Zacks Buy List Highlights: Pulte Homes, Cal Dive International, Inc., Micrel, Inc., and Sybase, Inc

Business Wire, July 14, 2005

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases another list of stocks that are currently members of the coveted Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List. The #1 Rank stocks highlighted today are Pulte Homes (NYSE:PHM) and Cal Dive International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDIS). Further, Zacks announced #2 Rankings (Buy) on two other widely held stocks: Micrel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRL) and Sybase, Inc. (NYSE:SY). To see the full Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List, or the rank for any other stock, visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of 32.8% since inception in 1988. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8% while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%.

Here is a synopsis of why PHM and CDIS have a Zacks Rank of 1. Note that a #1 Strong Buy rating is applied to only 5% of all the stocks Zacks ranks:

Pulte Homes (NYSE:PHM) recently announced preliminary net new orders for its second quarter, which increased 26% over last year's second quarter. The company will report second-quarter earnings on July 27, 2005. Analysts have been bullish with PHM. Full year 2005 earnings estimates of $10.06 per share are above one week ago levels by 17 cents or almost 2%.

Cal Dive International, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDIS) will announce second-quarter financial results on August 2, 2005. In early May, the company posted first-quarter earnings of 70 cents, surpassing the year ago result and matching the consensus estimate. CDIS stated that its results were driven by excellent offshore performance and gradually improving market conditions for Marine Contracting as well as continued strong performance by the oil and gas production division (ERT). Earnings estimates for the year ending December 2005 climbed 19 cents, or almost 7%, over the past 90 trading days.

Here is a synopsis of why MCRL and SY have a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Note that a #2 Buy rating is applied to 15% of all the stocks ranked by Zacks:

Micrel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRL) earnings estimates for the year ending December 2005 increased nine cents, or almost 38%, from three months ago. In late April, the company announced first-quarter earnings of seven cents per share, improving on last year's five cents and exceeding the consensus estimate by 40%. First quarter revenues were $60.7 million, an increase of 2% sequentially. MCRL commented that the first quarter financial results demonstrate the progress it has made in its commitment to improve profitability independent of increasing revenues. The company will release second-quarter earnings on July 27, 2005.

Sybase, Inc. (NYSE:SY) will announce financial results for the second quarter on July 21, 2005. In mid-April, the company released first-quarter pro forma earnings of 22 cents per share, outperforming last year's 18 cents and surpassing the consensus estimate by 10%. In fact, SY has been ahead of the consensus estimates for the past three consecutive quarters. The company stated that its performance was driven by ongoing growth in its mobile/wireless segment and substantial growth in its flagship database business.

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About the Zacks Rank

For over 16 years, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank stocks have generated an average annual return of 32.8%. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988, Zacks Rank #5 stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 by 155.5% annually ( 4.65% vs. 11.88%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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