CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA), Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM), Nissan Motor Corp. (Nasdaq: NSANY), Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) and Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579

Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Lear Corp. Tightening the Belt

Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) is one of the largest independent automotive parts suppliers in the world, with a 9% global share. The company has undertaken a restructuring drive to contain its costs and streamline operations.

Lear’s expanding relationships with Hyundai, Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) and Nissan Motor Corp. (Nasdaq: NSANY) are expected to drive revenues from Asia. As a result, we rate the shares a Hold with a target of $23.00, which is 6.8x our 2008 EPS estimate.

Lear initiated a $380 million restructuring drive to streamline the company’s operations through cost reduction, capacity utilization, and closure of some plants. This plan is expected to result in 5-7% headcount reduction and 20 facility closures. Overall 40% of production is expected to be in low-cost countries. The firm is also focusing on the Seating and Electronics businesses, where Lear has very high market shares. On June 13, Lear announced that it has entered into agreements to acquire a 75% share of the automotive fabric business of New Trend Group Co., Ltd. in China.

Juniper Networks Up Against CSCO

Juniper Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNPR) is enjoying robust growth in its infrastructure business as service providers spend on next generation networks. The company is well-positioned in the router business.

Although its SLT business has been disappointing as it has yet to gain strong traction in the enterprise market, we believe the service provider market will be enough to sustain recent momentum. In light of this, we maintain a Hold recommendation on the shares of JNPR.

Juniper faces stiff competition in each of its market segments, especially from industry leader Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), which continuously implements product upgrades and follows an aggressive marketing strategy, creating considerable pricing pressure on its competitors. Moreover, Juniper is also exposed to customer concentration risks.

Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=2649.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=2677

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=4580.

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.

Zacks.com
Mark Vickery
Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com