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Technology Stocks : THQ,Inc. (THQI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sigmund who wrote (3515)	2/25/1998 5:27:00 PM
From: Todd D. Wiener	Respond to of 14266

Small Stocks Move Higher As Technology Rebounds An INTERACTIVE JOURNAL News Roundup Small-capitalization stocks climbed Wednesday as technology issues again posted solid gains. The Russell 2000 Index, which tracks the direction of small stocks traded on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market, gained 4.19 to 458.49 -- about 1.4% shy of its record 465.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index, which measures the performance of large and small issues on the Nasdaq Stock Market, was up 27.78 to a record 1766.49. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 87.68 to 8457.78, also a new high. Advancing Nasdaq issues outnumbered decliners 2,461 to 1,775. Volume stood at about 844 million shares. All the Nasdaq industry indexes posted gains. Small-capitalization stocks -- defined for this column as stocks with market capitalizations at $1 billion or less -- received a boost from a recovery in technology stocks, which stumbled Tuesday after four days of solid gains. The Nasdaq Computer Index gained 18.11 to 763.88, while the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index climbed 15.30 to 325.79. T*HQ jumped 5 1/2 to 29 1/2. The Calabasas, Calif., video game maker reported fourth-quarter net income of 84 cents a diluted share, up from 19 cents in the year-ago period. Analysts surveyed by First Call had expected earnings of 48 cents.

To: Sigmund who wrote (3515)	2/25/1998 5:31:00 PM
From: Todd D. Wiener	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14266

THQ Inc. Hits 52-Week High On Better-Than-Expected 4Q Earns Dow Jones Newswires NEW YORK -- THQ Inc.'s (THQI) shares soared to a second consecutive 52-week high Wednesday after the company announced fourth-quarter earnings that beat analysts' expectations by 36 cents a share. After the close of the market Tuesday, the Calabasas, Calif. interactive entertainment software publisher reported fourth quarter net income of 84 cents a diluted share, compared with 19 cents a diluted share a year earlier. The average estimate, according to a First Call Corp. survey of four analysts, was 48 cents. Furman Selz LLC analyst Stewart Halpern said the company, which consistently beats expectations, got a double boost in the latest quarter: strong performances by its game titles and a lower-than-expected tax rate of 19.2%. But even if the tax rate had been the anticipated 30%, Halpern added, THQ's fourth-quarter per-share earnings would have been in the mid-60-cents range, significantly beyond analysts' expectations. One reason THQ consistently beats expectations is that it's conservative with its earnings forecasts. "The way they forecast their business is based on what they believe they can definitely achieve. They try not to let expectations get out of line," Halpern said. "We are not going to say we are going to make a home run on every title," said Deborah Lake, THQ's director of investor relations. "A lot of things fell exactly in our favor (during the quarter)." She said market conditions were excellent, especially during the holiday season; titles that did very well include "WCW vs. NWO: World Tour" for the Nintendo 64 and "The Lost World" for Nintendo GameBoy. Halpern said THQ is analogous to a movie studio, and so has unexpected hits and misses. "You know that a movie with Tom Cruise or a sequel to 'Lethal Weapon' or 'Jurassic Park' will do well," Halpern said "But there are always unexpected phenomena like the 'Full Monty."' THQ plans to release 30 or more game titles in 1998, Lake said. The company released 34 new games in 1997, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Halpern, who rates THQ's stock at strong buy, said he raised 1998 estimates to $1.56 from $1.16 and the 12-month share price target to 38 from 25. THQ's Nasdaq-traded shares were recently at 28 1/2, up 4 1/2, or 18.8%, on volume of 1.8 million, more than 11 times the daily average of 155,200. They were earlier as high as 29 1/8; the previous 52-week high, 24 3/4, was set Tuesday.