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The Satellite News Financial Ticker

By Staff Writer | January 13, 2003

      Week of January 6 – 10, 2003
      Percentage Change

      Symbol
      Jan. 9 Price
      One Week
      One Month
      Three Month
      Year to Date
      Operators
      APT SATELLITE HLDGS ATS
      1.67
      (6.7)
      (12.1)
      15.2
      (2.9)
      ARCOMS BTRK
      0.03
      (37.5)
      (58.3)
      ASIASAT TELECOM SAT
      11.94
      2.0
      (7.1)
      9.0
      4.8
      BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING BSY
      42.48
      0.5
      9.2
      48.9
      6.0
      ECHOSTAR COMM -CL A DISH
      25.05
      7.6
      31.5
      47.3
      12.5
      GENERAL ELECTRIC GE
      25.90
      1.6
      1.6
      17.7
      6.4
      GILAT COMMUNICATIONS GICOF
      0.13
      (7.1)
      (13.3)
      (18.8)
      (13.3)
      GLOBALSTAR TELECOM GSTRF
      0.07
      30.0
      (11.0)
      (43.5)
      25.0
      HUGHES ELEC (GM -CL H) GMH
      11.98
      7.6
      6.0
      42.6
      12.0
      IRIDIUM WORLD COMM IRIDF
      0.10
      (9.1)
      (29.8)
      (55.6)
      (9.1)
      LORAL SPACE & COMM LOR
      0.45
      18.4
      45.2
      4.7
      NEWS CORP NWS
      28.73
      5.6
      8.3
      52.0
      9.4
      NEW SKIES SATELLITES NSK
      3.98
      (2.9)
      18.8
      9.0
      (4.1)
      PANAMSAT SPOT
      15.26
      1.9
      (19.9)
      (6.4)
      4.2
      PASIFIK SATELIT NUSANTARA PSNRY
      0.14
      (6.7)
      (6.7)
      (1.8)
      (6.7)
      PEGASUS COMMUNICATIONS PGTV
      13.88
      10.6
      22.7
      25.0
      6.0
      SES GLOBAL SES.LU
      5.10
      (18.5)
      (20.6)
      4.7
      (20.3)
      SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO SIRI
      0.78
      27.9
      8.3
      (17.0)
      21.9
      XM SATELLITE RADIO XMSR
      3.20
      19.9
      (8.0)
      7.7
      19.0
      Operators Index
      100.00
      4.3
      (3.1)
      6.5
      4.0
      Manufacturers
      ANDREW ANDW
      11.09
      4.1
      10.1
      82.7
      7.9
      BALL BLL
      51.47
      (2.7)
      3.3
      14.3
      0.5
      BOEING BA
      33.90
      0.1
      4.6
      11.4
      2.8
      COM DEV INTL *CDV
      1.15
      3.6
      (8.7)
      17.3
      16.2
      GILAT SAT NETWORKS GILTF
      0.42
      5.0
      (10.6)
      (16.0)
      7.7
      GLOBECOM GCOM
      3.67
      (2.2)
      (3.4)
      29.2
      (2.2)
      HARRIS HRS
      27.71
      4.3
      11.9
      (13.8)
      5.4
      HONEYWELL HON
      25.65
      2.7
      9.7
      33.6
      6.9
      KVH KVHI
      12.02
      35.4
      32.1
      92.3
      39.8
      LOCKHEED MARTIN LMT
      55.17
      (6.3)
      7.1
      (4.9)
      (4.5)
      LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES LU
      1.65
      16.2
      26.0
      146.3
      31.0
      MOTOROLA MOT
      9.90
      7.6
      7.3
      19.3
      14.5
      NERA NERAY
      1.14
      4.4
      1.6
      56.6
      5.5
      NII NORSAT INTL NSATF
      0.90
      (4.3)
      (21.1)
      (9.5)
      ORBITAL SCIENCES 1 ORB
      4.34
      0.2
      (2.5)
      55.0
      2.8
      QUALCOMM QCOM
      38.68
      4.1
      (1.3)
      38.6
      6.3
      RAYTHEON RTN
      31.01
      (1.8)
      10.4
      14.7
      0.8
      ROCKWELL COLLINS COL
      23.82
      1.4
      13.8
      14.1
      2.4
      SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA SFA
      13.11
      4.2
      7.8
      10.5
      10.5
      STM WIRELESS STMI
      0.24
      14.3
      (20.0)
      (7.7)
      20.0
      TITAN TTN
      11.90
      14.6
      15.5
      24.0
      14.4
      TRIMBLE NAVIGATION TRMB
      13.20
      0.8
      42.1
      5.7
      TRW TRW
      51.62
      1.4
      (7.4)
      VIASAT VSAT
      12.70
      7.0
      19.8
      92.4
      10.0
      Manufacturers Index
      100.00
      4.7
      5.7
      30.1
      8.1
      Nasdaq Composite Index COMP
      1,438.46
      3.9
      5.2
      29.1
      7.7
      S & P 500 SP50
      927.58
      2.0
      4.0
      19.4
      5.4
      SN Financial Ticker Index*
      100.00
      4.5
      1.8
      19.7
      6.3

      * A composite index; all indices are capitalization-weighted, with a base value of 100 on 1/2/96.

      Salomon Smith Barney Analysis

      EchoStar Communications Corp. [DISH] announced changes in its pricing structure last week that hold significant competitive implications. The move was interpreted broadly as a rate increase and the stock rose as concerns eased among investors about a possible price war in the multichannel television business.

      However, the change was not an outright rate increase. EchoStar announced rate hikes on some of its packages and decreases on others. The packages with increased rates will be frozen at the higher levels for two years.

      Taken together, these “increases” are much lower than the 2 percent annual average price increase over the next two years that we had anticipated. The EchoStar announcement suggests that the multichannel television industry is facing increased pricing pressure.

      The rate decreases on some of the DISH Network’s higher-end packages indicate that EchoStar may be expanding its well-publicized aggressive price strategy from the low-end to higher-end subscribers to combat the growth of digital cable. Moreover, DISH is guaranteeing the price of its America’s Top 50 programming package for both new and existing customers at $24.99 per month until January 2005.

      We believe this price freeze will ensure that DISH has the lowest priced multichannel digital TV offering in the United States. We think a price war has begun.

      Armand Musey is a satellite communications analyst at Salomon Smith Barney (SSB). Part of the information provided herein includes excerpts, abstracts, and other summary material derived from research reports or notes published by Armand Musey as a member of the firm’s Global Equity Research Department. For a copy of the full research reports or notes or to view the research-report disclosure required by the NYSE and NASD rules relating to analyst independence and conflicts of interests, please visit http://www.ssbaccess.com or contact a SSB financial consultant. Valuation methodologies and associated risks pertaining to price targets, as well as other important disclosures, are contained in research reports and notes published on or after July 8,2002. Salomon Smith Barney or its affiliates beneficially owns 1% or more of any class of common equity of EchoStar Communications Corp.