TheStreet.com Ratings: Top 10 Mid-Cap Stocks

Each weekday, TheStreet.com Ratings compiles a list of the top 10 stocks in five categories -- fast-growth, all-around value, large-cap, mid-cap and small-cap -- and publishes these lists in the Ratings section of our Web site

This list, updated daily, is based on data from the close of the previous trading session.

Today, we look at mid-cap stocks. These are stocks of companies that have market capitalizations of between $500 million and $10 billion that rank near the top of all stocks rated by our proprietary quantitative model, which looks at more than 62 factors.

In addition, the stocks must be followed by at least one financial analyst who posts estimates on the Institutional Brokers' Estimate System. The stocks are ordered by their potential to appreciate.

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Construction-equipment manufacturer Manitowoc(MTW) has earned a buy rating since December 2004. The company has three main markets: cranes, food service equipment, and marine services in the Great Lakes region.

Manitowoc boasts a number of strengths, including notable return on equity, robust revenue growth, consistent EPS growth, intriguing increases in net income, and good cash flow from operations. With mainly positive measures across the board, the company's low profit margins are nothing to be overly concerned about.

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Welding-equipment maker Lincoln Electric(LECO) has secured a buy rating since December 2004. The company shows a convergence of positive investment measures, which include a decent return on equity, revenue growth that has outpaced its industry, reasonable debt levels and EPS growth.