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Technology Stocks : America On-Line (AOL) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ANANT who wrote (29967)	8/24/1999 11:33:00 AM
From: Boplicity	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 41369

10:01 ET America Online (AOL) 98 15/16 -1/16: German media group Bertelsmann sales 7.2 million shares, or approx. half of its total position in AOL.

To: ANANT who wrote (29967)	8/24/1999 2:11:00 PM
From: ANANT	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 41369

Microsoft has no comment on Internet hire report SEATTLE, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <MSFT.O> officials declined comment Tuesday on a report that Richard Belluzzo, former chief executive officer of computer maker SGI <SGI.N>, would be named to head its Internet operations. SGI, formerly known as Silicon Graphics, said Monday that Belluzzo had resigned unexpectedly as chairman and CEO to take a "noncompetitive, non-CEO position with another company." Belluzzo spent less than two years at troubled SGI after being recruited in 1998 from Hewlett-Packard Co.<HWP.N> , where he had been regarded by some as heir-apparent to chief executive Lewis Platt. Microsoft has been searching for a high-profile executive to take over its MSN.com portal and other Internet operations since November, when group Vice President Pete Higgins stepped down to take an indefinite leave of absence. A number of candidates reportedly have turned down the job, including Brad Silverberg, another high-ranking Microsoft executive on indefinite leave. Silverberg recently was lured back part-time to advise President Steve Ballmer. Earlier this year Ballmer handed over responsibility for the newly formed consumer and commerce group, which includes the Internet operations, to two seasoned Microsoft executives, Brad Chase and Jon DeVaan, but the company made it clear it was continuing to search externally for a successor to Higgins. In addition to the Web portal, the consumer and commerce group includes the Microsoft Network online access business, as well as its consumer software titles, hardware products, WebTV, and book publishing. In the latest fiscal year, the consumer and commerce group generated $2.4 billion in revenues, or 12 percent of the company's total $19.7 billion, but the business is seen as strategically critical, especially in the company's current battle against rival America Online Inc <AOL.N>. Last month Microsoft agreed to sell its MSN Sidewalk arts and entertainment guide to a rival for about $280 million in stock, and executives said they would consider selling other unprofitable properties. "The group has to be made more competitive and profitable, especially in light of its Internet activities that will be important to Microsoft's ultimate strategy," said Bill Epifanio of J.P. Morgan strategy. Microsoft was up $5.06 at $91.50 in Nasdaq trading, although Epifanio said that was unrelated to the report in the Wall Street Journal that Belluzzo would be named head of the group. He said the company was gaining in part on optimism that the long-awaited Windows 2000 operating system would be released for manufacturing soon. Epifanio also raised his fiscal 2000 estimate for Microsoft Monday to $1.57 a share from $1.55, concluding that concerns about the year 2000 computer bug will cause little disruption in Microsoft sales.