ALU AMGN ANN BBW BECN CC CKEC DNA FINL HAUP HILL HLYS  INSP MAQ NAPS NTES NWY OPWV PMI RVI TRAC TI TMA TRB VECO WYE

52-week lows are always an interesting lot.  We screened out many many names, but this list here is almost shocking.  Yesterday’s recovery didn’t pertain to everyone, and all things considered it could have been worse.  Much worse.  Some of the companies you’d almost never guess they would be appearing in this hall of shame.  Others, well they are obvious.  Sorry for some of the off the cuff commentary, but it’s the only way to keep sane looking at this list.

Alcatel-Lucent (ALU)… you know the French are trying to figure out a way to give Lucent back.  Who could blame them…

Amgen (AMGN)… this is a biotech that turned into a crummy pharma.  This is also what happens when Congress earmarks your whole line of goods for attack.

Ann Taylor (ANN)… this was surprising.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (BBW).. "Sorry kids.  You can’t have those custom expensive Teddie Bears.  Mommy & Daddy took out a NINJA loan and we can’t take anymore out of the dirt anymore.  Can we put your other Toys on eBay.  We love you kids."

Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. (BECN)… I know this CEO is praying for a many low grade hurricanes.  Who could blame him?

page forward to continue the massive list…..

Circuit City Stores Inc. (CC)… wasn’t a low close because that wasearlier in the week, but it hit new lows.  Don’t you know they wishthey had sold it off now?  We keep trying to find value in the stock,but haven’t been able to. Sorry.

Carmike Cinemas Inc. (CKEC)…. if you lose money selling movie theatertickets, you either have to do more indy fils where you make money, oryou gotta sellmore of that crummy frankenfood.

Genentech (DNA)… what happens when a kick-a$$ biotech becomes a value pharma stock?  Really.

Finish Line (FINL)… did you see a small cap footwear company thatneeded an activist like this? Too bad management’s dual stock class hasthis under total control.  We had a huge gain on this before in theBAIT SHOP when we thought there was a shot mangement would considerletting go. 

Hauppauge Digital (HAUP)… competing in graphic cards is tough when you have to fight NVIDIA and AMD’s ATI unit.

Dot Hill (HILL)… after losing Sun and after not being a targetedcompany, it’s just another money losing company with too few clients.

Heelys (HLYS) is heeling itself right in the groin.  No doubt aboutit.  If it gets too bad, maybe the CEO will try for an MBO, even if ithas been public less than a year.

Infospace (INSP)…. being a value stock in the internet spce isn’tcool, particularly when much of your sale model can be had for free bymany.

Marathon Acquisition (MAQ)… being a "SPAC" isn’t perhaps the safestmodel if you are subject to financial borrowing during a credit squeeze.

Napster (NAPS)… when will they figure a true profitable model? Soundslike it is doing better, but in a market meltdown no one is willing totreat it like a call option with warm receptions.

New York & co. (NWY)…maybe having New York in the name isnt the best idea during stock market slides.

Netease.com (NTES)…these guys repoprt earnings this coming week

Openwave (OPWV) …doesn’t seem like anyone is going to come to itsaid.  Pitty, it would be an awesome inroad for any major techcompany…or even Google.  it’s a stretch, but look at what they do andlook at Google’s long-term plans.

PMI Inc. (PMI)… if the public ever cheered for a company to go out ofbusiness in mortgage land it would be PMI.  Hi we know that Fannie andFreddie already guatantee your loan, but because you aren’t putting 20%down we want to jam this into you too.  And once you start PMI it ishard to get rid of.

Retail Ventures (RVI)…maybe own DSW isn’t all it was cracked up tobe, but i would argue that this is almost a defensive stock.  DSW atleast. 

Telecom Italia (TI) still reeling; M&A slowdown washed away chances that someone wants to buy it.

Thornburg Motgage Inc (TMA) probably isn’t surprising to anyone.

Track Data (TRAC) was suprising, hope the market malaise isn’t hurting the company too much.

Tribune (TRB)… is this deal going to close or what?

Veeco Instruments (VECO) still expensive on P/E ratio, but one of thefew companies benefitting from nanotech revenues right now and today.

Viropharma (VPHM) hit skid row after halting its beloved hepatitis C treatment trials.

Wyeth (WYE) is hitting 51-week lows and intrad hit that old 52-week low.  It’s probably asking "wyeth thith happening?"

Westell Tech (WSTL) did not close on a year low, but touched the dreaded $2.00 mark again.

Jon C. Ogg
August 11, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at [email protected]; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

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