Another analyst's comment on internet stocks
For an enhanced HTML version of the Street Life, visit fortune.com.
Street Life
Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 6:45 p.m.
A Ringing Rebound on Wall Street
By Andrew Serwer
Jackie Wilson kind of a day. You know: "Higher and Higher!" A broad rally powered the market higher on Tuesday. The Dow climbed 76 points, to 8643. Another record! NASDAQ was up 23, to 1748. The "InComMo" downgrades have come and now appear to be gone!!! (Dust in the wind!) Also, you know when the long bond drops below 6%, as it just did, it's like a big bell tolling on Wall Street: "Buy Stocks! Buy Stocks!" Here's what we're following today:
MARKETS.... Don't get in the way of this freight train! It's awesome, baby!!!!!!! A lot of nice moves by big stocks. Almost everything came back today. Here are some of the hot tamales today! Travelers up $2.25, to $57.75. Merck was up over $2, to just under $131, a new all-time high. Alcoa climbed almost $2, to $73-plus. As for the techs, they came back a bit: IBM up $1.50, to $97.50. Dell was up $1.75, to just under $65. Intel was up a half, to $75.50. Cisco--it bought NetSpeed for $236 million of stock--was up a smidge. Compaq was down slightly, though. But check out the industry indexes: The bank (stock) index, the retail index, the drug index, the consumer index, are ALL AT ALL-TIME HIGHS!!! Amazing. Scary.
INTERNET STOCKS, PART DEUX OF TROIS.... These stocks were off today (except for Excite, which was up $2, to $57). Taking a breather. A Salomon analyst attributed their recent run to the fact that these stocks have very little liquidity, so when just a trickle flows from Compaq to Amazon, it REALLY makes Amazon move. This guy from Solly said the recent moves were not based in fundamentals. Well, we'll see. Tomorrow or Thursday, I'll continue this discussion. To wit: Are all Internet stocks the same, i.e., do you buy all of them, or can you really pick 'em? Also, why exactly are these stocks moving up? I have my own ideas, and Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley will weigh in, too!
GOIN' PUBLIC.... Bunch of hot IPOs--actually some pretty good performers--today. My fave is Championship Auto Racing Team, which was up $3.50, to $19.50 in its first day of trading. The company's 4.7 million-share IPO, led by Jefferies, was priced yesterday at the top of its expected range. This is the organizing body of some car-racing league. Could you explain to me why anyone would buy this? Anyone?!?!? In their right mind, I mean.
Loose Change
Apologies for Gillette yesterday. I got the stock price wrong. Sorry guys, stock is NOT at $133. YET!!!.... Sun Microsystems was up nearly $5, to around $42.50, after Salomon Smith Barney analyst John Jones upgraded it. Yesterday, McNealy Co. LOST $5, to $37.75.... MCI was down following reports that the Justice Department is widening its investigation of WorldCom's acquisition of the company. WorldCom was down, too.... Heinz reported some weak numbers.... Got my first piece of research from CIBC Oppenheimer today. Canadians buying a good old 'murcan company like that. Hey, I can handle it!.... ATT got a big contract from Citicorp today.... Ralph Acampora of the Pru is now calling for the market to hit 10,000 by the end of year on CNBC!!! Go Ralphie baby!.... Consolidated Cigar down $3, to $21! Wow! Ronald Cigar Perelman takes it on the chin here. Just another preannouncement.... Datum was down too, on some bad numbers. Suharto was reelected. Horaay!! Who the hell is Steve Hanke anyway????.... Fifty-eight years ago today, Chuck Norris was born in Ryan, Okla. Here are my Sweet 16: Kansas, Miss, Clemson, Purdue, Duke, Syracuse, Michigan, Kentucky, UNC, Princeton, South Carolina, UCONN, Arizona, Maryland, Utah, Cincinnati.... All subject to change!!! (Hey, I have until Thursday noon.) More tomorrow. I know we should have it posted right. You tell 'em!
------------------------ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ------------------------
TO SIGN UP FOR STREET LIFE, point your browser to: fortune.com
TO SIGN OFF FROM STREET LIFE, point your browser to: fortune.com
For detailed sign-up, sign-off information, e-mail: dailymail@pathfinder.com.
For a Free Trial issue of FORTUNE MAGAZINE, point your browser to:
cgi.pathfinder.com
or call our toll-free number: 800-621-8000
For a daily in-depth report on the news and trends that affect your finances, check out the Money Daily on the Web at moneydaily.com
Thank you for signing up for Fortune's Street Life! |