HEROES
Scrap metals recycler and steel producer SCHNITZER STEEL INDUSTRIES
<% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SCHN)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SCHN)") end if %> added $2 1/2 to $27 1/2 on saying that scrap metal prices
have improved and that ferrous scrap prices rose 6.9% during Q3. The company
also said that bookings are looking even more encouraging. With a faster
rate of overall growth in the economy, Schnitzer and other steel companies
have picked up somewhat from rather lackluster share price performances in
1996. Since the beginning of the year, Schnitzer has returned just over 10%.
Scrap steel consumer and mini-mill operator CHAPPARAL STEEL <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CSM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CSM)") end if %> has returned 21% and NUCOR <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: NUE)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: NUE)") end if %> is up 14%. Mini-mill
structural steel maker BIRMINGHAM STEEL <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: BIR)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: BIR)") end if %>, however, has
turned in a negative 16.6% performance since the beginning of 1997.
News from the Taiwanese semiconductor makers sent the shares of companies
involved in the semiconductor wafer stepper industry higher today. Mosel
Vitelic Inc. said it is expanding its Japanese office to distribute DRAM
chips there. TSMC also said it is issuing $350 million in Eurobonds. Shares
of leading companies making wafer steppers (the machines used to expose
non-photoresistive areas on a wafer to define the pattern of a semiconductor's
circuitry) have generally underperformed the leaders in the systems side
of the business, such as APPLIED MATERIALS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: AMAT)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: AMAT)") end if %>. According
to Infrastructure's Masataka Tsubo, deep
ultraviolet (DUV) semiconductor stepper shipments are
set
to increase 300% this year. SILICON VALLEY GROUP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SVGI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SVGI)") end if %>,
one of the companies that stands to benefit greatly from these developments,
gained $1 13/16 to $24 1/4, while excimer laser supplier CYMER <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CYMI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CYMI)") end if %> rose $2 1/4 to $49.
Large-cap drug stock BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: BMY)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: BMY)") end if %> flew
$8 9/16 higher to $84 15/16 after announcing that it received a patent on
the infusion of its Taxol drug to treat metastatic breast cancer. That drug
comes off patent this December, but this patent covers the infusion and not
just the drug Taxol. Bristol Myers' leading anti-cancer drug, Taxol accounted
for 5.4% of 1996 sales. Taxol was also awarded a recommendation by an FDA
panel yesterday for fast-track approval in treating AIDS-related Kaposi's
Sarcoma, which would give the drug market exclusivity for seven years for
that application. Merrill Lynch liked the news and upgraded the shares to
"long-term buy" "long-term accumulate."
QUICK TAKES: Non-standard auto insurer
INTEGON CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: IN)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: IN)") end if %> sprang $8 15/16 to $24 15/16 after agreeing
to be acquired by General Motors Acceptance Corp., the lending arm of
GENERAL MOTORS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: GM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: GM)") end if %>, for $26 per share in cash... OAKLEY
INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: OO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: OO)") end if %> brightened $1 3/8 to $13 5/8 on no news from the number
two sunglasses maker. The company reports earnings on July 17... Fiber optic
network company QWEST COMMUNICATIONS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QWST)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QWST)") end if %> gained $6 to $28
from its 8-times oversubscribed IPO, which was priced at $22 per share...
Coming off its successful co-management of the IPO of
accounting software GREAT PLAINS SOFTWARE
<% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: GPSI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: GPSI)") end if %>, HAMBRECHT & QUIST <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: HQ)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: HQ)") end if %> gained another
$2 3/4 to $31 5/8 today... SUN HEALTHCARE GROUP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: SHG)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: SHG)") end if %> gained
$1 3/8 to $20 after Morgan Stanley raised its rating on the long-term care
provider to "strong buy" from "neutral"... MAIL-WELL INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: MWL)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: MWL)") end if %>
gained $1 3/8 to $24 1/8 after announcing yesterday its purchase of a Mississippi
envelope company with $48 million in annual sales... Spanish banking company
BANCO SANTANDER <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: STD)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: STD)") end if %> gained $1 3/4 to $33 after an Argentinean
newspaper said the bank was setting up a mortgage lending subsidiary with
Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.
