Zacks PEG Ratio Strategy Highlights: Plains Exploration & Production, Genco Shipping & Trading, Brasil Telecom Participacoes and Whiting Petroleum

Business Wire, May 16, 2008

CHICAGO -- If you like to use a company's P/E ratio to determine its value, then you'll love using the PEG Ratio Profit Track. The PEG Ratio can calculate if a stock is undervalued relative to its expected future growth. Find out which companies offer the greatest value regardless of growth rate to enjoy stellar returns. Four stocks meeting this screen's exclusive criteria are: Plains Exploration & Production Company (NYSE:PXP), Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. (NYSE:GNK), Brasil Telecom Participacoes S/A. (NYSE:BRP) and Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:WLL).

View the entire list of stocks for the PEG Ratio Profit Track at http://at.zacks.com/?id=1837

Here are details about four companies currently identified by the PEG Ratio Profit Track:

Plains Exploration & Production Company (NYSE: PXP) reported outstanding year-over-year first quarter results, which were above analyst expectations. Net income reached $1.43 per share, compared to 28 cents a year earlier. The Zacks #1 Rank company attributed this increase in earnings to higher commodity prices and the acquisition of Pogo Producing Company and properties in the Piceance Basin. PXP is an independent oil and gas company that qualified for this profit track with a PEG ratio of .48 and a 12-month trailing PE of 22.59.

Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. (NYSE: GNK) is an international ship owning company that transports iron ore, coal, grain, steel products and other drybulk cargoes worldwide. In the first quarter, GNK reported year-over-year net income of $74 million, compared to $20 million. The company is currently enjoying an average broker recommendation of 2.33 and an extremely low PEG ratio of .27. The Zacks #1 Rank company also sports a 12-month trailing PE of 19.23 and has recently been hitting new 52-week highs.

Brasil Telecom Participacoes S/A. (NYSE: BRP) is a telecommunications giant with a Zacks #1 Rank and a PEG ratio of .25, making this undervalued stock a great pick for the PEG ratio profit track. The company reported a year-over-year first quarter profit of R$248.3 million, compared to R$170 million. For fiscal year 2008, BRP expects a 3.4% increase in net operating revenues. Moreover, BRP enjoys an average broker rating of 1.67.

Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) placed on the PEG ratio profit track with an average broker recommendation of 2.38 and a low PEG ratio of .32. The Zacks #1 Rank company also sports a 12-month trailing PE of 2.38. In the first quarter, WLL reported better-than-expected year-over-year earnings that amounted to $1.47 per share, compared to 29 cents per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.26 per share. On May 5, WLL announced that it plans to acquire properties in the Uinta Basin for $365 million.

Discover all the current stocks currently on the PEG Ratio Profit Track at: http://at.zacks.com/?id=1868

About Profit Tracks

What is a "Profit Track"? Each Profit Track is a successful stock picking strategy with proven results through the Bear Market of 2001-2002 and the Bull run started in 2003. On Zacks.com we have created these nine unique screens to offer investors great strategies to potentially outperform the market in the years ahead. In 2006, the Low Price Stocks strategy was the top performing Profit Track with a return of 56.5% followed by the Discounted Fundamental screen with a 34% return. To see all nine strategies along with philosophy, past performance and current stocks, go to http://at.zacks.com/?id=1838.

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