Kevin Matras explains how to define winning stocks, and then shows how to find them. Stocks in this week’s article are Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK), Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR), Granite Construction Corporation (NYSE: GVA), SXC Health Solutions Corporation (NASDAQ: SXCI) and Wausau Paper Corporation (NYSE: WPP). Click here for the full story exclusively on Zacks.com: http://at.zacks.com/?id=109

Screen of the Week written by Kevin Matras of Zacks Investment Research:

Today's screen is a simple one, but the idea behind it is pretty powerful. The strategy is finding stocks that are making new 52-week highs, or at least trading within 10% of their 52-week highs.

Why is this so important?

In anybody's portfolio, you're bound to have some great stocks and some not-so-great stocks. Think about it, though, if someone were to ask you about your best holdings, you're likely to name the stocks in an uptrend or making new highs.

Your worst holdings? The ones going lower. You'll rarely single out a stock because it has a low P/E ratio or a great Return on Equity. Sure, those things do matter. However, if the stock making new lows has a cheap P/E and industry beating ROE, you'll quickly identify it as one of your worst holdings - and you would be right to do so.

The winners in your portfolio are the ones going up. Period.

But for some reason, many investors are fearful of buying these kinds of stocks. If you're one of them – you need to start thinking differently. What's the difference between being in a stock making a new 52-week high and getting into one making a new 52-week high? At that particular moment in time – nothing.

Sure, if you're already in it and it's making a new 52-week high, then you might feel 'safer' because you've already built up a cushion of profit. But that's no guarantee it won’t go down. Plus, any stock's gains can be wiped out in a single trading day.

But if you are in a stock making a new high, you're likely rooting for it to go higher, and are excited to see what happens the next day. So why not get excited about getting into a stock making a new high? Because you missed it? Because you want it to go down first?

Remember, stocks going up are the winners. Stocks going down are the losers. And the ones going up are doing so for a reason. Just because you didn't know about it earlier doesn’t make it any less attractive. So try looking for winners (i.e. stocks going up) the next time you're looking for stocks to buy.

Get started with the Free Screener of Zacks.com: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4865

You can build a screen yourself that looks for these types of stocks. Or you can select one of our predefined screens that already does this. Afterward, you can tweak and modify them however you wish. Then add as many other items as you wish.

With the Research Wizard, you can add even more ideas to your screen, including the Zacks Rank and many more.

The screen I'm running this week is:

* Current Price/52 Week high greater than or equal to .90
(That means stocks trading within 10% of their 52 Week High.)

* Price greater than or equal to $5

* Average 20 Day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000

* Zacks Rank less than or equal to 3
(Only Strong Buys, Buys or even Holds can get thru.)

Here are 5 stocks from this week's screen (for Tuesday, 12/16/08):
(If you had these in your portfolio, you'd definitely consider them as your some of your best stocks.)

Get the rest of the stocks on this list and start screening for winning stocks (stocks going higher) on your own.

Now is the time to start planning for 2009. You can do it. Sign up now for your free trial to the Research Wizard and resolve to start make better trading decisions today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=111

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

About Screen of the Week

Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here http://at.zacks.com/?id=112

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros http://at.zacks.com/?id=113

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.