Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) has added 25 new stores in 2009 and intends to open 32 to 34 new stores for the full year as its growth plans remain intact despite the difficult economic environment.

If retail has been struggling, you couldn't tell from Urban Outfitters third quarter results. The company reported on Nov 12 that it saw record earnings for the quarter ending Oct 31, 2009. Earnings per share were 36 cents, or 1 cent better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Net sales rose 6% over the year ago period to $506 million.

Comparable store sales rose at all three of its segments. Anthropologie climbed 3%, Free People increased 13% and Urban Outfitters grew 5%. The Wholesale segment net sales declined 10% while direct-to-consumer net sales rose 21%.

Urban Outfitters has successfully been cutting inventories which has boosted the bottom line. Inventories decreased by 8%, or $18 million,

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 12, 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: Jo-Ann Stores Inc. (JAS), Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. (PVH), Group 1 Automotive Inc. (GPI) and NBTY Inc. (NTY).      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:

3M Co (MMM) AMCOL International Corp (ACO) Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (ADM) Arena Resources Inc (ARD) Bell Microproducts Inc (BELM) Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc (BIO) BNP Paribas (BNPQY) Boston Beer Co Inc (SAM) Conmed Corp (CNMD) Crosstex Energy Inc (XTXI) Deutsche Bank AG (DB) Dover Corp (DOV) Dow Chemical Co (DOW) Eaton Corp (ETN) FBL Financial Group Inc (FFG) Fuel Systems Solutions Inc (FSYS) Genoptix Inc (GXDX) ...

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

Atlas Pipeline Holdings LP (AHD) British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) Central Garden & Pet Co (CENT) Cohen & Steers Inc (CNS) Companhia Paranaense de Energia (ELP) CPFL Energia SA (CPL) Diamond Management & Technology Consultants Inc (DTPI) Drew Industries Inc (DW) Encore Capital Group Inc (ECPG) EnerSys (ENS) Flowserve Corp (FLS) GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK) Ixia (XXIA) Jo-Ann Stores Inc (JAS) Life Time Fitness Inc (LTM) Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC (MIC) ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 17, 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: Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (JAS), The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL), TC Pipelines LP (TCLP) and Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (NGS).      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

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Shares of Borders Group, Inc. (BGP) gained more than 11% during a solid session for the market, making this bookseller a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank stock for Monday.

< ?DART(15);?> There are several retail-related companies on today's Zacks #1 Rank List (which includes 225 stocks), but only 3 are from the retail - miscellaneous/diversified industry. In addition to BGP, those companies include Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) and Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (JAS).

BGP is moving on volume of nearly 208,000, which is well below the average of 639,000.

Earnings Estimates

Profit expectations for this fiscal year and next haven't moved in the past month, but remain dramatically higher than 2 months ago.

For the year ending January 2010, analysts currently predict a profit of 3 cents per share; a remarkable turnaround from 60 days ago when expectations called

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Borders Group, Inc. (BGP) continues to feel the bite of this economic slowdown, but has significantly cut costs and was able to report a fiscal first-quarter loss that was narrower than the consensus.

< ?DART(15);?> As a result, shares of the bookseller are up nearly 14% today, making it one of the top-performing Zacks #1 Rank companies. Volume is higher than normal at 1.5 million, compared to the average of 810,000.

Fiscal Q1 Buoyed by Financial Structure

BGP reported a loss from continuing operations of 27 cents in the quarter, which was far better than the consensus' loss estimate of 50 cents. This marks the second consecutive quarter of better-than-expected results for the company.

However, sales dropped by approximately 12%.

The company continues to strengthen it's financial structure through improvements to cash flow, debt and adjusted EBITDA. Despite these moves though,

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

Access National Corp (ANCX) Acxiom Corp (ACXM) American Public Education Inc (APEI) Capitol Federal Financial (CFFN) Chico's FAS Inc (CHS) Citi Trends Inc (CTRN) CPEX Pharmaceuticals Inc (CPEX) Jo-Ann Stores Inc (JAS) Legal & General Group Plc (LGGNY) PepsiAmericas Inc (PAS) PLATO Learning Inc (TUTR) Raven Industries Inc (RAVN) Sears Holdings Corp (SHLD) TravelCenters of America LLC (TA) View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

"ANCX" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"ACXM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"APEI" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"CFFN" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"CHS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"CTRN" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"CPEX" Free Stock ...

Hansen Natural Corp. ( Sales were up 15% from last year to $244.2 million. Income jumped to $41.6 million from $28.8 million last year, producing earnings of 47 cents per share, 9 cents ahead of the consensus.

This marked the fourth time in the last four quarters that the company has surprised and beat estimates, having done so by an average of 4 cents, or 10%.

Estimates Jump

Analysts boosted their earnings projections after Hansen's solid quarter. The current-year estimate is 8 cents to

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - May 15, 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: BWAY Holding Co. (BWY), Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST), Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (JAS) and Ruby Tuesday, Inc. (RT).     Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of +28%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% -

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