Zacks Upgrades and Revisions Strategy Highlights: ACE Ltd., Fairchild Semiconductor, Priceline.com and Textron

Business Wire, Nov 8, 2007

CHICAGO -- Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices. Couple that with the proven benefits of upgrades in ratings from brokerage firms and you have a strategy that delivered a 23.3 return in 2006. Four stocks meeting this screen's exclusive criteria are ACE Limited (NYSE: ACE), Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS), Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) and Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT). View the entire list of stocks for the Upgrades and Revisions Profit Track at http://at.zacks.com/?id=1844.

Here are details on four companies currently identified by the Upgrades and Revisions Profit Track:

ACE Limited (NYSE: ACE) announced solid third-quarter numbers in late October, which helped the insurer secure a spot on the Upgrades and Revisions profit track. Excluding items, earnings per share of $2.06 beat the consensus by more than 13%, surpassing this screen's requirement of a 10% surprise or more. Over the past five years, ACE Ltd. has enjoyed earnings per share growth of more than 27%, bettering this profit track's demanding parameter of a historical growth rate at or greater than 17%. Furthermore, earnings estimates for this year are up approximately 2.8% from one month ago. Given such performance in the present and the past, ACE Ltd. appears to have good momentum moving forward.

Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS) experienced earnings per share growth of more than 22% over the past five years, fulfilling one of the main parameters for this profit track. Over the past month, analysts have boosted earnings estimates for this year by approximately 10.4%. For its third quarter, Fairchild Semiconductor reported adjusted earnings per share of 27 cents, eclipsing the consensus by as much as 35%. Sales advanced 2% to $426.8 million. Sales were at the high end of its guidance range thanks to robust computing and headset demand as well as strong turns orders.

Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) is scheduled to report its third-quarter results after the bell on Thursday. In its second quarter, the online travel-services company reported earnings per share that beat the consensus by 25% with revenue that advanced year over year. In addition to the above-mentioned earnings surprise, Priceline.com qualifies for the Upgrades and Revisions profit track with EPS growth of almost 72% over the past five years.

Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) announced third-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations of 95 cents in mid October, marking a positive surprise of almost 22% above the consensus. Revenue advanced 15%. In addition, the company, whose brands include Bell Helicopters and Cessna aircraft, boosted its 2007 outlook. (Textron executed a two-for-one stock during the quarter.) This member of the Upgrades and Revisions profit track has sustained a strong operating performance for a while now, as evidenced by a five-year EPS growth rate of almost 21%. Earnings estimates over the past month are up 6.4% for this year.

Discover all the current stocks currently on the Upgrades and Revisions Profit Track at: http://at.zacks.com/?id=1869.

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