Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

3D Systems Corp (TDSC) 3M Co (MMM) Ajinomoto Co Inc (AJINY) Ameriprise Financial Inc (AMP) Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (ADM) Avnet Inc (AVT) Balchem Corp (BCPC) Banco Santander Chile (SAN) RG Barry Corp (DFZ) Bell Microproducts Inc (BELM) Briggs & Stratton Corp (BGG) Cadbury PLC (CBY) Cato Corp (CATO) China Green Agriculture Inc (CGA) Conceptus Inc (CPTS) Consolidated Graphics Inc (CGX) Crane Co (CR) Cymer Inc ...

Cato Corporation (CATO), the women's fashion specialty retailer, reported third quarter results on Nov 19 that surprised on the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.11%, or 1 cent a share. It was the company's fourth consecutive earnings beat.

Earnings per share for the third quarter rose 233% to 10 cents from 3 cents in the year ago period. The Zacks Consensus called for 9 cents.

The company bucked the negative retail trend by increasing sales by 6% to $191 million from $179.8 million in the year ago period. Same store sales also rose 4%, surprising even the company.

The gross margin rate also rose to 34.8% from 29.3% in the year ago quarter mainly due to better merchandise margins and lower freight costs.

The company is being cautious about the fourth quarter given the economic uncertainties even though it outperformed in the third quarter. It is still forecasting same store

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 18, 2009 – Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry’s leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Cantel Medical Corp (CMN), Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), China Green Agriculture, Inc. (CGA) and DryShips Inc. (DRYS).      Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5607

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +26%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% – but Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%.

Here is

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

Advisory Board Co (ABCO) Amerigon Inc (ARGN) Amicas Inc (AMCS) Avago Technologies Ltd (AVGO) Bancorp Inc (TBBK) Bare Escentuals Inc (BARE) Benchmark Electronics Inc (BHE) BHP Billiton Ltd (BHP) BHP Billiton Plc (BBL) Cabela's Inc (CAB) Cadbury Plc (CBY) Cantel Medical Corp (CMN) Commerce Bancshares Inc (CBSH) Connecticut Water Service Inc (CTWS) Crane Co (CR) Domtar Corp (UFS) DryShips Inc (DRYS) EnerNOC Inc (...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 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: DryShips, Inc. (DRYS), Capmark Financial Group Inc. (CPFNG), Citigroup Inc. (C), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS).

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 AnalystBlog:

DryShips Beats, Results Hurt

DryShips, Inc.’s (DRYS) third-quarter earnings of 27 cents per share were 6 cents ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This excludes a loss of $39.3 million or 15 cents per share associated with the valuation of the company’s

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DryShips, Inc.’s (DRYS) third-quarter earnings of 27 cents per share were 6 cents ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This excludes a loss of $39.3 million or 15 cents per share associated with the valuation of the company’s interest rate swaps. However, earnings were down substantially from $3.53 per share in the prior-year quarter. GAAP net income for the quarter came in at $35.6 million or 12 cents per share, compared to $180.0 million, or $4.13 per share in the prior-year quarter. The better-than-expected earnings were aided primarily by the performance of drilling and drybulk units at high utilization rates. Revenues decreased 30.4% year-over-year to $228.2 million. An average of 38.5 vessels were operated for 3,492 voyage days during the third quarter of 2009 earning an average time charter equivalent rate of $32,887  per day. This compared to an average of 38.9 vessels operated for ...

Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500's 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (

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Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500's 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (

...

Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500’s 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) and FedEx Corporation (FDX), are down 10.6% and 8.4% year to date, respectively. The railroads were helped when CSX Corporation (CSX) kicked off the second quarter earnings season earlier this week with better-than-expected earnings.

Railroads 11.8% Air Freight 5.1% Equip & Leasing (2.1)% Trucking (2.5)% Shipping (2.8)% Airlines (29.5)% Among the hardest hit industries ...

Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe -- all industries are underperforming the S&P 500's 0.7% increase, with the exception of air freight. Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (...