Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (HGR) yesterday reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2009 after market close. Earnings per share were 30 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 27 cents and the year-ago earnings of 23 cents. Sales Net sales for the quarter increased 7.6% year over year to $192.3 million. Growth can be primarily attributed to higher same-center sales of patient care centers, higher demand for the company’s distribution segment and acquisitions. Patient-care services contributed approximately 88% to total sales while the remaining came from the distribution segment. Margins Gross margin declined 70 basis points (bps) year over year to 69.4% in the reported quarter due to higher cost of raw materials. However, strong sales and the company’s expense management initiatives helped it to increase operating and net margins. Both operating and net margins increased 100 bps year over year ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 12, 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: Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (HGR), Orthofix International NV (OFIX), Conmed Corporation (CNMD), Exactech Inc. (EXAC) and Owens & Minor Inc. (OMI).

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Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Hanger on Acquisition Spree

Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (HGR) recently made three acquisitions totaling $10.7 million in annual net revenues. These acquisitions are: Creative Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc.; Custom Orthopedics of Wyoming; and certain orthotics and prosthetics assets from the Hospital of

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Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (HGR) recently made three acquisitions totaling $10.7 million in annual net revenues. These acquisitions are: Creative Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc.; Custom Orthopedics of Wyoming; and certain orthotics and prosthetics assets from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. These acquisitions will enable Hanger to add patient care centers to its existing markets in New York, Wyoming and Pennsylvania. Hanger will fund these acquisitions from internally generated cash flows. It is estimated that the acquisitions will be accretive to Hanger’s earnings once the integration process is over. The acquisitions strengthen Hanger’s leadership position in the orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) market and bolster its top-line. Hanger Orthopedic Group, based in Bethesda, MD, provides orthotic and prosthetic patient care services through its 671 patient care centers in the U.S. The company operates through four business units: patient care, distribution, Linkia and Innovative Neurotronics....

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

Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALXA) Anesiva Inc (ANSV) Ashland Inc (ASH) Caliper Life Sciences Inc (CALP) Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCLAY) Grand Canyon Education Inc (LOPE) Majesco Entertainment Co (COOL) NaviSite Inc (NAVI) New Jersey Resources Corp (NJR) Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) Papa John's Int'l Inc (PZZA) Pearson Plc (PSO) Provident Energy Trust (PVX) Radvision Ltd (RVSN) Silgan Holdings Inc (SLGN) TAM SA (TAM) Tecumseh Products Co (TECUA) PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (TLK) Ziopharm Oncology Inc (ZIOP)

View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

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

Aaron Rents Inc (RNT) Access National Corp (ANCX) Air Liquide (AIQUY) Altair Nanotechnologies Inc (ALTI) Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc (BRLI) Caribou Coffee Company Inc (CBOU) Claude Resources Inc (CGR) Empresas ICA SA (ICA) Flowers Foods Inc (FLO) Grand Canyon Education Inc (LOPE) Insituform Technologies Inc (INSU) IntelGenx Technologies Corp (IGXT) Macrovision Solutions Corp (MVSN) Metabasis Therapeutics Inc (MBRX) NaviSite Inc (NAVI) Oscient Pharmaceuticals Corp (OSCI) Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) Papa John's Int'l Inc (PZZA) Pearson Plc (PSO) Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGSVY) Provident Energy Trust (PVX) Rollins Inc (ROL) Shaw Communications Inc (SJR) Thomson SA (TMS) Tucows Inc (TCX) Unitrin Inc (UTR) VistaPrint Ltd (VPRT) The Wet Seal Inc ...

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

Aaon Inc (AAON) Companhia de Bebidas das Americas - AmBev (ABV) CECO Environmental Corp (CECE) Dendreon Corp (DNDN) DepoMed Inc (DEPO) Dillard's Inc (DDS) DivX Inc (DIVX) Enteromedics Inc (ETRM) EPIX Pharmaceuticals Inc (EPIX) Herley Industries Inc (HRLY) J&J Snack Foods Corp (JJSF) Lundin Mining Corp (LMC) Majesco Entertainment Co (COOL) ManTech International Corp (MANT) Maxcom Telecomunic SAB de CV (MXT) Mercer Insurance Group Inc (MIGP) Nanometrics Inc (NANO) National Beverage Corp (FIZZ) National Interstate Corp (NATL) The Navigators Group Inc (NAVG) Oncolytics Biotech Inc (ONCY) Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) RLI Corp (RLI) Scientific Learning Corp (SCIL) Shinhan Financial Group Co Ltd (SHG) Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (...

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

America Service Group Inc (ASGR) Amtrust Financial Services Inc (AFSI) AngloGold Ashanti Ltd (AU) ArcSight Inc (ARST) BioReference Laboratories Inc (BRLI) Calavo Growers Inc (CVGW) Christopher & Banks Corp (CBK) Citi Trends Inc (CTRN) Dolan Media Co (DM) Dynamics Research Corp (DRCO) Flowers Foods Inc (FLO) Fuel Systems Solutions Inc (FSYS) Gammon Gold Inc (GRS) Genmab A/S Dkk (GNMSF) Harmony Gold Mining Co (HMY) HF Financial Corp (HFFC) IntelGenx Technologies Corp (IGXT) J&J Snack Foods Corp (JJSF) ManTech International Corp (MANT) MasTec Inc (MTZ) Navios Maritime Partners LP (NMM) NaviSite Inc (NAVI) Odyssey HealthCare Inc (ODSY) Orion Marine Group Inc (OMGI) Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) Peet's Coffee & Tea ...

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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Owens & Minor, Inc. (...

Owens & Minor Inc (OMI) shares registered an unusually low trading volume today. The company stock fell over 5% at $31.72.

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