Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500's 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (

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Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500's 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (

...

Stock performance in the transportation sector has been very uneven, reflecting the varying fortunes of particular industries within the sector. The median year-to-date-stock price gain/(loss) has been mixed for industries in the Zacks transportation universe, with all industries underperforming the S&P 500’s 3.3% increase, with the exception of railroads and air freight.

Air freight has been helped by large gains in smaller companies as the giants within the air freight sector, United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) and FedEx Corporation (FDX), are down 10.6% and 8.4% year to date, respectively. The railroads were helped when CSX Corporation (CSX) kicked off the second quarter earnings season earlier this week with better-than-expected earnings.

Railroads 11.8% Air Freight 5.1% Equip & Leasing (2.1)% Trucking (2.5)% Shipping (2.8)% Airlines (29.5)% Among the hardest hit industries ...

We are continuing our Hold on Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK), but raising our target price to $5.In 2009's first quarter, SBLK posted diluted EPS before nonoperating items of $7.96 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, well below our $0.27 estimate due to lower-than-expected revenues.An average of 12.0 vessels were owned and operated for 1,037 voyage days during the quarter, earning an average adjusted time charter equivalent, or TCE, rate of $35,158 per day. This compares to 8.1 vessels owned and operated for 647 voyage days during the prior-year quarter, earning an average TCE rate of $35,767 per day. We are cutting our 2009 diluted EPS estimate to $0.45 from $0.87 due to the first quarter shortfall, as well as a substantial reduction in our revenue estimate. Positively, the company has a significant portion of its fleet under contract--100% of operating days ...

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

Alliance Financial Corp (ALNC) BNP Paribas SA (BNPQY) Calamos Asset Management Inc (CLMS) Eastman Chemical Co (EMN) Flamel Technologies SA (FLML) Gastar Exploration Ltd (GST) Kirkland's Inc (KIRK) O'Reilly Automotive Inc (ORLY) Perdigao SA (PDA) Perfect World Co Ltd (PWRD) Rolls-Royce Group Plc (RYCEY) Smart Balance Inc (SMBL) Star Bulk Carriers Corp (SBLK) Telecom Italia SpA (TI) Tele Norte Leste Participacoes SA (TNE) Universal Electronics Inc (UEIC) View the entire Zacks #1 Rank List.

"ALNC" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"BNPQY" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"CLMS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"EMN" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?"FLML" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – March 26, 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: CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF), Agrium Industries (AGU), Terra Industries (TRA), Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK) and General Mills, Inc. (GIS).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579.

Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

CF Industries Lowered to Hold

CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer products in North America. The company's operations are organized into 2 business segments: the nitrogen fertilizer

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Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK), headquartered in Athens, Greece, is an international drybulk shipping company whose fleet carries drybulk commodities, including coal, iron ore, and grains, or major bulks, as well as bauxite, phosphate, fertilizers, and steel products, or minor bulks.In the company's latest quarterly report, an average of 12.1 vessels were owned and operated for 1,030 voyage days during the third quarter, earning an average adjusted time charter equivalent, or TCE, rate of $62,156 per day. However, spot rates have plummeted (the Baltic Dry Index is at a 22-year low), and about one-fourth of the company's fleet is exposed to spot rates in 2009. Accordingly, we are reducing our diluted EPS estimates to $0.94 from $1.20 for 2008 and to $0.87 from $1.58 for 2009. SBLK elected to pay its most recent quarterly $0.36 dividend one-half in cash and one-half in stock....