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To: johnsto1 who wrote (3947)	10/23/2000 7:02:47 PM
From: johnsto1	Respond to of 8046

Reuters About.com Q3 loss narrows, beats estimates (UPDATE: updates with byline, interview with CEO in paragraphs 6-15) By Reshma Kapadia NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - About.com Inc. (NasdaqNM:BOUT - news) said Monday its third-quarter cash loss had narrowed, beating Wall Street estimates, at a time when many of its peers have been hurt by a decline in online advertising spending. The New York-based Internet media company reported a third quarter loss, excluding non-cash charges, of $3.2 million, or 18 cents a share, compared with a pro forma loss of $12.7 million, or $1.04 a share. Revenues more than tripled to $26.8 million from $7.8 million as total users grew to 60 million from 44.9 million in June. Average daily page views grew 48 percent to 34.1 million in September from 23 million in June. The company, which operates a network of content Web sites pre-announced earlier this month, saying it expected a loss of 18 cents a share. Wall Street analysts had expected a loss of 21 cents a share, according to First Call/Thomson Financial. In a statement, the company said it was on track to post a cash profit in the first quarter of 2001. A slowdown in ad spending by the once-high flying Internet companies put a cloud over the growth prospects of several ad-dependent companies, including industry leaders Yahoo Inc. (NasdaqNM:YHOO - news) and DoubleClick Inc. (NasdaqNM:DCLK - news) Part of the reason About.com was able to survive the recent storm largely unscathed was its network of targeted content, Chief Executive Scott Kurnit said in a telephone interview. ``Our approach to targeted marketing is very different. We can place a campaign in 700 (different) areas. No one else can do that,'' Kurnit said. About 60 percent of the company's revenue comes from pure- play Internet players, a company spokeswoman said. ``As we look at the business right now, we are comfortable with what we see in front of us,'' Kurnit said in reference to how he felt about producing the same revenue growth in the coming quarter. He added that the company was different from an online advertising network, such as DoubleClick Inc. (NasdaqNM:DCLK - news), because About.com owns its content. ``Your messages are embedded in your pages. That's not true on TV or magazines,'' Kurnit said. ``If you don't have control over the content, you can't innovate. The key benefits (we have) over the ad networks is we have that control. The benefits (we have) over general portals is that we are made up of little pieces with an efficiency that weaves it all together.'' The company is looking to diversify its revenue base with wireless and international opportunities, among other things, Kurnit said. ``We consider all opportunities at all times. It's a very dynamic market. Our first, second and third objectives are to maximize shareholder value. When someone knocks at the door we will meet them,'' Kurnit said about possible links with a traditional media player. ``At the same time we are confident we have properties that have the independent legs to go at it alone.'' About.com shares rose more than nine percent, or $2-1/8, to close at $24-13/16, above its 52-week low of 16, but well down from the year high of $105-13/16.