TheStreet.com Ratings: Top Five Mid-Cap Stocks

Each weekday, TheStreet.com Ratings compiles a list of the top five 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, mid-cap stocks are in the spotlight. 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 TheStreet.com Ratings' proprietary quantitative model, which looks at more than 60 factors. The stocks must also be followed by at least one financial analyst who posts estimates on the Institutional Brokers' Estimate System. They are ordered by their potential to appreciate.

Note that no provision is made for off-balance-sheet assets such as unrealized appreciation/depreciation of investments, market value of real estate or contingent liabilities that might affect book value. This could be material for some companies with large underfunded pension plans.

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Today starts with AllianceBernstein(AB Quote), which provides diversified investment management to a broad range of clients. It has been rated a buy since March 2005. The company shows a number of positive financial measures, including a striking record of EPS growth, robust revenue growth and a very high gross profit margin.

These impressive financial strengths justify the relatively high price of the stock, because the company shows no other significant weaknesses.