MLM Martin Marietta Materials Inc

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 MLM and PCL 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:

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (MLM)announced second-quarter profit of 78 cents per share on August 2 that missed analysts? expectations by 27.78%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year slid to $1.96 per share from $1.98 per share in the last 30 days as next year?s estimate dipped 4 cents per share to $2.57 per share in that time span.

Plum Creek Timber Co. Inc. (PCL) posted a second-quarter profit of 27 cents per share on July 25, which came in 1 cent wider than the average forecast. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year fell to $1.19 per share from $1.33 per share over the past month. For 2012, analysts expect a profit of $1.44 per share, compared to last two month?s projection for a profit of $1.63 per share.

Here is a synopsis of why FLO and TXRH 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;

Flowers Foods, Inc. (FLO) second-quarter profit of 23 cents per share, posted on August 17, lagged analysts? projections by 11.54%. Estimate for current year slid 5 cents per share to $1.02 per share over a month as next year?s estimate dipped 4 cents per share to $1.15 per share in that time span.

Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (TXRH) reported a second-quarter profit of 22 cents per share on August 1 that fell 8.33% short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The full-year average forecast is currently 84 cents per share, compared with last two month?s projection of 87 cents per share. Next year?s forecast dropped to 96 cents per share from $1 per share in the same period.
 
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