CENTURYTEL INC (CTL) - Profit Tracks

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 MOLX and CTL 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:

Molex Incorporated (MOLX)announced fourth-quarter profit of 44 cents per share on August 3 that missed analysts? expectations by 4.35%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year slid to $1.82 per share from $1.85 per share in the last 30 days as next year?s estimate dipped 1 cent per share to $2.09 per share in that time span.

CenturyLink, Inc. (CTL) posted a second-quarter profit of 64 cents per share on August 3, which came in 2 cents wider than the average forecast. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year fell to $1.70 per share from $1.74 per share over the past month. For 2012, analysts expect a profit of $1.74 per share, compared to last month?s projection for a profit of $2.03 per share.

Here is a synopsis of why NILE and CEPH 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;

Blue Nile, Inc. (NILE) second-quarter profit of 19 cents per share, posted on August 4, lagged analysts? projections by 13.64%. Estimate for current year slid 2 cent per share to $1.02 per share over a month as next year?s estimate dipped 4 cents per share to $1.14 per share in that time span.

Cephalon, Inc. (CEPH) reported a second-quarter profit of $1.62 per share on August 2 that fell 22.12% short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The full-year average forecast is currently $8.18 per share, compared with last two month?s projection of $8.34 per share. Next year?s forecast dropped to $5.27 per share from $5.47 per share in the same period.
 
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