A couple of items of interest (OK, at least to me)
NXTL/MSFT
=Microsoft's Money Not Seen Clouding Nextel's Merger Vista
By Shawn Young
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--The $600 million Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has agreed to invest in
Nextel Communications Inc. (NXTL) shouldn't affect Nextel's prospects for eventually
merging with another company, analysts said.
The Reston, Va., wireless phone company said Monday that Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash.,
is investing in it and that the companies will work together to provide data services on
wireless phones.
The announcement came just one business day after Nextel and MCI WorldCom Inc. (WCOM)
said they had ended talks about a possible merger. Nextel and the No. 2 long-distance
carrier, based in Jackson, Miss., were reportedly unable to agree on price.
The deal with Microsoft should not diminish Nextel's attractiveness as a merger
partner or restrict its ability to negotiate future deals, said analysts, who think the
Microsoft investment will make Nextel somewhat stronger.
"The more financial strength Nextel has, the stronger its negotiating position will
be," said Bear Stearns & Co. analyst David Freedman.
"I would not rule out MCI WorldCom coming back at all," he said.
The deal between Microsoft and Nextel is not exclusive and does not give Microsoft a
seat on Nextel's board, said Nextel spokesman Ben Banta.
Lehman Brothers Inc. analyst John Bensche called the Microsoft alliance a "mild
positive" for future mergers because it will strengthen Nextel's balance sheet.
Analysts pointed out, however, that any suitors on the immediate horizon would most
likely have surfaced during recent talks between Nextel and MCI WorldCom.
The Microsoft investment will help fund Nextel's business plan "well into 2000," Banta
said.
The deal expands Nextel's existing plans to offer interactive services over its phones
and is likely to largely replace a web alliance Nextel announced in February with
Netscape Communications Corp., which is now a unit of America Online Inc. (AOL).
Nextel will continue to use some Netscape servers and e-commerce software, Banta said.
Marrying the fast-growing Internet and wireless communications technologies seems a
logical recipe for growth, said Bensche, who noted that most wireless carriers are moving
to expand into data offerings.
The $36 a share price of Microsoft's investment is disappointing, said Roe. Since
wireless carriers typically are valued at 20% to 25% higher than market price in private
transactions, Microsoft's investment implies that the stock has a market value in the
high 20s, Roe said.
Nextel and MCI WorldCom were reportedly deadlocked over prices in the low 40s.
Nextel shares recently were up 3/4, or 2.1%, to 37 1/8 in brisk Nasdaq trading.
Microsoft shares were up 1 7/16, or 1.8%, to 80 1/2 in moderate Nasdaq trading.
- Shawn Young; 201-938-5248;
shawn.young@cor.dowjones.com
(END) DOW JONES NEWS 05-10-99
01:03 PM
MCNS
Monday May 10, 11:14 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Why Am I So Sad? If You Think You're Suffering
from Depression, Find Help on the Internet
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 1999--The springtime sun may be shining again, but more than ten percent of
Americans are still living under the dark clouds of depression. If you're coping with a mood disorder, you probably feel like
you're all alone in your struggle - but you don't have to be.
Sites like www.mediconsult.com/depression offer support groups, up-to-date information about depression and treatment
options, tips for coping, and self-testing tools that help you determine when it's time to seek professional help. Mediconsult.com
also allows visitors to submit questions about depression to expert physicians and therapists on the site.
A Bad Mood, Or a Mood Disorder?
How do you tell if you're clinically depressed or just having a rough time? If five of these symptoms persist for two weeks, it's a
good idea to seek help:
--Constantly feeling sad or irritable
--Bored by ordinary activities
--No energy
--Sleeping poorly (insomnia or oversleeping)
--Change in appetite or weight
--Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
--Feeling guilty, worthless or helpless
--Thinking about death
--Crying a lot
--Chronic aches and pains
You Are Not Alone
Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, with 5 to 9 percent battling it at any time. It often strikes around
age 25, but seniors, teens and even kids can be depressed.
The good news: treatment will help 8 out of 10. Antidepressant medications, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two is the
most common course of action.
Web sites like www.mediconsult.com provide a wealth of information and support. Other self-help resources include the
National Mental Health Association (www.nmha.org), the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (www.nami.org), and the
National Foundation for Depressive Illness (www.depression.org).
Editors Note:
www.mediconsult.com/home/misc/live/quinn will host a live event on coping with depression on May 11 at 9 p.m. EDT. The
event will be hosted by renowned depression expert, Brian Quinn, Ph.D., author of The Depression Sourcebook.
Readers can email questions in advance.
About Mediconsult.com
Mediconsult.com is a leading provider of patient-oriented healthcare information and services on the World Wide Web. The
Company's Web sites provide a trusted source of comprehensive and easy to understand medical information and are designed
to empower consumers through increased education regarding medical conditions and treatment alternatives. The Company's
Web site, www.mediconsult.com, has received awards from more than 30 independent organizations including Encyclopedia
Britannica (one of the 76 ''Best of Web'' sites out of 125,000 reviewed), The Lancet (''An exceptionally well-designed, easy
to navigate site brimming with health news and patient information''), and Popular Science (one of the ''50 Best of the Web'' for
1998.
For information on other Mediconsult.com services visit the corporate site at www.mediconsultinc.com."
david
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