Zacks Buy List Highlights: Bankrate, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Millicom International Cellular S.A. and Vodafone Group Public Limited Company

Zacks Buy List Highlights: Bankrate, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Millicom International Cellular S.A. and Vodafone Group Public Limited Company

Zacks.com releases the latest list of Zacks Rank Buy Stocks. Everyday on Zacks.com, four stocks are selected based on how well they match the criteria for the four main schools of investing: Aggressive Growth, Growth & Income, Momentum and Value. The four Zacks Rank Buy stocks highlighted today are Bankrate, Inc. (Nasdaq: RATE), Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG), Millicom International Cellular S.A. (Nasdaq: MICC), and Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NYSE: VOD).

Stocks ranked #1 (Strong Buy) by Zacks have produced an average annual return of +31.8% since inception in 1988. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8% while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%. To see the full Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) List, or the rank for any other stock, visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=88

Here is a synopsis of today’s Zacks Rank Buy Stocks:

Aggressive Growth – Bankrate, Inc. (Nasdaq: RATE)

Bankrate, Inc. has met or exceeded earnings estimates in seven of the past eight quarters. Two analysts have raised their earnings forecasts for this year. Over the past month, this year’s estimates have increased five cents to 92 cents per share. The stock is trading at 32.6x next year’s earnings, above the long-term projected growth rate of 26.5%.

Growth & Income – Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE: RSG)

Republic Services, Inc. exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations for six straight quarters. The company recently reported solid fourth-quarter and full-year 2006 results. RSG has boosted shareholder value through both dividend payments and share repurchases. The company is currently yielding 1.5% and has a five-year average dividend yield of 0.86%.

Momentum – Millicom International Cellular S.A. (Nasdaq: MICC)

On Feb 14, Millicom International Cellular S.A. reported EPS of 50 cents for the December 2006 quarter, up 213% from last year. Sales were up 99% to $544 million. In addition, the company reported that subscriber totals had nearly doubled to 14.9 million. After release of the earnings information, MICC shares soared to their highest levels in the company’s history on Thursday.

Value – Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NYSE: VOD)

Vodafone Group Public Limited Company, a Zacks #1 Rank stock, added 20.9 million customers during the first half of fiscal 2007. The company outlined a number of measures to cut costs and expressed its desire to expand in faster growing emerging markets. Consensus estimates for both this year and next have risen considerably over the past two months. VOD has a price-to-book ratio of only 1.1.

Truly taking advantage of the Zacks Rank requires the understanding of how it works.

The free special report, “Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions,” provides an insightful background about this wealth-building tool. Download your free copy of the report now to prosper in the years to come by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=93.

About the Zacks Rank

Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that “Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices.” A $10,000 investment in the Zacks Rank list made in 1988 would now be worth $1.77 million – equivalent to a 31.8% annualized return! During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained 43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled 37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988, Zacks Rank #5 stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 by 143.6% annually (+4.8% vs. +11.8%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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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.
Contacts

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Aggressive Growth Stocks:
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Value Stocks:
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