MORE TAKES: DM MANAGEMENT <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DMMC)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DMMC)") end if %> rose $2 5/8 to $10
5/8 after the marketer of women's apparel said it expects to turn in a 50%
increase in Q2 sales, which "bodes well for the bottom line."... IMMUNEX
CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IMNX)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IMNX)") end if %> rose $8 3/4 to $39 after the biopharmaceutical company
reported that its "Flt3 ligand can induce large numbers of dendritic cells,
a type of immune system cell that plays a key role in initiating an immune
response to cancer"... Sporting goods company RAWLINGS SPORTING GOODS
<% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RAWL)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RAWL)") end if %> rose $1 15/16 to $10 1/4 on reporting Q3 EPS of $0.26,
up 18% year-over-year and better than estimates of $0.25... DESKTOP DATA
INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DTOP)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: DTOP)") end if %> jumped $1 1/4 to $10 after saying it will announce
tomorrow the details of an agreement with information provider Bloomberg
L.P.... EMMIS BROADCASTING <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: EMMS)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: EMMS)") end if %> rose $4 7/8 to $42 1/4 after
announcing Q1 EPS of $0.29, better than the First Call estimate of $0.26...
Transdermal drug patch maker SANO CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SANO)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: SANO)") end if %> added $1 5/8
to $14 1/8 on saying that an ''adequate and well-controlled'' clinical trial
is all that is needed to gain FDA approval for a patch dispensing an
anxiety-treating drug. British bank NATIONAL WESTMINSTER <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: NW)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: NW)") end if %>
gained $5 3/8 to $82 7/8 after SBC Warburg raised its rating on the company
to "buy" from "hold," noting that a takeover would cut costs at the bank
and that it sees the company's breakup value around $140 per share.
GOATS
ULTRAK INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ULTK)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ULTK)") end if %> lost $3 5/16 to $8 9/16 after the maker
of closed circuit video systems said it sees Q2 EPS of $0.05 to $0.08, below
estimates of $0.19 per share. Last quarter, the company reported EPS of $0.17,
which does not include a charge for the termination of a proposed merger
with security camera and retail anti-theft systems maker CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS
<% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CKP)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CKP)") end if %>. While the company projects a revenue increase of at least
4.5%, it blamed this quarter's earnings shortfall on the strength of the
dollar and generally weak European business conditions. Ultrak also blamed
price competition, which really isn't acceptable to investors that take that
for a granted in a fully global economy. Now might be a good time for the
company to consider a negotiated transaction to act upon its one million
share buyback authorization if it doesn't need those funds to grow the
business.
PACIFICARE HEALTH SYSTEMS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: PHSYA)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: PHSYA)") end if %> dropped $17 1/4 to $63 3/4
after the diversified health plan company said it will
miss
Q2 EPS estimates of $1.16 because of poor performance in FHP (family health
plan) markets and "disappointing results in California" in May. The company's
acquisition
of FHP, doubling its enrollment and making it California's largest for-profit
managed health care company, may have taken management's eye off the ball,
as it took about a half a year from start to finish to close the deal. On
a
per-member
basis, PacifiCare's market cap to membership has dropped quite a bit, to
$616 per member. That's far below the approximately $1,000 per member industry
standard and the number that PacifiCare's board and shareholders deemed to
be a fair value for FHP.
QUICK CUTS: Biotech company CAMBRIDGE NEUROSCIENCE <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CNSI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CNSI)") end if %> imploded $5 11/16 to $3 13/16 after suspending the Phase III trial of a stroke treatment drug after a data analysis created concerns over the risk/reward profile of the drug... Long-distance reseller MIDCOM COMMUNICATIONS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: MCCI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: MCCI)") end if %> slumped $1 1/8 to $5 3/16 after the company said it received notification from Nasdaq that its level of net tangible assets does not meet National Market System listing requirements... Auto lender ONYX ACCEPTANCE CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ONYX)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ONYX)") end if %> fell $1 1/4 to $6 1/2 after announcing the issuance of $121.7 million in asset-backed securities, the cash from which will be used to pay down debt... Medical device company UROHEALTH SYSTEMS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: UROH)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: UROH)") end if %> lost $1 1/32 to $7 5/8 after it said it delayed its earnings release because of a complicated audit, which dragged down merger partner IMAGYN MEDICAL INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IGYN)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IGYN)") end if %> $1 1/4 to $7 1/2... Coatings manufacturer CFC INTERNATIONAL INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CFCI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CFCI)") end if %> lost $1 5/8 to $11 5/8 after announcing that it expects Q2 EPS to fall below estimates of $0.25 because of capacity problems... Immunotherapies developer IDEC PHARMACEUTICALS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IDPH)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: IDPH)") end if %> lost $2 5/8 to $23 1/4 after the company and partner SMITHKLINE BEECHAM PLC <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: SBH)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: SBH)") end if %> said they have suspended tests of a rheumatoid arthritis treatment after seeing decreased counts of CD4 immune system cells in test subjects... LA QUINTA INNS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: LQI)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: LQI)") end if %> slid $1 5/16 to $21 11/16 after Bear Stearns lowered its rating on the company to "neutral" from "attractive" and adjusted its 1998 EPS estimate downward to $1.34 from $1.40, saying supply in the no-frill lodging market is expanding...
