NARA Nara Bancorp, Inc. (MM)

With a gain of more than 6.2%, Nara Bancorp, Inc. (NARA) became a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank company on Wednesday during another challenging session. Volume surged to more than 1.7 million shares on the day, compared to the daily average of around 335,000.

Nara Bancorp is the parent company of Nara Bank, a full-service community bank that specializes in core business banking products for small and medium-sized companies, with an emphasis in commercial real estate and business lending, SBA lending and international trade financing. It operates full-service branches in California, New York and New Jersey, and a loan production office in Texas.

NARA is part of the Banks-West industry. There is only one other name from this space on today's Zacks #1 Rank List: Umpqua Holdings Corporation (UMPQ).

Earnings estimates for NARA have been trending largely higher over the past several weeks. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for this year is currently 57 cents per share, which is more than 21% better than 2 months ago.

Meanwhile, analysts currently expect 86 cents per share for 2012, which is up a little more than 6% from 2 months ago and also suggests year-over-year profit growth of almost 51%.

Late April saw NARA report first-quarter earnings per share of 15 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 50% for its third straight quarter with a better-than-expected result. While loan growth continues to be a challenge, the company attributed improving profitability to an expanding net interest margin, increased efficiencies and declining credit costs.

Right now, it's a little over 90 degrees here in Chicago. So it's a bit odd that Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (PLOW) is a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank today. See, PLOW's business is snow and ice control equipment for light trucks.

Nonetheless, a gain of about 5.2% put this company high up on the list today.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2011 is $1.04 per share right now, or up 10.6% from 30 days ago and nearly 21% from 2 months ago. As for 2012, the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 per share has gained a penny in a month and 8.5% in 60 days.

The company is coming off of a solid first-quarter report from early May. PLOW announced a net loss of 4 cents per share. (It is important to note that, historically, a loss per share is normal for this company in this quarter.) But the loss was still narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 84%.

It may be a little tough to remember now, but there were some pretty big snowfalls across the country this past winter (including Chicago). Net sales for the quarter jumped 60.4% to $23.5 million, reflecting increased parts and accessories sales and a strong improvement in equipment sales.

Despite the lack of a clear direction for this economic recovery and the lingering difficulties in the credit markets, PLOW expects its performance to continue improving over that of 2010.

Douglas Dynamics is the North American leader in the design, manufacture and sale of snow and ice control equipment for light trucks, which consists of snowplows and sand and salt spreaders, and related parts and accessories.

It is one of two companies from the Auto/Truck-REPL industry on today's Zacks #1 Rank List. The other company is Standard Motor Products, Inc. (SMP).

 
NARA BCP INC (NARA): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
DOUGLAS DYNAMIC (PLOW): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
STANDARD MOTOR (SMP): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
UMPQUA HLDGS CP (UMPQ): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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