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Technology Stocks : Altera -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (2331)	7/28/2005 9:41:23 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 2389

Altera CFO to isolated analyst: Sorry! By Matt Andrejczak, MarketWatch Last Update: 6:23 PM ET July 28, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Nathan Sarkisian, chief financial officer at chip maker Altera Corp., had a message late Thursday for Wall Street and his company's shareholders: I'm sorry. Above all, the CFO extended an olive branch to Wells Fargo analyst Tad LaFountain III, who dropped coverage of Altera (ALTR: news, chart, profile) this week after he said the company froze him out back in March. LaFountain, in a July 26 research note, wrote that the company wouldn't take his calls or let him ask questions on conference calls due his negative stance on the stock. The analyst, who had a sell rating on the shares, added that he hoped to pick up coverage of another company that had a "more appropriate view of the role of independent investment research." "In retrospect, our decision to disengage was in error, and I apologize to Mr. LaFountain, our investors, and the investment community," Sarkisian said in a press release. LaFountain, who has covered technology companies for over 25 years, declined to comment on Altera's apology. Wells Fargo spokeswoman Susan Stanley said the brokerage "is pleased to see the situation resolved this way." Based in San Jose, Calif., Altera makes chips used in telecom and networking gear. The company said all analysts who cover it will have access to management. Sarkisian said he terminated dialogue with LaFountain over "irreconcilable differences" about Altera's stock repurchase program that the analyst contends is destroying shareholder value.