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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: StanX Long who wrote (56409)	11/28/2001 2:26:30 AM
From: StanX Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

More good news. Stan Tuesday November 27 5:42 PM ET Holiday PC Sales Rise From Year Ago Levels By Caroline Humer dailynews.yahoo.com NEW YORK (Reuters) - Personal computer sales improved during the Thanksgiving weekend from last year's weak levels as bargain-hunting consumers took advantage of rebates and sale tags, PC makers and analysts say. Despite the economic downturn, PC makers, including Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HWP - news), which plan to merge next year, said consumers bought more computers and electronics than a year ago. Wall Street analysts concurred. Influential Bear Stearns computer hardware analyst Andrew Neff said on Tuesday that according to retail stores, including Best Buy Co. (NYSE:BBY - news), Circuit City Stores (NYSE:CC - news) and Comp USA -- and even some PC makers, sales were in line with lowered expectations. ``Almost none of the retailers we checked with complained of a sharp disappointment,'' Neff wrote in a research note. And as in the broader retail sector this weekend, demand focused on less expensive computer packages, according to A.G. Edwards analyst Brett Miller. ``From everybody I've talked to, it's more low-end skewed,'' Miller said. ``They're buying the $699 PC package, which, with peripherals, software and stuff, is rounding out at about $1,000 to $1,100. Previously, we were seeing people rounding out between $1,500 and $1,700.'' The Thanksgiving weekend traditionally marks the beginning of the crucial holiday shopping season, and the fourth quarter is typically the strongest for PC makers. Last year's weak sales not only kicked off a long slump in the PC industry but also sparked a price war among computer makers. With the economic recession as a backdrop, the Thanksgiving weekend now seems increasingly important, Miller said. ``There are only so many dollars to spend. I think everybody concludes the dollars will be tighter this year than in some Christmases past, so first in is going to be the winner,'' he said.