INVESTMENT OPINION

FOOL PLATE SPECIAL: It's Your Conference Call -- Listen To It!

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You may recall that in the Evening News two days ago I was pretty hard on XILINX <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: XLNX)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: XLNX)") end if %> Investor Relations for calling up Fool Staffer Debora Tidwell (MF Debit) and dis-inviting her from their recorded quarterly conference call. For anyone who did not tune into Fool News later that evening, you will be happy to know that only an hour or so after the Evening News hit the digital street, Fool News was quickly re-invited. I am currently finishing up the conference call transcript for Xilinx, down $3 3/4 to $27 1/4 after its earnings news yesterday, and believe that investors are well served by this decision. For anyone who called, e-mailed or wrote, I want to stress one thing -- your voice means something to the companies that you own. Don't ever think otherwise.

Something that came out of this discussion with Xilinx was talk about how much their conference call recording has been accessed in the past. The director of Investor Relations mentioned that the call had only been replayed about ten times after the last quarterly report. This was disappointing for me to hear. Although you can fault companies for not promoting their conference calls enough, only ten owners of the company dialing in to get quarterly details is a little meager. When companies get such a low yield from a recorded call, they really legitimately begin to consider whether this expense is justified. Any sensible business would.

The basic message here is summed up in the title of this little squib -- it's your company, it's your conference call -- so listen to the darn thing, Fool. Have problems finding out when the call is or what the replay number is? Not a problem. The Evening News will temporarily carry a feature called "Conference Call Replays" where we will list the numbers for the companies that MF Debit has contacted. As much of a workhorse as she is, however, MF Debit cannot possibly call all companies to find out replay information. So if you want to help out with this feature, it is pretty simple -- send MF Debit an e-mail (to [email protected]) with your company's name, when your conference call is, what number an investor can dial to access the recording and what the passcode is if there is one. I hope to integrate this into a new conference call mini-area in FoolNews online in the future, but for now you can get your fill of company discussions by dialing these numbers if you want more than just the Fool's Conference Call synopsis.

TODAY'S CONFERENCE CALL REPLAYS

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MADGE NETWORKS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MADGF)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MADGF)") end if %>

1-303-267-1036 (code: 111715)

CANANDAIGUA WINE COMPANY <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: WINEA)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: WINEA)") end if %>

1-800-593-1268 (password: 1234)

UPS

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Complicated results from AZTAR CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: AZR)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: AZR)") end if %> pushed shares up $1 1/8 to $13 1/8 today. The company reported breakeven earnings, but operating earnings increased by 12% during the quarter. There may be some other news in the gaming sector to account for this move, as SHOWBOAT <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: SBO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: SBO)") end if %> is up $1 to $23 5/8, MIRAGE CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: MIR)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: MIR)") end if %> climbed $7/8 to $24 1/8 and GRAND CASINOS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: GND)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: GND)") end if %> was $1 higher to $24 1/8.

Despite an analyst downgrade to "neutral" from Bradford Securities, KENT ELECTRONICS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: KNT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: KNT)") end if %> recovered $1 5/8 to $18 5/8 after yesterday's rout at the hands of a similar Merrill Lynch downgrade.

RUSSELL CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: RML)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: RML)") end if %> got a boost from J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley today when both firms upgraded the shares and raised their estimates, moving the company up $2 1/8 to $31 1/4.

UNITED HEALTHCARE CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: UNH)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: UNH)") end if %> recovered $1 3/4 to $32 3/4 today after yesterday's devastating loss which followed the announcement that second quarter earnings would be disappointing.

Medical device maker SOMAFOR DANEK <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: SDG)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: SDG)") end if %> continues to do well after Robert Baird & Co. upgraded it to "strong buy" yesterday, moving $2 5/8 to $26 5/8 higher.

MDT CORP. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MDTC)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MDTC)") end if %> surged $1 1/16 to $5 3/8 after Sweden Getinge increased its takeover offer to $5 1/2 a share from $4 1/2 a share when the deal was first announced.

PRIEMERE TECHNOLOGY <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: PTEK)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: PTEK)") end if %> canceled a proposed secondary offering today, boosting the shares $1 3/4 to $20 1/4 as investors began to worry less about management selling out their shares.

A $20 million contract to make promotional products was responsible for EQUITY MARKETING'S <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: EMAK)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: EMAK)") end if %> $3/4 to $14 3/8 rise today.

VIDEOSERVER <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: VSVR)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: VSVR)") end if %> served up earnings of $0.17, two cents ahead of estimates, and was rewarded with a $3 5/8 to $31 1/4 rise and an Oppenheimer estimate upping. Its sales were up 65%.

DOWNS

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The reality of the semiconductor equipment industry has finally caught up with HELIX TECHNOLOGY <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: HELX)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: HELX)") end if %>. Shares dropped $3 3/4 to $29 1/8 this morning when the company stated that it was "cautious" about its near-term business conditions.

ANALOGY INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: ANLG)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: ANLG)") end if %> substantially disappointed consensus estimates of $0.02 EPS today, reporting a quarterly loss of $0.09 EPS. The data processing firm gave up $1 to $4 1/2 in heavy trading.

MADGE NETWORKS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MADGF)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: MADGF)") end if %> reported a shocking second quarter loss, well below the consensus estimates that analysts had pulled out of the air. Shares of the networker dropped $2 3/4 to $10 1/8, unable to find purchasers.

Client/server software concern CARNEGIE GROUP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: CGIX)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: CGIX)") end if %> slumped $2 3/4 to $5 1/2 today after reporting second quarter earnings a dime below consensus expectations of $0.12 EPS.

STAC INC. <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: STAC)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: STAC)") end if %> reported third quarter net results of $0.06 EPS on $11 million in revenues, well below consensus expectations for the data-compression technology firm. Shares dropped $7/8 to $8 5/8.

Tool and die manufacturer GIDDINGS & LEWIS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: GIDL)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: GIDL)") end if %> was crushed for $2 3/16 to $12 5/16 today when the firm stated that net earnings would be 25% to 30% below current consensus estimates. Lower bookings and a major deterioration in the integrated auto segment accounted for the disappointment.

Specialized hardware retailer FASTENAL <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: FAST)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: FAST)") end if %> gave up $2 1/4 to $42 7/8 today after the firm reported earnings that were a penny below consensus estimates of $0.23 EPS.

ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: EFII)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: EFII)") end if %> beat earnings estimates of $0.49 by two cents, posting $0.51 per share on a 54% sales increase. Nevertheless, it was downgraded by Prudential from "buy" to "hold" and plunged $10 to $55.

NOVADIGM <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NASDAQ: NVDM)") else Response.Write("(NASDAQ: NVDM)") end if %> simulated an exploding star today, warning of lower-than-expected revenue and earnings and dimming by $1 5/8 to $8 3/8.

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Transmitted: 7/12/96