When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important? Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABR Although both Zacks Rank and ABR are displayed in a range of 1-5, they are different measures altogether. Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let ...