FOOL ON THE
HILL
An Investment Opinion by Randy
Befumo
Different This Time
The consolidation beat goes on in the banking industry -- this month apparently
focusing on Virginia. North Carolina-based WACHOVIA CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WB)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WB)") end if %>
expanded its reach today with the $2.3 billion acquisition of Virginia's
CENTRAL FIDELITY BANKS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CFBS)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: CFBS)") end if %>. The deal comes only two weeks
after Wachovia swallowed up JEFFERSON BANKSHARES <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: JBNK)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: JBNK)") end if %> for
$531 million and gives Wachovia the largest deposit base in the state of
Virginia. Not to be outdone, Virginia-based CRESTAR FINANCIAL <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CF)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CF)") end if %> reported that it would merge with Baltimore's AMERICAN NATIONAL
BANCORP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ANBK)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: ANBK)") end if %> in a deal that values American National at $70
million and adds ten branches to Crestar's 35-branch Baltimore region.
Wachovia has added Virginia to its existing presence in North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia, solidifying its presence in the fast-growing Southeast.
With all the attention paid to banks in the West and Northeast, this flurry
of activity from one of the most robust economic regions in the country reminds
investors that despite the series of mergers executed over the last few years
by FIRST UNION <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: FTU)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: FTU)") end if %> and NATIONSBANK <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: NB)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: NB)") end if %>, there
is still ample room for consolidation among Southeastern banks. With many
of the larger regional and money-center banks trading at historically generous
valuations, investors have had a hard time finding cheap financial companies
to purchase. Looking at the valuations in the recent deals, investors interested
in the inevitable consolidation of the fragmented U.S. financial industry
might have to retool their thinking a bit to reflect regulatory reforms of
the last few years.
Today's purchase of Central Fidelity values the company at 2.9 times book
value, putting a $2.3 billion price tag on the thrift's $10.6 billion deposit
base (21% of deposits). Wachovia is acquiring Jefferson Bankshares at 2.6
times book, or $531 million for its $2.1 billion deposit base (25% of deposits).
Although one can argue that Wachovia was willing to pay a premium in both
acquisitions because of its strategic desire to become the biggest bank in
Virginia overnight, the valuations of these banking mergers keep creeping
up and up. As little as two years ago, banking mergers in excess of 2.0 times
book value were viewed as richly valued based on historical norms. Crestar's
purchase of American National came at a more reasonable 1.5 times book, but
if you look at deposits, Crestar is right back up in Wachovia's neighborhood,
paying $70 million for $330 million in deposits (or 21% of deposits).
Why have the valuations crept up for banking acquisitions over the past few
years? Despite Sir John Templeton's warning that the most dangerous phrase
in the English language is "things are different this time," the basics of
the industry have changed. The entire banking industry emerged from distressed
valuations in the heart of the savings and loan crisis to a brave new world
of banking, where money could be made not just from plain vanilla mortgages,
but also from credit cards, securities transactions, and specialized loans.
Taking into account specific reforms like the change in Section 20 of 1933
Glass-Steagall Act and more convoluted regulatory changes that have allowed
banks to cross state lanes with the greatest of ease, the banking industry
in 1997 is a very different animal from the banking industry in 1987. Investors
looking at financial companies may want to consider whether going by historical
valuation parameters makes sense and not just value these firms on
autopilot.
CONFERENCE CALLS
ECHLIN INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: ECH)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: ECH)") end if %>
(800) 683-1535 (password: McCurdy) -- replay through 6/27
CABLETRON SYSTEMS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CS)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CS)") end if %>
(402) 220-5185 -- replay available through 6/30
06/26/97 (Thursday)
COGNOS INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: COGNF)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: COGNF)") end if %>
(800) 997-6910 -- replay available from 1:15 p.m. EDT to midnight 6/30
THIS WEEK'S CONFERENCE CALL SYNOPSES
JABIL CIRCUIT <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: JBIL)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: JBIL)") end if %>
Q3 Call
ST. JOHN KNITS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: SJK)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: SJK)") end if %>
Q2 Call
MICRON ELECTRONICS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: MUEI)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: MUEI)") end if %>
Q3 Call
MICRON TECHNOLOGY <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: MU)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: MU)") end if %>
Q3 Call
BRODERBUND <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BROD)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BROD)") end if %>
Q3 Call
COMPAQ <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CPQ)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CPQ)") end if %> / TANDEM <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: TDM)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: TDM)") end if %>
Merger
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Randy Befumo (TMF Templr), a Fool
Fool Plate Special
Dale Wettlaufer (TMF Ralegh), another
Fool
Ups & Downs
Brian Bauer (TMF Hoops), and yet
another Fool
Editing