PJC Piper Jaffray Companies

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 PJC and SAFT 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:

Piper Jaffray Companies (PJC) announced fourth-quarter profit of 11 cents per share on January 25 that missed analysts? expectations by 42.11%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year slid to $1.78 per share from $2.05 per share in the last 60 days as next year?s estimate dipped 10 cents per share to $2.28 per share in that time span.

Safety Insurance Group, Inc. (SAFT) posted a fourth-quarter profit of 31 cents per share on March 8, which came in 28 cents wider than the average forecast. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year fell to $3 per share from $3.05 per share over the past month. For 2013, analysts expect a profit of $3.08 per share, compared to last month?s projection for a profit of $3.15 per share.

Here is a synopsis of why FOE and JCI 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;

Ferro Corporation (FOE) fourth-quarter loss of 8 cents per share, posted on February 29, lagged analysts? projections by 166.67%. Estimate for current year slid 13 cents per share to 51 cents per share over a month as next year?s estimate dipped 4 cents per share to 78 cents per share in that time span.

Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) reported a first-quarter profit of 60 cents per share on January 19 that fell 3.23% short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The full-year average forecast is currently $2.74 per share, compared with last two month?s projection of $2.98 per share. Next year?s forecast dropped to $3.35 per share from $3.59 per share in the same period.
 
FERRO CORP (FOE): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
JOHNSON CONTROL (JCI): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
PIPER JAFFRAY (PJC): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
SAFETY INS GRP (SAFT): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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