For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 16, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Semtech Corp. (SMTC) as the Bull of the Day and Washington Federal (WFSL) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Bank of America (BAC), Hasbro (HAS) and Peabody Energy (BTU).

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:

Semtech Corp. (SMTC) is a fabless supplier of analog and mixed-signal semiconductor devices. Management has been diversifying the product portfolio, introducing new high-margin products and broadening the customer base.

July quarter results exceeded the consensus on both the top and bottom lines. Forward guidance is for 6-10% revenue increase in the October quarter.

Both revenue growth and margin expansion are expected to return in the second half of fiscal

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 8, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Guess? (GES) as the Bull of the Day and Washington Federal (WFSL) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on J.P. Morgan (JPM), Citigroup (C) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST).

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:

Guess? (GES) reported better-than-expected results for the first half of 2010, thanks to strong North American sales, operating cost controls and smart inventory management. In addition, the company's strong cost-control efforts helped it maintain a lower operating cost structure, which in turn helped it navigate through the difficult economic conditions.

Management also issued optimistic guidance for the third quarter, although it declined to provide guidance for fiscal year 2010. For

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The FDIC is considering tapping its emergency line of credit with the Treasury. FDIC Chair Sheila Bair recently hinted after a speech at Georgetown University that all options are on the table when it comes time to replenish the dwindling Deposit Insurance Fund. We’ll find out more in the next few weeks after the FDIC board of directors meets.

Stock market bulls aren’t concerned about the inevitable acceleration in bank failures — at least for now. Even though deposits will be insured against loss, the loss of local banks will still have a depressing effect on hundreds of small communities. These communities are going to lose their only access to business credit when their local zombie banks — loaded with toxic construction or commercial real estate loans — are liquidated or merged into other weak banks.

Meanwhile, the latest monthly figures show that commercial bank balance sheets are shrinking at a fairly

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Washington Federal Inc. (WFSL) initiated an underwritten public offering of $300 million of its common stock on Monday. The company plans to use proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including capital to support growth and acquisition opportunities. The net proceeds would also qualify as both tangible common equity and regulatory Tier 1 capital.

JPMorgan Securities Inc., a non-banking subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering. D.A. Davidson & Co. and McAdams Wright Ragen are acting as co-managers. The underwriters will probably get a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the shares offered to cover overallotments, if any.

The secondary market for subprime and other non-conforming mortgage loans collapsed during the recent market volatility and housing slump and most companies with an exposure to such loans reported massive losses.

Although Washington Federal

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Washington Federal, Inc.’s (WFSL) third fiscal quarter adjusted results of $0.07 per diluted share surpassed our estimate by three pennies and consensus by four pennies. However, the results continued to be impacted by higher credit costs. Credit quality and profitability metrics significantly deteriorated during the quarter.  Net income available to common shareholders for the quarter came in at $2.5 million or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to $33.2 million or $0.38 per diluted share in the prior year quarter. Net income available to common shareholders for the reported quarter excludes preferred dividends of $3.5 million.  The quarterly results included a pre-tax loss of $4.8 million on real estate acquired through foreclosure. Also, during the quarter, there was a charge of $2.0 million related to Washington Federal’s repurchase of $200 million of preferred stock held by the Treasury under the TARP. Excluding these one-time items, we arrive ...

On June 29, 2009, Washington Federal, Inc. (WFSL) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share. The dividend is payable on July 24, 2009 to shareholders of record on July 10, 2009. This will mark Washington Federal's 106th consecutive quarterly cash dividend payment. In December 2008, the company last decreased its cash dividend by $0.165 per share or 76.7% to the current level from $0.215 per share paid in October, 2008. However, we are very impressed to see that the company is continuing to pay cash dividends despite the ongoing market turmoil which have forced many players in the market to stop paying dividend.

During the recent market volatility and housing slump, the secondary market for subprime and other non-conforming mortgage loans collapsed, and majority of the companies with an exposure to such loans are faced with massive losses. Though Washington Federal has not been immune to

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