Internet stocks headed south in afternoon trading despite positive comments
from industry analysts and buy-out buzz surrounding shares of TheStreet.com.
internet.com’s Internet Stock Index (ISDEX) fell 4.86, or 0.52 percent, to
926.98, the Nasdaq composite gained 6.88 to 4427.65 and the Dow Jones
Industrial average plunged 156.68 to 10561.41.
CheckFree Holdings (CKFR)
announced it is acquiring Tranpoint, a direct competitor. JP Morgan reacted
by raising their price target on CKFR from $135 to $228. Shares rocketed 32
higher to 100-1/4.
TheStreet.com (TSCM)
added 13/16 to 16-13/16. The financial news and editorial Web site has hired
investment bank Wasserstein Parella & Co. to explore strategic business
opportunities and alternatives, including a possible sale of the company.
PurchasePro.com (PPRO)
was up 13-1/4 to 133-1/4. First Boston initiated coverage with a “strong
buy” rating and 12-month $205 price target.
In addition, First Boston raised its near-term price target on Razorfish (RAZF)
to $75. Shares finished down 6-1/2 to 45-3/8.
After yesterday’s close, Lycos (LCOS)
reported earnings of $0.03 per share, two cents better than the First Call
mean estimate. Merrill Lynch analyst, Henry Blodget reacted by raising his
near-term rating from “accumulate” to “buy.”
“Lycos reported an impressive quarter, exceeding consensus revenue, EPS and
pageview estimates. The
outlook for the next few quarters remains strong. We are raising our
estimates and, for the following reasons, raising our near-term rating to
Buy, with a 12-month price objective of $100. The valuation is cheap by
Internet standards (90X C2001E EPS), and we believe there is still upside to
our estimates” wrote Blodget in a note to clients. Shares of LCOS added
3-9/16 to 72-5/8.
internet.com analyst, Chris Nerney featured Lycos in his daily Stock Tracker
report.
ShopNow.com (SPNW)
lost 7/8 to 12-13/16. CIBC World Markets initiated coverage with a
“buy” rating and $30 price target.
Netcentives (NCNT), an Internet customer loyalty company, announced it will acquire Post
Communications for roughly $333 million in stock. Post provides e-mail
marketing services. Shares of NCNT lost 2-3/4 to 49-1/4.
Shares of the natural language search engine, Ask Jeeves (ASKJ)
fell 4 to 78-1/2. The company has filed for a secondary offering
totalling 1.8 million shares.
Subscribe to Internet StockTracker,a weekly e-mail newsletter from
internet.com Corp. Every Friday internet.com will deliver to your e-mail
in-box the latest performance data on individual Internet companies and
their competitors. Internet StockTracker will deliver to you all the
statistics you need to assess the week’s activity.Sign up at: e-newsletters.
