Zacks.com Announces That the Following Companies Will Release Earnings This Week: Acuity Brands, Horizon Health Corporation, Laidlaw Int'l, TIBCO Software and UAP Holding Corporation

Business Wire, July 5, 2006

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases its exclusive Earnings Trends update written by Dirk Van Dijk, Director of Research for Zacks Equity Research. In addition, the following companies will report earnings this week: Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI), Horizon Health Corporation (NASDAQ: HORC), Laidlaw International, Inc. (NYSE: LI), TIBCO Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TIBX) and UAP Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: UAPH). To see this week's full report then visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=105

This vital update provides investors with timely information regarding companies that will be reporting their earnings in the coming week, how companies' earnings faired the week prior, exclusive sector rankings, and earnings commentary. Below you will find a synopsis of this week's earnings commentary including estimates and the Zacks Rank for the previously mentioned companies.

Companies Making an Announcement This Week:

Ticker     Company Name         Date      EPS Estimate   ZacksRank(a)

AYI        Acuity Brands Inc.   07/06      .57               3
HORC       Horizon Health       07/06      .29               4
LI         Laidlaw Int'l        07/06      .53               3
TIBX       TIBCO Software       07/06      .05               3
UAPH       Uap Holding          07/06     1.00               3

To see the complete Weekly Earnings and Sector Update with the entire list of companies reporting this week and sector rankings, click http://at.zacks.com/?id=106

Synopsis of Weekly Earnings and Sector Update by Dirk Van Dijk

The second quarter has ended and in just a few short weeks we will be in the heart of earnings season. With a 17th rate hike and new language, the market will now start to fret about what the Fed will do at the August meeting. While the tone of the statement was a little bit more on the dovish side, we are still in a world of data dependency. Translation: The Fed doesn't know what it is going to do in August; rather the committee wants to see how the numbers come in between now and then. The market will try to second guess the Fed, and expect the market to react strongly to each new economic data point that is released.

Dirk Van Dijk has been starting to get a few early reports and the results have been extremely positive. Granted these firms are not a representative sample, but we'll take the good news.

The most noteworthy of the early reporters are the investment banks, and the four big ones that have recently reported simply blew the expectations out of the water. However, as we enter the quarter, analysts are a bit on the cautious side with the median year-over-year growth of only 8.3% expected in the S&P 500. That is a sharp slowdown from the 13.2% growth posted in the first quarter. Yet shortly before the first-quarter reporting season started, analysts were only expecting 8.9% growth. Positive surprises then simply overwhelmed disappointments by better than 3:1 and the actual growth was much higher than expected. It would not shock Dirk at all to see this happen again in the second quarter.

About the Zacks Rank

Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." A $10,000 investment in the Zacks Rank list made in 1988 would now be worth $1.82 million - equivalent to a 33% annualized return! 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 129.7% annually ( 5.2% vs. 11.9%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

Truly taking advantage of the Zacks Rank requires the understanding of how it works. That's why we created the free special report, "Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions." Download your free copy now to prosper in the years to come by going to http://at.zacks.com/?id=107

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros http://at.zacks.com/?id=108

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.