According to Bespoke Investment Group, the companies on this list have incurred the biggest changes in their EPS estimates over the past month. We took the top/bottom 10 companies (excluding financials) on the list and provided our outlook on these firms based on their attractiveness from a valuation standpoint and the sales growth expectations embedded in their current stock price. The companies on this list with an attractive valuation and reasonable expectations for growing sales are the companies we believe are the most likely to outperform.

It is important to note that earnings are important but not sufficient for evaluating a firm’s ability to create wealth and the shortcomings of EPS alone, take a look at a recent article titled EPS Incresed…Company Underperformed? For a more comprehensive approach to valuation, we suggest you look at the following strategy of how The Applied Finance Group finds value.

F1Q09 Earnings Call

January 8, 2009 11:00 am ET

F4Q08 Earnings Call

November 13, 2008 11:00 am ET

Joe Mezrich, of Nomura Securities International, coined the term "cheap losers" for stocks selling at a cheap price-to-book-value ratio and a recently depressed stock price. In the four bear markets since 1974, cheap losers far outpaced S&P 500 gains during the ensuing recoveries. From the July 2002 market bottom, the S&P rose 17% while cheap losers gained 54%. In today's market, many value stocks have taken their worst hits in decades, but this may mean a bunch of stocks that have become cheap losers are approaching the limit of their downward slide.

Penford Corporation (PENX)

F3Q08 Earnings Call

Penford Corporation (PENX)

F1Q08 Earnings Call

January 9, 2008 11:00 am ET

For traders with a more short term time horizon, we have compiled a list of the S&P 1500 stocks which have the largest intraday high low ranges (based on the average percent spread between the intraday high and low for the last fifty days). We then grouped the stocks based on whether they have a rising or falling fifty day moving average. Tickers highlighted in gray indicate that the stock is new this week to the list.

Reflecting the state of the market, this month's list is dominated with stocks in downtrends, indicating that not much money is being made trying to catch intraday moves on the long side.

Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit: For traders with a more short term time horizon, we have compiled our weekly list of the S&P 1500 stocks which have the largest intraday ranges (based on the average percent spread between the intraday high and low for the last fifty days). We then grouped the stocks based on whether they have a rising or falling fifty day moving average. Stocks highlighted in gray are new to the list this week.

One of this week's more notable additions is Take Two (TTWO). At a price of $19.86, the stock has pulled back from its March high of $24.80 and has been sitting right at its 50-day moving average.

Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit: With the market making new highs yesterday, we have updated our list of the S&P 1,500 (large, mid and small cap S&P indices) stocks trading furthest above and below their 50-day moving averages. We realize that some of the ones trading well above their 50-days are being acquired, but we have included them anyways.

PENX tops our list of most above, trading 52.73% higher than its 50-day. FINL is trading the furthest below at -27.97%. Other notable names making the list: Apollo Group (APOL) +24.15, Nvidia (NVDA) +22.36, Freeport McMoRan Copper (FCX) +20.49, and homebuilders HOV -21.87, HOV -21.87, MTH, -19.75, KBH -15.85, LEN -15.54, RYL -13.49.

HEARD ON THE STREET: As Energy Prices Sink, Many Firms Are Buoyed

SMALL STOCKS: Penford Rises Amid Ethanol Deal; Netgear Falls 11% on Downgrade

Andersons Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDE)
Archers Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM)
Aventine Renewable Energy (AVR)
DuPont (DD)
Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE)
MGP Ingredients (MGPI)
Pacific Ethanol (PEIX)
Pendford (PENX)
SunOpta (STKL)
VeraSun (VSE)
Veridium Corporation (VRDM)
Xethanol (XNL)