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NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Ridgewater Equity (RWE).

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Shares of U.S. financial stocks retreated Tuesday as the broader market took a breather from big gains on Monday.

Financials Retreat, But Assured Guaranty Rallies

Hard To See Quick Economic Recovery: Lincoln CEO

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Lincoln National (LNC) was downgraded today by analysts at EVA Dimensions, LLC and the stock is now at $23.70, up $0.21 (0.89%) on volume of 2,493,557 shares traded. The stock is trading slightly higher des...(Click the story link or go to http://www.marketintelligencecenter.com for the full story)

Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) reported operating earnings of 84 cents in the third quarter, which was ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents. The company had earned $1.16 per share on an operating basis in the year-ago quarter. The company experienced lower average variable account values compared to the prior-year period. Also, there were [...]

(LNC) Lincoln National Corporation Beats Consensus Earnings Estimates

U.S. stocks rose strongly Thursday, reversing a four-session losing run, after a government report said the economy grew more than expected in the July-September quarter.  Investors shunned Treasuries and jumped back into stocks after the report signaled the economy had emerged from the worst recession since the 1930s. 

The positive surprise was enough to propel benchmark indexes to their biggest advance since July and send safe havens like Treasuries and dollar lower.  Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) and Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) advanced at least 5.1% after the Commerce Department said the economy returned to growth following four straight quarters of decline.  Crude prices jumped $2.44, or 3.1%, to $79.87 and gold was up $16.50 to $1046.40.

The S&P 500 registered its biggest one-day gain since July 23, jumping 2.2% to close at 1,066.11.  The 30-share Dow Jones industrial average shot up by 199.89 points, or 2.05%, at 9,962.58 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index 37.94 points, or 1.84%, to 2,097.55.  The advance was broad-based on the New York Stock Exchange where advancing issues ran ahead of those that declined by a five-to-one margin.  Treasuries also took a beating after an auction of seven-year notes received a weaker-than-expected response.  As the month-end nears, the DJIA has advanced 2.6% in October; the S&P500 0.9%, while the NASDAQ remains 1.2% lower for the month.

A lackadaisical third-quarter performance from Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) could not dampen the mood either and the company’s shares edged up 0.16%.  Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), also a Dow component, reported weaker quarterly earnings but revenue was above expectations. The consumer products maker also raised the low end of its fiscal 2010 earnings forecast and its shares rose 4%.

Twenty-eight of the DJIA's 30 components finished higher while all ten industry sectors of the S&P500 rose during the day, led by advances in basic materials (+4.1%), financials (+3.9%), oil and gas (+2.4%), consumer services (+2.4%), and industrials (+2.2%). 

Among financials, MetLife Inc. (NYSE:MET) jumped 7.9% to $36.84 ahead of its earnings report.  After the close, the biggest U.S. life insurer reported estimate-topping third-quarter operating earnings of 87 cents a share.  Lincoln National Corp. (NYSE:LNC) surged 14% to $25.34 after it reported first quarterly profit in a year that was also ahead of estimates.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund sharply boosted its outlook for Asian economic growth. The IMF also raised its next year's guidance.  The IMF now expects economic growth of 2.8% this year and 5.8% next, up from last May's estimates for 2009 growth of 1.2% and 2010 growth of 4.3%.

Firms reporting their earnings include: Chevron (NYSE:CVX), Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK), Sony (NYSE:SNE), and Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY).

Zacks Investment Research

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 30, 2009 – 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: Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV), Lincoln National Corp. (LNC), Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Principal Financial Group (PFG) and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursday’s AnalystBlog:

Gentiva Beats Zacks Estimate

Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) reported a third-quarter (ended Sept. 27, 2009) net income of 54 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. Net income per share was 42 cents in the year-ago quarter.

Net revenues for the quarter came in at $295.6 million, as against $345.2 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenues for the reported quarter included net revenues of $75.5 million from the CareCentrix business unit. Excluding the 2008 third quarter net revenues from CareCentrix, Gentiva's net revenues increased about 9% in the reported quarter. On Sept. 25, 2008, Gentiva sold a majority interest in CareCentrix to Water Street Healthcare Partners.

Revenues from the Home Health segment increased 9% to $261.4 million in the reported quarter. Revenues in the All Other segment - which includes hospice, respiratory therapy and home medical equipment, infusion therapy and consulting - came in at $34.6 million, which reflected an increase of 11%.

Lincoln National Beats

Lincoln National Corp. (LNC) reported operating earnings of 84 cents in the third quarter, which was ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents. The company had earned $1.16 per share on an operating basis in the year-ago quarter.

The company experienced lower average variable account values compared to the prior-year period. Also, there were some modest losses on its alternative investments.

Lincoln reported a net income of $153 million or 44 cents per share compared with $148 million or 58 cents in the year-ago quarter. We note that there were fewer shares outstanding in the prior-year quarter.

Companies such as Lincoln Financial, Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC), Principal Financial Group (PFG) and Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) have been adversely impacted by the severe equity market downturn. In particular, the variable annuity businesses of these companies have been worst hit.

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