HARTE-HANKS INC (HHS) - Profit Tracks - Harte-Hanks (NASDAQ:HHS)

Since inception in 1988, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Rank List - Stocks to Sell Now by 80% annually (+2% versus +10%). 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 RSG and HHS 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:

Republic Services, Inc. (RSG)reported third - quarter earnings of 45 cents per share on Nov 4, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. The total revenue for 2010 fell from $2,073.5 million by $11.8 million to $2,061.7. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the full year declined to a profit of $1.70 per share from $1.71 over the past week. Next year?s forecast slipped a penny to $1.92 per share in the same time period. Harte-Hanks, Inc. (HHS)announced third - quarter earnings per share of 22 cents on October 28, which fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by nearly 4%. The diluted earnings per share has remained $0.22 on a year over year basis The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2010 slipped 5 cents to a profit of 82 cents per share in the last 30 days, which reflected reductions by 3 out of the 4 covering analysts. Next year?s estimate fell 10 cents to 95 cents per share in the same period. Avon Products, Inc. (AVP)On October 28 Avon Products, Inc. reported a profit of 41 cents per share, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate by nearly 6%. The diluted earnings per share decreased 118% to $0.38 on a year ? over ? year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the present year fell 12 cents to a profit of $1.90 in the past 30 days as all the 14 covering analysts reduced forecasts. Kimberly-Clark Corporation?s (KMB)reported third-quarter earnings of $1.14 per share on October 26, which was 14% short of the average forecast. The earnings per share fell 26 cents to $1.14 on a year over year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2010 declined 18 cents to $4.64 per share over the past month as all of the 13 covering analysts revised downward. Next year?s estimate slid 23 cents to $5 per share during that time.

AVON PRODS INC (AVP): Free Stock Analysis Report

HARTE-HANKS INC (HHS): Free Stock Analysis Report

KIMBERLY CLARK (KMB): Free Stock Analysis Report

REPUBLIC SVCS (RSG): Free Stock Analysis Report

Zacks Investment Research

Here is a synopsis of why AVP and KMB 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;