Zacks Releases Four Powerful "Buy" Stocks: Solera Holdings, Flowers Foods, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. and Open Text Corporation

Business Wire, Dec 12, 2008

CHICAGO -- Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry's leading independent research firm highlights one Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value.

The four highlighted picks are: Solera Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLH), Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO), Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (Nasdaq: SNDA) and Open Text Corporation (Nasdaq: OTEX).

Today, Zacks is promoting its "Buy" stock recommendations. Four daily picks are offered free at http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Zacks #1 Rank Stocks have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of 28%. Performance has been notable even during volatile and down times. For example, during the last bear market, 2000-2002, the market tumbled -37.6% - but Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8%.

Here is a summary of today's selected stocks that are now highly rated by Zacks:

Aggressive Growth - Solera Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLH)

Solera Holdings just announced its fourth consecutive earnings surprise and completed an acquisition that will expand its service in Brazil. On Nov 19, Solera completed the acquisition of Inpart Servicos, an electronic exchange for replacement vehicle parts in Brazil.

Zacks Guide to Aggressive Growth Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4309

Growth & Income - Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO)

Flowers Foods recently reiterated its guidance for 2008 and 2009. Wall Street estimates for 2008 earnings of $1.23 per share and $1.39 per share for 2009 are in line with the company's outlook. Analysts are seeing 21% earnings growth for 2008 and 12% growth for 2009.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4310

Momentum - Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (Nasdaq: SNDA)

Shanda Interactive Entertainment is fresh of the heels of another solid quarter, producing earnings that were once again ahead of estimates. Analysts are bullish on the company, whose share price has jumped 50% in the last month.

Zacks Guide to Momentum Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4311

Value - Open Text Corporation (Nasdaq: OTEX)

Open Text Corporation is seeing strong demand for its compliance software solutions as revenue jumped 11% in the third quarter. The company is growing through acquisitions, as it just completed a merger with Captaris, Inc., a privately-held software provider. OTEX trades at 11x forward earnings.

Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4312

How to Regularly Access Picks from the Zacks Rank Discovery for Free: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Underlying the four free stock picks is a simple truth that first appeared in a Financial Analysts Journal article published in 1979. Leonard Zacks, a Ph.D. in Mathematics from M.I.T. found that "earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Zacks #1 Rank is awarded to a stock when analysts sharply upgrade their estimates of what the company will earn.

Today, Zacks is promoting its stock recommendations by offering four daily picks free to those who register at http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Len Zacks. The company continually processes stock reports issued by 3,000 analysts from 150 brokerage firms. It monitors more than 200,000 earnings estimates, looking for changes.

Then, when changes are discovered, they're applied to help assign more than 4,400 stocks into five Zacks Rank categories: #1 Strong Buy, #2 Buy, #3 Hold, #4 Sell, and #5 Strong Sell. This proprietary stock-picking system continues to outperform the market by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.

More Free Stock Picks

Each weekday, new Zacks #1 Rank or Zacks #2 Rank stock picks are released on the free email newsletter, Profit from the Pros. Investors are invited to register for their free subscription at http://at.zacks.com/?id=91

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.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.