Zacks Earnings Preview: Apollo Group, Research in Motion, Lennar, Monsanto and Micron Technology

CHICAGO--(Business Wire)--
Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises.
This week`s list includes Apollo Group (Nasdaq: APOL) and Research in Motion
(Nasdaq: RIMM). Also reporting are Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN), Monsanto
Company (NYSE: MON) and Micron Technology (NYSE: MU). To see more earnings
analysis, visit http://at.zacks.com/?id=3207.

Every day, Zacks.com makes 4 stock picks available, free of charge. To see them,
go to http://at.zacks.com/?id=3567.

The Week's Events

Only 52 companies are confirmed to report, including S&P 500 members Apollo
Group (Nasdaq: APOL), Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN), Monsanto Company (NYSE:
MON) and Micron Technology (NYSE: MU).

March employment data is due out on Friday. Keep an eye on nonfarm payrolls,
forecasts have the decline holding in the 600k range for the fourth-consecutive
month.

* Tuesday: March Conference Board consumer confidence, March Chicago PMI,
January CaseShiller home price index
* Wednesday: March ISM manufacturing index, February pending home sales,
February construction spending, March ADP employment data, March auto sales,
weekly crude inventories
* Thursday: February factory orders, weekly initial jobless claims
* Friday: March unemployment and nonfarm payrolls, March ISM services index

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will speak at a Fed Reserve credit market symposium on
Friday, Apr 3.

Vice Chairman Donald Kohn will also speak on Friday. He will discuss measures to
pull the U.S. out of the recession at the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio.

G20 members will meet on Thursday, Apr 20. The meeting could cause some
volatility in the dollar, though a major announcement is not expected.

The markets are overbought following the biggest 10-day rally since 1938.
Continue to keep an eye on Washington for news about the banking and automobile
sectors.

Companies That Could Issue Positive Earnings Surprises

Apollo Group (Nasdaq: APOL) topped expectations during the past 3 quarters by an
average margin of nearly 10 cents per share. Ahead of the company's fiscal
second-quarter report, one of the covering brokerage analysts raised his
forecast. Though the change did not impact the consensus earnings estimate of 65
cents per share, it did result in a more bullish most accurate estimate of 68
cents per share. Apollo Group is scheduled to report on Tuesday, Mar 31, after
the close of trading.

Companies That Could Issue Negative Earnings Surprises

During the past 30 days, 5 of the more than 30 covering brokerage analysts have
cut their fiscal fourth-quarter forecasts on Research in Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM).
The revisions knocked the consensus estimate down by a penny to 84 cents per
share. Though not large, the changes are notable because the Blackberry maker
has missed twice in the past 3 quarters. Plus, forecasts for fiscal 2010 have
been tumbling. Research in Motion is scheduled to report on Thursday, Apr 2,
after the close of trading.

Charles Rotblut, CFA, is the senior market analyst for Zacks.com.

Want to turn earnings surprises into quick profits? Learn how by visiting
http://at.zacks.com/?id=3206.

About the Zacks Rank

Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the
most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank
Stocks have generated an average annual return of +28%. During the 2000-2002
bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled
-37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell
recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988,
Zacks Rank #5 stocks have underperformed the S&P 500 by 80% annually (+2% versus
+10%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio
trading effectively.

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numbers displayed in this press release.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should
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security.

Contact: Charles Rotblut, CFA
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9352
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: www.Zacks.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009