Zacks Releases Four "Strong Buy" or "Buy" Stocks: Acuity Brands, Williams Companies, Stone Energy Corp. and Chevron Corporation

Business Wire, May 15, 2008

CHICAGO -- Four free stock picks are being made available today on Zacks.com. The industry's leading independent research firm highlights a Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy stock or a Zacks #2 Rank Buy stock for each of the four main styles of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum, and Value. Today's four highlighted picks are: Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI), Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB), Stone Energy Corp. (NYSE:SGY) and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX).

Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buys have nearly tripled the S&P 500 since 1988, producing an average annual return of 31%. 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%.

To see the secret behind this performance, investors are invited to download the free special report, Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions. http://at.zacks.com/?id=4422

Here is a summary of today's Zacks #1 Rank Strong Buy Stocks:

Aggressive Growth - Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI)

Acuity Brands is seeing the light. Strong margins, new products, and pricing power have all helped earnings. Over the past two months, this year's earnings estimates have jumped 22 cents to $3.92 per share. The company has posted an average surprise of 7.7% over the past four quarters.

Zacks Guide to Aggressive Growth Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4423

Growth & Income - Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB)

Williams Companies is a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) company that continues to trade near a 52-week high. Six out of nine covering analysts lifted full-year 2008 expectations to $2.03 per share from last month's $1.90. The most accurate estimate is a more bullish $2.10 per share. The company offers a ROE of 18%, versus the industry's average of 15%, and WMB's 3 - 5 year earnings per share growth expectation of 15% is more than double the industry average of 7%.

Zacks Guide to Growth & Income Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4424

Momentum - Stone Energy Corp. (NYSE:SGY)

Stone Energy Corp. just reported excellent first-quarter results that reinforce the incredible growth in earnings that oil exploration companies have been enjoying as crude continues its meteoric ascent. Analyst estimates continues to rise, with the current-year estimate getting a nice bump in just the last seven days. The stock looks well positioned for another breakout.

Zacks Guide to Momentum Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4425

Value - Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)

Chevron has increased its exploration and development budget as crude continues to hit records. The company has surprised on estimates three out of the last four quarters on average of 2.36%. Chevron's forward P/E is 9.28.

Zacks Guide to Value Investing (free!): http://at.zacks.com/?id=4426

The Zacks Rank Discovery

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.

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 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=4427

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.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.