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Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
AMZN 242.37-0.8%10:30 AM EST

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To: Victor Lazlo who wrote (91140)1/15/2000 6:58:00 PM
From: Glenn D. Rudolph  Read Replies (1) of 164684
 
Investment Highlights:
ú The inventory yield turnaround in the drug retailing sector stalled in the
third quarter as companies stocked up in anticipation of strong holiday/
Y2K sales. Inventories increases for the retailers in Q3 were 14%in 1999
versus the 10% average of prior years.
ú The strong seasonal, flu, and ?Party and Panic? sales in December should
have cured this.
ú The sizeable opportunity to improve inventory productivity is one major
factor behind our belief that high teens earnings growth can be sustained in
the medium term for CVS (CVS/B-1-1-7/$38).
ú Reimbursement rates on third party plans have stabilized; this in turn
stabilizes the numerator in the inventory yield calculation.
ú The 11,000-15,000 sq ft, corner of ?Main and Main? stores that retailers are
opening have higher inventory productivity, after initial dilution.
ú Technology development is a focus again. New promotional forecasting
software should improve sell-throughs while supply chain reengineering
projects take retailers one step closer to the still distant ?just in time?
replenishment goal. CVS is now focused on closing the gap with Walgreen.
ú We focus our investment recommendations on CVS and Walgreen
(WAG/A-2-1-7/$30.13) who have demonstrated improving returns on
inventory and overall capital employed this year. Eckerd and Rite Aid
(RAD/C-3-2-9/$8.00) have yet to overcome integration problems in their big
acquisitions.
ú Inventory yield in the drug retailing sector has not been as accurate a
predictor of relative performance. In the past, we have found a strong
correlation between inventory yield rank and the degree of outperformance
each retailer experienced.
ú Our favorite pick in the sector, CVS, consequently is the one we believe has
the greatest potential to improve inventory yields, both sequentially and at
the absolute level.
Bulletin
United States
Retailing
13 January 2000
Mark Husson
First Vice President
Sandhya Raju
Assistant Vice President
US Drug Retailers
Inventory Yield Stalled Temporarily; CVS, WAG Poised To
Perform Well Post Holiday Sales
Reason for Report: Industry Update
Merrill Lynch & Co.
Global Securities Research & Economics Group
Global Fundamental Equity Research Department
RC#10201307
Industry
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