Zacks Releases Four Powerful "Buy" Stocks: Compass Minerals International, Strayer Education, LHC Group and Parlux Fragrances

Business Wire, Nov 19, 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: Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE: CMP), Strayer Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: STRA), LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) and Parlux Fragrances, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARL).

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 30%. 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 - Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE: CMP)

Compass Minerals International has just posted historic earnings. Earnings per share rose sharply on increased sales volume and the company is expanding into a growing market.

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

Growth & Income - Strayer Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: STRA)

Strayer Education boasts a return on equity (ROE) of 43%, surging past the industry average of 11%. Equally as impressive is the fact that Strayer's balance sheet shows no debt.

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

Momentum - LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG)

LHC Group recently raised its 2008 full-year revenue and earnings guidance after reporting strong third-quarter results in late October. The analyst community is bullish on the company, and its share price continues to accelerate, recently hitting a new 52-week high.

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

Value - Parlux Fragrances, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARL)

Parlux Fragrances, which has no debt, offers an attractive forward P/E ratio of 7. The company's price-to-book is at 0.62, well below the industry average of 1.3.

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.

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