Zacks.com releases details on a group of stocks that are currently members of the exclusive Zacks #5 Rank List – Stocks to Sell Now. These stocks are currently rated as a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell): Cadbury Plc. (NYSE: CBY) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS). Further, Zacks announced #4 Rankings (Sell) on two other widely held stocks: Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) and U.S. Cellular Corp. (AMEX: USM). To see the full Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now visit: http://at.zacks.com/?id=92

Since inception in 1988, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Rank List — Stocks to Sell Now by 129% annually (+5.3% vs. +12.1%). 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 CBY and LVS 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:

Cadbury Plc. (NYSE: CBY) has been struggling in a very challenging economic environment. The company has been confronted with sky-rocketing commodity costs and a severely weakened consumer environment. These two forces have dented the company’s earnings prospects, as seen by decreasing analyst estimates. Within the last 60 days the current-year estimate has dropped 39 cents to its current projection of $3.62 per share. In spite of the revised estimates, the company’s stock price is hanging tough, trading only marginally below the 52-week high after getting a nice pop last week.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) shares have been getting hammered over the last 8 months, dropping from over $145 to their current location below $70. The company’s difficulties relate to a general economic down-swing that has dented consumer capacities, as seen when examining the company’s soft, first-quarter results, reported on Apr 30. Las Vegas Sands logged $11.2 million in losses, totaling three cents per share. William Weidner, president and chief operating officer, said that tourism has suffered in Vegas and the company saw “lower occupancy than we planned.”

Here is a synopsis of why SKS and USM 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;

Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) is yet another company that is suffering the ill effects of a severely weakened consumer environment, as seen by its stock performance over the last six months. Saks shares have dropped from over $23 to their current location of just over $13. The company’s earnings prospects have fallen significantly in reaction to the gloomy environment, as can be seen when taking a look at analyst estimates. Over the last 90 days the current-year estimate has dropped to 45 cents from 59 cents. With consumer budgets tightening and banks restricting lending standards, it will be a challenging road ahead for high-end retailers like Saks.

United States Cellular Corp. (AMEX: USM) shares have been in a steady decline for the last 9 months, dropping from over $103 per share to their current location of just over $55, close to a 50% loss. The company has had a difficult time meeting analyst expectations over the last four quarters, having reported below analyst consensus estimates for the last four quarters by an average of seven cents, or 7.84%. Estimates continue to drop. Within the last 30 days, the current-year estimate has dropped to $3.29 per share from $3.46 per share.

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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 +32.2%. 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 129% annually (+5.3% vs. +12.1%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively.

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

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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 at http://at.zacks.com/?id=95

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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.

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