NEW YORK, June 16, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- Thirteen leading analysts and top management from ninety-seven sector firms examine Investing Strategies in this special 364-page U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Conference Issue from The Wall Street Transcript (212/952-7433) or http://www.twst.com/info/info114.htm.
1) Healthcare Services - In an in-depth (3,700 words) Analyst Interview, William Bonello, Senior Research Analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including reimbursement basis for Healthcare Services companies, trends in reimbursement, and shares specific stock recommendations.
Bonello highlights The Healthcare Co., formerly Columbia/HCA (NYSE:HCA). " We believe The Healthcare Co./Columbia is an excellent investment opportunity right now. They've been on the cutting edge in terms of negotiating reimbursement increases. And then on the cost side, we think they're ahead of the curve again in their centralized business office and supply-chain management activities. We think they have significant potential to expand margins as a result of some of these activities."
Commenting on Province Healthcare (Nasdaq:PRHC), Bonello states, "Province is an extremely well-run growth company. Like HMA, they are also focused on rural markets. Most of their hospitals are fairly new to them, which means there are still tremendous opportunities to grow revenues and expand margins at those hospitals. We think they will benefit from the fact that there are a number of community hospitals that are up for sale right now."
Bonello declares, "Quorum (Nasdaq:QHGI) has been struggling. They are in a situation where they're targeting middle markets. Their hospitals are not necessarily dominant in the communities. As a result, they have not seen the same level of reimbursement increases that some of the other hospital companies have been able to achieve. In the short run the outlook just may not be as bright for Quorum as it is for the other three hospital companies we follow."
Referring to Orthodontic Centers of America (NYSE:OCA), Bonello explains, "It's our top stock pick. The real story is that they have the ability to acquire a practice and grow that practice dramatically by implementing strategies, including marketing and advertising, that increase doctor productivity and efficiency."
This 364-page U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Conference Issue also features:
2) Outlook for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray - In an in-depth (1,600 words) Analyst Interview, Thomas Schreier, Managing Director of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the five sectors he covers, and highlights the theme of this year's conference.
3) IT Infrastructure - In an in-depth (1,100 words) Analyst Interview, Ashok Kumar, Managing Director of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including investment strategies, demand/supply issues, new technology applications, and shares specific stock recommendations.
4) Wireless Communications Stocks - In an in-depth (2,300 words) Analyst Interview, Samuel May, Managing Director of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including investment strategies, sector trends, the mobile internet, the U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Wireless Index, and shares specific stock recommendations.
5) Internet Software Infrastructure - In an in-depth (3,400 words) Analyst Interview, Hany Nada, Managing Director of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including e-commerce, trends on the demand side, his valuation methodology, and shares specific stock recommendations.
6) B2B E-Commerce - In an in-depth (4,100 words) Analyst Interview, Jon Ekoniak, Vice President with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including e-commerce, various business models in the sector, and shares specific stock recommendations.
7) Outlook for Electronic Commerce - In an in-depth (3,900 words) Analyst Interview, Stephen Franco, Vice President with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including e-commerce, online financial services, investment trends, and shares specific stock recommendations.
8) Network Infrastructure - In an in-depth (1,800 words) Analyst Interview, Conrad Leifur, Vice President with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including the DSL niche, optical networking technology, mergers and acquisitions activity, and shares specific stock recommendations.
9) Biotechnology Stocks - In an in-depth (3,600 words) Analyst Interview, Mark Augustine, Senior Research Analyst with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray's Equity Research Group, examines the outlook for the sector, including criteria to look for in a biotechnology company, advances in infectious diseases, and shares specific stock recommendations.
10) Financial Business Services - In an in-depth (4,500 words) Analyst Interview, Bradley Berning, Senior Research Analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector, including common characteristics of Financial Business Services companies, investment themes or trends, and shares specific stock recommendations.
11) Lifestyle Retailing - In an in-depth (3,700 words) Analyst Interview, Jeffrey Klinefelter, Senior Research Analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, explains the concept of lifestyle retailing, examines the outlook for the sector, and shares specific stock recommendations.
12) Outlook for E-Health - In an in-depth (2,600 words) Analyst Interview, Daren Marhula, Senior Research Analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, examines the outlook for the sector on the business-to-consumer and on the B2B side, and shares specific stock recommendations.
13) Retail Hardlines Stocks - In an in-depth (4,000 words) Analyst Interview, Rebecca Yarchover, Senior Research Analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray's Equity Research Group, examines the outlook for the sector, including retail hardlines companies, consumer electronics, and shares specific stock recommendations.
14) CEO/Company Interviews - Top management of ninety-seven sector firms examine the outlook for their firm and the sector. Firms include:
AmeriCredit, Bridge Medical, Cintas, click2learn.com, Community First Bankshares, Delano Technology, Equifax, Harris Interactive, HEALTHSOUTH, IntraNet Solutions, JDS Uniphase, Layton BioScience, Lightspan, Lionbridge Technologies, Metris Companies, Multex.com, National Discount Brokers Group, OraPharma, RADVision Ltd., Retek, 99 Cents Only Stores, Abercrombie & Fitch Company, ADC Telecommunications, Allos Therapeutics, Alloy Online, American Dental Partners, American Express Company, AmeriPath, Applebee's International, Aspect Communications, Bluefly, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Clarus, Coldwater Creek, Commerce One, Confer Software, Davox, Ecolab, Electronics for Imaging, Eloquent, ePocrates, E-Tek Dynamics, Expeditors International of Washington, Family Dollar Stores, Fidelity National Financial, Gateway, Go2Net, Guitar Center, H.B. Fuller Company, Hanger Orthopedic Group, Heller Financial, HomeServices.com, Hormel Food Corp., iManage, Insight Enterprises, Interactive Intelligence, iVillage, Landec, Liberate Technologies, LookSmart Ltd., Macrovision, MCK Communications, MedChannel, Media 100, Metron Technology NV, Michael Foods, Mortgage.com, National Instruments, Natrol, Netcentives, NETsilicon, Network Commerce, NextCard, Nu Skin Enterprises, Online Resources & Communications, OrthAlliance, Performance Food Group, Pinnacle Systems, Primus Telecommunications Group, Redback Networks, Regis, RehabCare Group, Restoration Hardware, School Speciality, SelfCare.com, SimplyHealth.com, Spiegel, Splash Technology Holdings, Starbucks, T/R Systems, TCF Financial, TMP Worldwide, Tuesday Morning, U.S. Bancorp, Uno Restaurant, Witness Systems, Xchange.
To obtain a copy of this 364-page U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Conference Issue, call (212) 952-7433 or see http://www.twst.com/info/info114.htm.
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