For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 4, 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: Stanley Works (SWK), Black & Decker Corporation (BDK), Joy Global (JOYG), Paccar (PCAR) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW).

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:

Stanley Works Acquires B&D

Stanley Works (SWK) and Black & Decker Corporation (BDK) have entered into a definitive merger agreement to create Stanley Black & Decker, an $8.4 billion global tool maker. The Board of Directors of both companies approved an all-stock transaction valued

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While last week GDP growth came in better than expected at 3.5%, which was a very welcome development, there was very little change in the coverall shape of GDP. This is a troubling development for the long term. GDP is the sum of spending by the Consumer, Private Investment, Government Spending and Net Exports. The Graph below shows the percentage each of them has contributed to overall GDP since 1947. The Consumer is still by far the dominate force in the economy, and it is becoming more so. In the 3Q, PCE, meaning the consumer, rose to 70.98% of GDP, up from 70.66% in the second quarter. That is an all-time record high. At the same time, private investment was virtually unchanged near an all-time low as a share of GDP at 11.04%, up from 11.03% in the 2Q. Government spending as a share of GDP ...

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) -- one of the precursors to the ISM reports that will be released tomorrow (manufacturing) and next week (services) -- fell to 46.1% in September from 50.0% in August. The report covers both manufacturing and service businesses. The magic number separating expansion from contraction is 50.0%. The Chicago report is a big disappointment after similar readings from the New York and Philadelphia regions showed unexpected improvements. The consensus expectation was that the Chicago reading would come in at 52.0%. This puts the current expectations that the ISM manufacturing number will come in at 54.0 in substantial doubt. In August the reading was 52.9, and that was a key piece of evidence that the economy was on the mend. I did not see what the expectations are for the services number, and lately manufacturing has been doing better than services. If ...

In August, industrial production rose 0.8% from July, and the July increase was revised from a gain of 0.5% to a gain of 1.0%. In manufacturing, production was up 0.6% following an upwardly revised gain of 1.4% in July (was 1.0%). Output at the country’s mines rose 0.5% following a 0.6% gain in July. Utility output, which can be affected as much by the weather as by economic activity, rose 1.9% in August following a 1.6% decline in July. These increases are a big turnaround from what we had been seeing. On a year-over-year basis, total industrial production is still down 10.7%, with manufacturing down 12.2% and mining down 10.5%. Utility output is basically unchanged on a year-over-year basis, down only 0.1%. Having two back-to-back gains in industrial production is highly significant, and constitutes definitive proof, in my opinion, that the recession is over. Breaking the release ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 16, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Joy Global (JOYG) as the Bull of the Day and Zions Bancorporation (ZION) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Fannie (FNM), Freddie (FRE) and J.P. Morgan (JPM).

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 confident about the long-term fundamentals of the mining industry, which is further supported by a sustainable secular shift in commodity demand in the emerging economies. This will provide Joy Global (JOYG) substantial growth potential once the global economy emerges from the ongoing turmoil.

Joy Global aims at maximizing operating efficiency and useful life of mining equipment through value-added aftermarket services, which gives the company significant edge over its competitors.

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 16, 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: Citigroup Inc. (C), Pall Corporation (PLL), Joy Global (JOYG), Best Buy Company Inc. (BBY) and Ecolab Inc. (ECL).

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 Analyst Blog:

Citigroup Mulls Lowered Govt Stake

Top-level management at Citigroup Inc. (C) is conceiving plans to downsize the U.S. government's 34% stake in the company through a multibillion-dollar stock offering. Under the plan, Citigroup would issue new shares to the public and the Treasury Department would

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We are confident about the long-term fundamentals of the mining industry, which is further supported by a sustainable secular shift in commodity demand in the emerging economies. This will provide Joy Global (JOYG) substantial growth potential once the global economy emerges from the ongoing turmoil.

Joy Global aims at maximizing operating efficiency and useful life of mining equipment through value-added aftermarket services, which gives the company significant edge over its competitors. Additionally, the stable revenue stream from the high-margin aftermarket operations help Joy Global offset its cyclical original equipment business.

Of late, Joy Global management has implemented several strategies to optimize cost-structure and realign production capacity to cope with the slowing customer orders and stay competitive amid the ongoing global slowdown. The company is pushing its overall inventory and working capital efficiency. Moreover, Joy Global is looking at increasingly relocating production capacity to low-cost regions like China, Poland, and

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Joy Global (JOYG) posted an EPS of $1.21 for the third quarter FY 2009, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96 cents and $1.03 recorded in the year-ago quarter, primarily driven by better pricing, improved supply chain management and cost control measures. Operating margin for the quarter expanded to 20% from 15% posted during the corresponding period of last year due to operational efficiency and favorable manufacturing variances. Revenues grew 6% y-o-y to $956 million as a result of 19% growth in the Underground Mining Machinery segment -- more than offsetting 8% and 10% decline in the Surface Mining Equipment and the Crushing & Conveying segments, respectively. Original equipment sales increased 19%, largely due to good execution of the strong backlog, primarily in the United States and South Africa. However, after-market sales fell 4%, resulting from flat Underground Equipment business and slightly lower Surface Mining ...

• MetLife (NYSE:MET) shares fell 7.4% after the shares were downgraded by Raymond James Financial on valuation concerns

• BP (NYSE:BP) announced a "giant" new oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico, named "Tiber," one of the deepest wells ever drilled

• Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD) reported disappointing Phase III trail results for its primavanserin drug in treatment of Parkinson's disease psychosis

• Joy Global (NASDAQ:JOYC) announced fiscal third quarter earnings of $1.21 per share, beating estimates of 95 cents a share, on revenues of $956 million, up from projections of $902.4 million. The firm said it sees 2009 revenues to equal its prior $3.5 billion to $3.6 billion guidance, and raised its earnings guidance to $4.00 to $4.20 per share, from its view of $3.80 to $4.00 per share

• Textron (NYSE:TXT) was upgraded by Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) to "buy" from "neutral."  Goldman also added the firm to its conviction buy list with a

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Industrial Production Falls in Europe and the U.S.On June 12, Eurostat reported European Industrial production fell 21.6% in April (y-o-y comparison). The weakness was broad-based across the EURO region, with all member states reporting a decline: Germany saw April output decline 23.2%, Spain -19.7, Italy -24.2 and Sweden -21.2%.The chart below (source: ECB statistical data warehouse) shows the industrial production decline for the Euro Area 16 takes it back to levels last seen in 1999. The domestic picture on industrial production appears no brighter. Just yesterday, the Federal Reserve released figures on Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization. Industrial Production fell 1.1% in May following a 0.7% decline in March. The April number was revised down from the initial reading of a 0.5% decline. On a year over year basis, total industrial output is down 13.4%.Looking at ...