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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (30403)	1/10/2000 4:23:00 AM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

fwiw....Looking for a play in Internet stocks? Analysts and investment banks contributing research to Multex.com have identified the most followed companies this week in The Internet Analyst'sSM universe of 150 stocks:* AXENT TECHNOLOGIES (AXNT: research, earnings): Tucker Anthony Cleary Gull, on December 29, initiated coverage of AXENT TECHNOLOGIES with a STRONG BUY rating and a 12-month price target of $35. The brokerage believes that the company, which provides security solutions over networks, has one of the broadest product portfolios. Recently AXENT announced an alliance with DIGEX (DIGX: research, earnings), and Tucker Anthony says this "signals a new opportunity for AXENT to sell security solutions to companies offering Web- and application-hosting services." The brokerage estimates 1999 EPS of $0.01, down from $0.78 per share posted in 1998. That figure is expected to rise to $0.32 per share in 2000, and Tucker Anthony projects 30% EPS growth during the next three to five years. The brokerage forecasts revenue of $112.0 million in 1999, up from 1998's $101.0 million. In 2000 and 2001, the company is expected to bring in $145.5 million and $192.5 million, respectively. Research on AXENT was accessed 64 times, and eight reports were added to the Multex.com database. LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS (LVLT: research, earnings): On January 3, Banc of America Securities reiterated its STRONG BUY rating on LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, with a 12-month target price of $100. The telecommunications and information services company has signed a dark fiber agreement with ALLEGIANCE TELECOM (ALGX: research, earnings) that totals $20 million. Banc of America Securities believes that this pact further validates the high quality and viability of LEVEL 3's network. The brokerage added that LEVEL 3 has "considerable access to capital, implying that this transaction was not need based; rather, it was opportunistically based." Banc of America Securities said LEVEL 3 continues to "position itself as one of the most effective emerging communications services plays in the new year and should be purchased aggressively." The company is expected to lose $1.53 per share for 1999 and $2.72 per share in 2000. Research on this company was accessed 457 times, and 38 reports were added to our database. DIGITAL RIVER (DRIV: research, earnings): On January 3, Dain Rauscher Wessels reiterated its STRONG BUY-AGGRESSIVE rating on the shares of DIGITAL RIVER, a provider of e-commerce outsourcing solutions to publishers and online retailers. The brokerage is so confident in the company that it has raised its fourth quarter sales estimate by $1.4 million, to $25.5 million. Dain Rauscher's confidence is based on "strong sequential growth trends." As a result, the brokerage has also improved its loss per share estimates by $0.01, to a loss of $0.27 per share. "DIGITAL RIVER has added several high-profile clients during the fourth quarter," said the brokerage. "We believe the company is well-positioned for robust growth." Dain Rauscher added that the company's CommerceBridge division is also seeing strong growth. In fiscal 1999, DIGITAL RIVER is expected to lose $1.07 per share, with the loss per share improving to $0.61 in 2000. Research on DIGITAL RIVER was accessed 305 times, and eight reports were added to our database. USWEB/CKS GROUP (USWB: research, earnings): On December 27, ING Barings reiterated its STRONG BUY rating on the shares of USWEB/CKS GROUP. The brokerage pointed out that the merger of USWEB, a provider of Web solutions and services, as well as marketing communications programs using advanced technology and new media, with WHITTMAN-HART (WHIT), a provider of strategic IT business solutions to middle-market companies and divisions of Fortune 500 companies, could create a "category killer" and position the new company to capitalize on the convergence of the business-to-consumer and business-to-business spaces. According to ING Barings, the merger would combine USWEB's strengths in marketing and creative services with WHITTMAN-HART's considerable technical capabilities, making it the largest Internet services player "in terms of size, scope and capabilities." The brokerage foresees EPS of $0.50 in 1999 and $0.80 in 2000. Research on the company was accessed 167 times, and 22 reports were added to our database. *Number of contributed documents is based on the number of new documents contributed to Multex.com from brokerage firms worldwide during the week of December 20-26.