready market locally and any surplus will be added to Italy’s national electric grid.

SunPower is focused on tapping the rapidly expanding Italian solar market. Its 2008 acquisition of Solar Solutions, a solar systems integration

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Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) recently announced the closure of joint venture with Navistar International Corp. (NAV). The 50/50 joint venture, NC2 Global LLC, was formed to pursue global commercial truck opportunities outside North America.   NC2 will develop, manufacture and distribute commercial trucks in markets outside of North America and India. The company said that the initial focus would be on Australia, Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa and Turkey. NC2’s product portfolio will include both aero nose and cab-over designs and will be sold under both the Caterpillar and International (Navistar) brands.   Both Navistar and Caterpillar have named three people to the joint venture’s Board of Directors and Caterpillar Group President Doug Oberhelman will serve as Chairman of the Board.   Under a separate agreement, both companies will together produce heavy-duty vocational trucks for the North American market. The company said that these trucks will be co-developed ...

[Again, my apologies for the late posting of this news blast, as I'm covering all the bases on my own today... - Best, James]TODAY:  The United States sells even more arms during a recession, Gorbachev's towering ego, more gas spats between the Kremlin and Kiev, Khodorkovsky talks about jail for life, the Pikalyovo virus spreads, Deripaska doesn't want Opel, and a EU human rights commissioner gets the state-approved tour of Chechnya.Russia and Ukraine are at each other's throats again over natural gas, with the Kremlin accusing Kiev of attempting to alter the contracts.  In a televised meeting with Gazprom's Alexei Millar, President Dmitry Medvedev said "As far as an idea of an advance payment for tariffs, then ...

Harris Corp. (HRS) recently increased its quarterly cash dividend by 10% from the first quarter of fiscal 2010. The company will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share compared to 20 cents per share earlier. As a result, its annual dividend will also increase to 88 cents per share from 80 cents currently.

We believe the primary reason for this increment is the company’s blockbuster fourth-quarter results and growing visibility of its future business prospects. As a leading government electronics supplier, Harris benefits from the increase in US defense expenditures. It has a sustainable and diversified product pipeline with a potential market size of $15 billion. Its total order backlog at the end of fiscal 2009 was more than $6.1 billion. In the previous quarter, all the three business segments of the company received healthy order bookings. Harris reported that it had $1.29 billion new

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The construction and equipment manufacturers Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and Terex Corp. (TEX) received contracts from the Defense Logistic Agency this week. The Pentagon announced that Terex received a $5.6 million contract from the agency for a rock crusher jaw plant, while Caterpillar received two contracts, one for providing adverse terrain forklifts and the other for dump trucks. The contracts are worth approximately $14 million and $6 million, respectively. Currently, both companies are experiencing weak demand for their products. Caterpillar reported a year-over-year sales decline of 32%, while Terex’s sales were down 51% during the first half of 2009. Uncertainty surrounding the global economic recovery is leading to low activity levels in the construction, mining and other end markets. This is leading to cancellation or rescheduling of orders in these businesses. We do not expect to see substantial recovery in any of these markets for ...

Solar Energy Initiatives Inc. yesterday announced that it expects to post revenues of $2.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2009 and highlighted its recent milestones that attributed to the success of its first year of operations. Solar Energy Initiatives announced cash flow positive status and said it anticipates further growth in the upcoming year.

“Management is extremely pleased with the business momentum that the Company has achieved,” David Fann, CEO of Solar Energy stated in the press release. “Solar Energy Initiatives has successfully increased revenue, achieved cash flow positive status, and established a strong organic revenue foundation for which new contracts will be leveraged. We believe that we will continue to see sustained growth throughout our 2010 fiscal year.”

The company’s confidence in the upcoming year is attributed, in part, to important achievements of 2009. The company recently secured a contract in which it will design, construct and operate a 300-megawatt

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