QSFT Quest Software, Inc. (MM)

Since inception in 1988, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now by 80% annually (+2% versus +10%). While the rest of Wall Street continued to tout stocks during the market declines of the last few years, Zacks told investors which stocks to sell or avoid.

Here is a synopsis of why MTRN and QSFT have a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell) and should most likely be sold or avoided for the next one to three months. Note that a #5 Strong Sell rating is applied to 5% of all the stocks in the Zacks Rank universe:

Materion Corp (MTRN) announced fourth-quarter profit of 4 cents per share on February 27 that missed analysts? expectations by 33.33%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year slid to $2.12 per share from $2.32 per share in the last 60 days as next year?s estimate dipped 62 cents per share to $2.49 per share in that time span.

Quest Software, Inc. (QSFT) posted a fourth-quarter profit of 26 cents per share on February 14, which came in 20 cents wider than the average forecast. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year fell to $1.40 per share from $1.41 per share over the past month. For 2013, analysts expect a profit of $1.64 per share, compared to last month?s projection for a profit of $1.65 per share.

Here is a synopsis of why KMB and HRB have a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) and should also most likely be sold or avoided for the next one to three months. Note that a #4 Sell rating is applied to 15% of all the stocks ranked by Zacks;

Kimberly Clark Corp (KMB) fourth-quarter profit of $1.28 per share, posted on January 24, lagged analysts? projections by 0.78%. Estimate for current year slid 1 cent per share to $5.11 per share over two month?s as next year?s estimate dipped 1 cent per share to $5.54 per share in that time span.

H&R Block, Inc. (HRB) reported a third-quarter loss of 1 cent per share on March 6 that fell 116.67% short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The full-year average forecast is currently $1.38 per share, compared with last month?s projection of $1.44 per share. Next year?s forecast dropped to $1.64 per share from $1.66 per share in the same period.
 
BLOCK H & R (HRB): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
KIMBERLY CLARK (KMB): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
MATERION CORP (MTRN): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
QUEST SOFTWARE (QSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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