Just like you never want to hear a doctor say "oops" in the operating room, you never want to see a going-concern statement in a financial report about a company you own. Accountants throw these in when they've been over the books, talked to customers, and checked the horoscopes and have concluded there is "substantial doubt" about a company's ability to remain in business. In short, don't blame the accountants if the company files for bankruptcy protection.

You¿d reckon that a going-concern statement would be enough to send investors running to the exits, but it's not. True, many large institutions automatically bail when an existing company gets slapped with one of these, but many individuals (often wrongly) take a chance they know more than the bean counters.

During the tech boom of the late 1990s, many companies actually went public even though they had been hit with going-concern statements. Many of those companies subsequently disappeared. Enough said.

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Zacks Releases Four Powerful ''Buy'' Stocks: GrafTech International, Flowserve Corp., National Fuel Gas Co. and Eastman Chemical

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Comtex

CHICAGO, Jun 26, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----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: GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:GTI), Flowserve Corp. (NYSE: FLS), National Fuel Gas Co. (NYSE: NFG) and Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN).

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 - GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:GTI)

GrafTech International Ltd. posted very strong first-quarter results on May 1 that included a 27% increase in sales from the same period last year. After the solid quarterly performance, GrafTech boosted its full-year guidance, placing this company's stock price very close to value territory.

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

Growth & Income - Flowserve Corp. (NYSE: FLS)

Flowserve Corp., a Zacks Rank # 1 (Strong Buy) name, reveals growth in many areas, such as its ROE of 24% that exceeds the industry average of 17%. The company is also rewarding shareholders with income. The most recently declared quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share translates into a dividend yield of 0.8%, which is ahead of the industry averages since most of the companies within Flowserve's industry group pay no income.

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

Momentum - National Fuel Gas Co. (NYSE: NFG)

National Fuel Gas Co. shares have recently pulled back from their 52-week highs, consolidating into a tight range and trading mostly sideways for the last month. The company has been posting nice gains from its exploration and production segment, in accordance with sky-rocketing crude prices. After reporting solid second-quarter results on May 1, NFG boosted its full-year guidance.

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

Value - Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN)

Eastman Chemical is using its global strength and higher prices to overcome high energy and raw material costs as first quarter earnings rose 24%. The company has beaten Wall Street estimates three out of the last four quarters. Eastman's forward P/E is 12.39.

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.

SOURCE: Zacks.com

Zacks.com Aggressive Growth Stocks: Contact: Roopak Chakravarty Phone: 312-265-9188 or Growth & Income
   Stocks: Contact: Alex Kolb Phone: 312-265-9149 or Momentum Stocks: Contact: Michael Vodicka Phone: 312-265-9226 or Value Stocks:
   Contact: Tracey Ryniec Phone: 312-265-9232 Email: pr@zacks.com Visit: www.zacks.com Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance
   for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Copyright Business Wire 2008 **********************************************************************
   As of Sunday, 06-22-2008 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend� Alert, an automated pattern recognition system, indicated a DOWNTREND
   on 06-20-2008 for EMN @ $72.55. As of Sunday, 06-22-2008 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend Alert, an automated pattern recognition
   system, indicated an UPTREND on 03-24-2008 for FLS @ $103.51. As of Sunday, 06-22-2008 23:59, the latest Comtex SmarTrend
   Alert, an automated pattern recognition system, indicated an UPTREND on 06-19-2008 for GTI @ $26.97. For more information
   on SmarTrend, contact your market data provider or go to www.mysmartrend.com SmarTrend is a registered trademark of Comtex
   News Network, Inc. Copyright � 2004-2008 Comtex News Network, Inc. All rights reserved.