Zacks Buy List Highlights: Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., Prudential Financial, Inc., AK Steel Holding Corporation and EnPro Industries, Inc

Business Wire, March 2, 2007

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases the latest list of Zacks Rank Buy Stocks. Everyday on Zacks.com, four stocks are selected based on how well they match the criteria for the four main schools of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum and Value. The four Zacks Rank Buy stocks highlighted today are Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (AMEX: TDS), Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), AK Steel Holding Corporation (NYSE: AKS), and EnPro Industries, Inc. (NYSE: NPO).

Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of 31.8% 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%. To see the full Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List, or the rank for any other stock, visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Here is a synopsis of today's Zacks Rank Buy Stocks:

Aggressive Growth - Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (AMEX: TDS)

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. has a mixture of high-growth and stable businesses. TDS Telecom's main focus is on the rural and suburban markets, where competition is less intense than in metropolitan and urban areas. Additionally, the broadband Internet (DSL) business is generating strong growth, partially offsetting recurring declines of local phone access lines and associated revenues.

Growth & Income - Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU)

Prudential Financial, Inc. exceeded analysts' earnings expectations in nine out of the past 11 quarters by an average margin of 15.3%. The company recently raised its full-year earnings per share guidance to between $6.80 and $7.00. PRU has returned value to shareholders in the form of share buybacks and dividend payments. The company has a current dividend yield of 1.0% and a five-year average dividend yield of 0.75%.

Momentum - AK Steel Holding Corporation (NYSE: AKS)

After dropping sharply with the rest of the market on Tuesday, AK Steel Holding Corporation bounced back in dramatic fashion on Wednesday, closing at a new 52-week high on more than twice normal volume. AKS not only made up the entire loss on Tuesday, but gained 13%. Now that's a strong uptrend.

Value - EnPro Industries, Inc. (NYSE: NPO)

EnPro Industries, Inc., a Zacks #1 Rank stock, has benefited from acquisitions made throughout the year. The consensus earnings estimate for this year has risen dramatically over the past 30 days. NPO has a price-to-book ratio of 2.0, compared to 4.8 for the market.

Truly taking advantage of the Zacks Rank requires the understanding of how it works.

The free special report, "Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions," provides an insightful background about this wealth-building tool. Download your free copy of the report now to prosper in the years to come by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=93.

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 $1.77 million - equivalent to a 31.8% 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 143.6% annually ( 4.8% vs. 11.8%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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