For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 30, 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: Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC), Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Principal Financial Group (PFG) and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG).

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Here are highlights from Thursday’s AnalystBlog:

Gentiva Beats Zacks Estimate

Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) reported a third-quarter (ended Sept. 27, 2009) net income of 54 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. Net income per share was 42 cents in

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 22, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV) as the Bull of the Day and MetroPCS (PCS) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO), Google (GOOG) and Boeing Company (BA).

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:

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV) has scheduled its third quarter earnings call for October 29th, one week from today. Gentiva reported a second-quarter net income of 59 cents per share which was much higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 45 cents.

The company boasts of a diversified product portfolio. Its product offerings include home health, hospice, respiratory therapies and home medical equipment. Gentiva serves nearly 500,000 patients annually

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Yesterday, Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) announced the completion of its acquisition of Rush Home Care Inc., which operates as Magna Home Health. While the financial terms of the transaction were undisclosed, the company announced that it funded the deal with its existing cash reserves. The agreement to purchase Magna Home Health, a part of the Rush Health System, was signed by Gentiva in July this year. The addition of Magna's locations in Meridian, Mississippi and Gilbertown, Alabama should enable Gentiva to expand its coverage in seven new certificate of need (CON) counties to participate in the delivery of home health services. We believe this deal will consolidate Gentiva’s position as the largest provider of comprehensive home healthcare services in the U.S. and enable them to serve a wider patient population. The transaction is not expected to affect Gentiva’s 2009 operations materially. Gentiva, which derives ...

Highlighted in this blog is Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV).In 2008, Medicare spent about $16.5B on home care services out of a total budget of $455B. In a report released Friday March 13, 2009, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised concerns that improper payments from practices indicating fraud and abuse may have contributed to Medicare home health spending and utilization over recent years.The GAO focused on states with the highest growth in Medicare home health spending or utilization, fraudulent and abusive practices contributing to recent spending and utilization, and administrative issues that make it vulnerable to improper payments.In comments on a draft of the report, CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] stated it would consider 2 of our 4 recommendations—to amend regulations to expand the types of improper billing practices that are grounds for revocation of billing privileges and to ...

The Zacks Rank Buys featured in this article are: Sohu.com Inc.( On Feb 26 Sohu beat Wall Street estimates once again when it reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.35, well above the consensus of $1.16. The 16% surprise is the company's seventh consecutive surprise.

Earnings were driven by a 41% spike in online gaming revenues. Active accounts also rose 13.5% over the previous quarter.

Estimates are Up

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Highlighted stocks include Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) and HealthSouth (HLS).MedPac Releases Report on Medicare Payment PolicyEach March, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) reviews and makes recommendations for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) payment systems and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program to Congress.On Friday February 27, 2009, MedPac released its findings and recommended significant cuts to home healthcare companies, reducing payments by 5.5% in 2010. It also suggested trimming reimbursement rates for high priced medical imaging services and reforming payments for end-of-life hospice care, among other measures.The commission also echoed the Obama budget's call for reduced payments for Medicare Advantage insurance plans, which private insurers offer as an alternative to the government's traditional fee-for-service program.On a positive note, the commission deemed payments to skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facility services * as adequate, and ...

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (...

Highlighted stocks include Odyssey Healthcare Inc. (ODSY), Chemed Corp.  (CHE) and Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV).A Moratorium for Medicare Cuts to Hospice ProvidersThe nation¹s hospice community claimed a significant victory this week after President Barack Obama signed a bill (H.R. 1-The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) into law that includes a one-year moratorium on cuts in Medicare funding for the more than 4,700 hospice programs nationwide.On April 28, 2008, CMS [Centers for Medicare &  Medicaid Services] had proposed a 3-year phase-out of the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF) to the hospice wage index, a key component of the Medicare hospice reimbursement formula. CMS proposed phasing out the BNAF by 25% in 2009, 75% in 2010 and completely in 2011.CMS issued a final rule phasing out the budget neutrality factor that is included in the computation of ...

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

Aaron Rents Inc (RNT) Air Liquide (AIQUY) American Capital Ltd (ACAS) AsiaInfo Holdings Inc (ASIA) Basilea Pharmaceutic (BPMUF) Cavalier Homes Inc (CAV) El Paso Pipeline Partners LP (EPB) FPIC Insurance Group Inc (FPIC) Gander Mountain Co (GMTN) Gentiva Health Services Inc (GTIV) Harleysville Group Inc (HGIC) Immucor Inc (BLUD) Jarden Corp (JAH) MAP Pharmaceuticals Inc (MAPP) Metavante Technologies Inc (MV) Novell Inc (NOVL) Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGSVY) Portugal Telecom SGPS (PT) Radio One Inc (ROIAK) Silgan Holdings Inc (SLGN) Stericycle Inc (SRCL) UBS AG (UBS) Veolia Environnement (VE) Wireless Ronin Technologies Inc (RNIN) View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

Zacks Investment Research

Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) went past a short-term level of resistance at $26.44 on Wednesday noon. The company raised its 2009 profit outlook to a range of $1.72 and $1.80 from a prior view of $1.62 and $1.72 per share. This Zacks#1 Rank (“Strong buy”) stock has topped the consensus estimate in 3 out of the last 4 quarters.

"GTIV" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research