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Technology Stocks : Network Appliance
NTAP 111.56+2.1%Nov 28 9:30 AM EST

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To: Uncle Frank who wrote (6019)2/1/2001 11:39:17 AM
From: Dr. Id   of 10934
 
February 1, 2001 10:59am

Network Appliance falls as
analysts bicker

By Tiffany Kary ZDII


Network Appliance (Nasdaq: NTAP) tumbled 13 percent Thursday
after it was downgraded to "hold" by Credit Suisse First Boston.

Merrill Lynch said the company was still a "buy" and challenged the
"negative comments made by a competitor firm."

Shares were off $6.81 to $46.81 Thursday, well below their 52-week
high of $152.75.




Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Amit Chopra downgraded Network
Appliance to "hold" from "buy" Thursday, on concerns that EMC
(NYSE: EMC) -- traditionally a specialist in storage area networks -- is
gaining ground in the market for network attached storage.

"Our industry checks indicate that EMC's recent push into the NAS
(Network Attached Storage) market with a unique architectural
approach and aggressive pricing could hamper NTAP's ability to
sustain top-line growth," Chopra wrote in a research note.

Though Network Appliances had an early lead in the NAS market with
a 50 percent market share, EMC wants take control of the NAS
market by the end of 2001.

Chopra added that in the near term, the slowdown in IT spending by
dot-coms may limit Network Appliance's ability to beat quarterly results
or justify its rich valuation. Concerns about the soft environment for IT
spending caused the stock to be downgraded earlier this month by
Goldman Sachs.

A brief research note from Merrill Lynch Thursday questioned the
reason for CFSB's downgrade. "We believe that the competitor's
downgrade may have more to do with concern about the dot-com
market," wrote Merrill analyst Tom Kramer, who reiterated a "buy"
rating on Network Appliance.

Prices and demand appear solid for Network Appliance, Kraemer
said.
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