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Technology Stocks : VerticalNet, Inc. [VERT] -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Susan G who wrote (951)	8/24/2000 10:00:51 PM
From: puborectalis	Respond to of 1094

VerticalNet Gets Praise From Analysts By Joe Bousquin Staff Reporter 8/24/00 1:43 PM ET Kind words from two brokerage firms were helping VerticalNet (VERT:Nasdaq - news) Thursday. The stock was up nearly 2%, or 13/16, to 48 11/16 after Credit Suisse First Boston and Robinson-Humphrey released notes with positive tones about the business-to-business company. At Credit Suisse, analyst Chris Vroom said the company's offline computer chip trading exchange, NECX, was exhibiting surprisingly robust business. "We and others had expected a significant slowdown owing to the cyclicality of the semiconductor industry bringing an end to the heavy supply/demand imbalance," he wrote. "This has not happened, thus increasing the potential for upside surprise on the September quarterly results." He reiterated his strong buy rating on the stock. (His firm has performed underwriting for the company.) NECX accounted for 54% of the company's revenue in the last quarter. Some investors have questioned whether VerticalNet is a true B2B e-commerce stock because of its dependence on NECX, which is set up as an offline brokerage and clearinghouse for computer chips. (TheStreet.com wrote an earlier story about this issue.) Still, that didn't stop Robinson-Humphrey's Frank Gristina from naming the stock his "top pick in B2B marketplace for the rest of 2000." He also cited the company's exchange business. He rates the stock a buy. (His firm hasn't done underwriting for Vertical.) Meanwhile, at Merrill Lynch, analyst Ed McCabe issued a generally positive note on FreeMarkets (FMKT:Nasdaq - news). After being off slightly at the open, FreeMarkets was recently up 1 1/8, or 2%, at 55 5/8. McCabe wrote, "Although we are not expecting a blowout of the magnitude of last quarter, we are comfortable that there is meaningful upside to our Q3 estimates of $22.9 million in revenue and [a loss] of 42 [cents a share] in cash EPS." He also noted that the insider-trading window, which allows company insiders to sell stock, closes at this week's end, which could take pressure off the stock. He rates the stock a buy. (His firm hasn't done underwriting for the company.)

To: Susan G who wrote (951)	8/28/2000 11:06:21 AM
From: Sarkie	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1094

VerticalNet Purchased BidLine Assets For $5.3M In June ================================================================ WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- VerticalNet Inc. (VERT) acquired certain assets of BidLine.com on June 30 for roughly $600,000 in cash and 128,540 shares of its common stock valued at $4.7 million, the company reported in its most recent Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. VerticalNet purchased all of the outstanding stock of Bidformation Canada Inc. and acquired certain assets of Demand Systems LC. Both are units of BidLine. The acquisition was accounted for as a purchase. VerticalNet recorded as goodwill the estimated excess of the $5.3 million over the fair value of the tangible net assets acquired and is amortizing it over 36 months, according to the filing from Aug. 14. The results of operations from BidLine are not material to VerticalNet's consolidated financial position or results of operations. BidLine is an online source for companies seeking state and local government contract bidding opportunities. VerticalNet, based in Horsham, Pa., owns and operates 57 Web sites designed as online business-to-business communities. - Chad Clinton; Dow Jones Newswires/Federal Filings Business News; 202-628-9798 (This story was originally published by Dow Jones Newswires) Copyright (c) 2000 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved