Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) posted third-quarter EPS of 38 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents as well as prior-year EPS of 28 cents. Through its stringent cost-control measures and global manufacturing strategy, the company managed to offset the impact of lower sales on its earnings. Net sales declined 11.4% to $1.08 billion from $1.22 billion in the third quarter of 2008. This included a negative impact of 5.9% from foreign currency translation, 4.1% from lower unit volumes and 1.4% from unfavorable product-price mix. The decline in unit volumes was primarily seen in industrial businesses. Excluding the currency exchange effect, the Food Packaging posted a 4% increase in net sales due to higher unit volumes in North America. The remaining three segments reported lower sales (excluding a negative currency translation impact) due to lower unit volumes in Europe and North America. However, Sealed ...

When you invest in a stock, one of the best things you can see is analysts raising their expectations about what the company is going to earn for the current fiscal year. There are several ways of measuring this, but the following is a list of the companies with the biggest increases in their consensus earnings expectations for this year over the last month.

To make the list, a company had to have a current mean (average) estimate of over 50 cents, be a member of the S&P 500 and have at least three estimates for this year. The 50-cent restriction was put in to prevent small dollar changes that are huge percentage moves from dominating the list (going from a penny expected to a nickel). Having 3 or more estimates also helps insure it was not a fluke. The S&P 500 restriction was put in to make sure we

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Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) posted second-quarter EPS of $0.34, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.34. The quarter's earnings were down 10.5% compared to the prior year's $0.38. The impact of lower volumes on the company's earnings was partially offset by stabilizing input costs and strong cost control measures.

Net sales declined 19.6% to $1.03 billion from $1.28 billion in the second quarter of 2008. This included a negative impact of 12.4% from lower unit volumes and 9.1% from foreign currency translation, partially offset by a 1.9% contribution from favorable product-price mix. Sealed Air is experiencing a decline in unit volumes across its businesses since the second half of 2008, primarily due to the deterioration of the North American and European economies.

However, Sealed Air posted strong margins during the quarter, reflecting the effectiveness of the company's ongoing cost control efforts. Gross margin increased 220 basis points year

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Sonoco Products Company (SON) posted second quarter earnings of $0.41 per share, beating its own guidance of $0.34-$0.38 per share and our expectations of $0.38 per share. Second quarter EPS was down 33.9% compared to $0.62 reported last year. Net sales during the quarter decreased 20.5% to $864.2 million from $1,086.6 million a year ago. The decline in sales was primarily led by lower volumes and an unfavorable foreign currency translation impact. Sales in the Consumer Packaging segment declined 6% as higher selling prices, were offset by lower volumes and an unfavorable foreign currency translation impact. However, the segment’s operating profit was up 20% due to delays in the flow-through of higher raw material costs. The segment profit also benefited from the productivity improvements implemented by the company. Both the Tubes and Cores/Paper segment and the Packaging Services segment sales were down 29% compared to ...

Pactiv Corp. (PTV) gained marginally in the morning session and was trading near its 200-day moving average of $21.32. The company has topped the consensus estimate in each of the last 4 quarters with an average surprise of 19.06% or 9 cents per share. Pactiv is a Zacks#1 Rank ("Strong Buy") stock.

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

Pactiv Corp. (PTV) gained slightly to rise above its 200-day moving average of $21.91 this morning. The Zacks#1 Rank ("Strong Buy") stock has topped the consensus estimate in each of the last 4 quarters with an average surprise of 19.06%, or 9 cents per share. With a P/E of 10.5X, Pactiv trades at a large discount to its peers.

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

Pactiv Corp. (PTV) shares were slightly up this afternoon on unusually low volume of 1.5 million, versus the daily average of 3 million.

Pactiv expects second-quarter earnings between 54 cents and 58 cents per share. The estimate for the current quarter has advanced to 55 cents from 50 cents over the past month, reflecting upward revisions by 6 of 8 analysts.

The company sees 2009 earnings between $2.15 and $2.25 per share. It previously guided earnings of $1.80 to $2.00 per share.

The full-year average forecast is pegged at $2.17 per share, higher than a month-ago forecast of $1.87 as all 8 covering analysts revised upward.

For next year, six out of 7 analysts raised expectations, pushing the consensus up by 23 cents to $2.26.

In April, the company posted a first-quarter profit of 69 cents per share, beating analysts' expectations by more than 53%.

Pactiv is a

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

Access National Corp (ANCX) Agree Realty Corp (ADC) Akamai Technologies Inc (AKAM) Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) The Bank of Kentucky Financial Corp (BKYF) Carriage Services Inc (CSV) CMS Energy Corp (CMS) Cyberonics Inc (CYBX) DeVry Inc (DV) Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc (BAGL) Henkel AG & Co KGAA (HENKY) Hibbett Sports Inc (HIBB) Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd (IMPUY) ITT Educational Services Inc (ESI) J&J Snack Foods Corp (JJSF) Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) Lincoln Educational Services Corp (LINC) NaviSite Inc (NAVI) Nicor Inc (GAS) Pactiv Corp (PTV) Peoples Bancorp Inc (PEBO) PMC-Sierra Inc (PMCS) Pulaski Financial Corp (PULB) Quest Software Inc (QSFT) Renaissance Learning Inc (RLRN) SonicWall Inc (SNWL) The Steak n ...

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

The Advisory Board Co (ABCO) Koninklijke Ahold NV (AHONY) Alliance Imaging Inc (AIQ) Amerisafe Inc (AMSF) Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc (ARNA) Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc (ARIA) AspenBio Pharma Inc (APPY) AstraZeneca plc (AZN) BASF SE (BASFY) CBIZ Inc (CBZ) Chemed Corp (CHE) Church & Dwight Co Inc (CHD) CombinatoRx Inc (CRXX) Continucare Corp (CNU) deCODE genetics Inc (DCGN) EZCORP Inc (EZPW) Hellenic Telecom Organization SA (OTE) Horsehead Holding Corp (ZINC) Human Genome Sciences (HGSI) Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc (JTX) Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc (JAZZ) Kirkland's Inc (KIRK) La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co (LJPC) MAKO Surgical Corp (MAKO) Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (MTU) NovaMed Inc (NOVA) Pactiv Corp (PTV) Reed's Inc ...

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

The Advisory Board Co (ABCO) Alliance Imaging Inc (AIQ) Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) Almost Family Inc (AFAM) Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc (ALNY) Array BioPharma Inc (ARRY) AsiaInfo Holdings Inc (ASIA) athenahealth Inc (ATHN) BearingPoint Inc (BGPT) Chemed Corp (CHE) Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCLAY) Corinthian Colleges Inc (COCO) Corrections Corporation of America (CXW) Cox Radio Inc (CXR) Crown Castle International Corp (CCI) CSG Systems International Inc (CSGS) deCODE genetics Inc (DCGN) Delhaize Group (DEG) Diageo plc (DEO) DRI Corp (TBUS) El Paso Pipeline Partners LP (EPB) Elbit Systems Ltd (ESLT) The Ensign Group Inc (ENSG) EnteroMedics Inc (ETRM) EZCORP Inc (EZPW) FGX International Holdings Ltd (FGXI) Force Protection Inc (FRPT) ...