Business Wire: Zacks Buy List Highlights: Herman Miller, Inc., SonicWALL, Inc., Compuware Corporation, and Cirrus Logic, Inc

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Zacks Buy List Highlights: Herman Miller, Inc., SonicWALL, Inc., Compuware Corporation, and Cirrus Logic, Inc

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 Herman Miller, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLHR) and SonicWALL, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNWL). Further, Zacks announced #2 Rankings (Buy) on two other widely held stocks: Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ:CPWR) and Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS). 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 MLHR and SNWL have a Zacks Rank of 1. Note that a #1 Strong Buy rating is applied to only 5% of all the stocks Zacks ranks:

Herman Miller, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLHR) earnings estimates for the year ending May 2006 moved up nine cents, or approximately 7%, from two months ago. In late May, the company announced fiscal fourth-quarter earnings per share of 31 cents, the highest level in four years, exceeding the consensus estimate by almost 15% and surpassing last year's result. The company mentioned that the dynamic growth in its operating income reflects the leverage it has created in its business model.

SonicWALL, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNWL) recently posted second-quarter pro forma earnings per share of five cents, beating last year's two cents and jumping ahead of the consensus estimate by 25%. The company noted that revenue growth for the second quarter, led by substantial growth in its license and services business, was in line with its strategy of focusing on subscription and software revenues. Earnings estimates for the 2005 year are above one month ago levels by almost 1%.

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

Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ:CPWR) recently reported fiscal first-quarter earnings of six cents per share versus a break-even result for the previous year. The six cents also outperformed the consensus estimate of three cents. The company commented that the quarterly results featured year-over-year increases in software license fees, maintenance fees and total revenues. Earnings estimates for the year ending March 2006 jumped three cents, or about 9%, over the past seven trading days.

Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) recently reported fiscal first-quarter earnings per share that were ahead of the consensus estimate by 150% and improved on last year's earnings for the first quarter. The company stated that it recently introduced its latest low-power stereo codec for applications such as MP3 players, smart phones and digital camcorders, which demonstrates its commitment to drive revenue growth in one of the hottest-growing market segments. Earnings estimates for the year ending March 2006 are at 23 cents per share, which is an increase of approximately 35% from just seven days ago.

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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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