Latest News

Week of August 20-26, 2004
Percentage Change
Symbol
Aug. 26 Price
One Week
One Month
Three Month
Year to Date
Operators
APT SATELLITE HLDGS ATS
1.41
1.4
(6.6)
(20.8)
(40.8)
ASIASAT TELECOM SAT
17.56
(1.8)
(0.7)
13.3
(7.5)
BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING BSY
35.53
1.6
(22.6)
(21.3)
(30.3)
ECHOSTAR COMM -CL A DISH
31.45
1.9
8.8
(2.5)
(7.5)
THE DIRECTV GROUP DTV
16.22
(3.1)
(3.3)
(7.9)
(2.0)
LORAL SPACE & COMM LOR
0.04
30.0
(51.3)
(74.0)
(87.6)
NEWS CORP NWS
31.00
(3.6)
(10.3)
(15.0)
(14.1)
NEW SKIES SATELLITES NSK
7.75
0.3
0.5
(0.6)
8.2
PANAMSAT SPOT
23.45
0.9
0.6
8.8
PASIFIK SATELIT NUSANTARA PSNRY
0.22
340.0
PEGASUS COMMUNICATIONS PGTV
21.98
(3.0)
(4.6)
35.3
(21.7)
SES GLOBAL SESF.LU
7.00
0.9
3.6
(12.5)
SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO SIRI
2.42
12.0
0.8
(22.9)
(23.4)
XM SATELLITE RADIO XMSR
27.66
4.4
11.2
9.6
5.2
Operators’ Average
100.00
2.9
(5.5)
(7.3)
8.2
Manufacturers
ANDREW ANDW
11.35
2.8
(23.2)
(40.9)
(2.1)
BALL BLL
37.18
(0.1)
6.2
12.8
24.8
BOEING BA
52.07
2.6
10.6
16.5
23.6
COM DEV INTL *CDV
3.10
8.4
(2.2)
31.9
7.6
EMS TECHNOLOGIES ELMG
16.70
(2.9)
14.0
(25.9)
(18.7)
GARMIN GRMN
38.66
2.0
18.0
12.6
(29.0)
GILAT SAT NETWORKS GILTF
4.60
11.4
11.7
(17.9)
(5.9)
GLOBECOM GCOM
5.65
(4.4)
6.4
(5.7)
19.0
HARRIS HRS
47.35
3.6
4.1
5.5
24.8
HONEYWELL HON
36.35
2.0
0.2
8.2
8.7
KVH KVHI
7.66
(0.3)
(5.1)
(39.8)
(72.2)
LOCKHEED MARTIN LMT
53.25
(1.1)
0.1
10.4
3.6
LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES LU
3.20
1.9
(1.5)
(1.8)
12.7
MOTOROLA MOT
16.38
4.9
7.2
(17.8)
17.0
ORBITAL SCIENCES ORB
10.83
10.3
(10.6)
(14.7)
(9.9)
QUALCOMM QCOM
37.93
5.3
7.0
13.4
40.7
RAYTHEON RTN
34.30
1.1
5.9
4.1
14.2
ROCKWELL COLLINS COL
34.75
2.8
4.4
17.2
15.7
SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA SFA
27.83
(0.5)
(5.8)
(17.5)
1.9
SKY FRAMES SKYU
0.10
100.0
TITAN TTN
13.26
6.2
8.0
(30.6)
(39.2)
TRIMBLE NAVIGATION TRMB
27.03
(1.2)
24.6
1.7
8.9
VIASAT VSAT
20.18
1.8
14.9
(14.5)
5.4
Manufacturers’ Average
100.00
2.5
8.5
(4.0)
2.2
Nasdaq Composite Index
Nasdaq comp
1,852.92
1.2
0.2
(5.7)
(7.5)
SP 500 sp50
1,105.09
0.9
1.7
(0.7)
(0.6)
SN Stock Price Average
100.00
2.6
3.2
(5.3)
4.5

Wall Street Analysis

By Paul Dykewicz

The trend toward satellite TV service providers and telephone companies teaming to offer bundled “triple-threat” voice, video and data services took another step forward last week when Englewood, Colo.-based EchoStar Communications [DISH] announced a strategic relationship with Monroe, La.-based CenturyTel [CTL]. The alliance would let CenturyTel, a competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), to offer its customers multi-channel digital TV as part of a packaged service in its 22-state marketing area. CenturyTel plans to begin offering the co-branded satellite TV service by year’s end, providing customers with a single bill for all the services.

EchoStar already has a co-branded satellite TV service offered through SBC Communications [SBC], one of the country’s regional holding companies based in San Antonio, Texas.

To further cement the relationship, CenturyTel, the eighth-largest local exchange carrier in the United States with 2.35 million access lines, will make a $25 million investment in EchoStar through a convertible note due August 2011.

According to EchoStar Chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen, who spoke recently to analysts, a customer signed up through a partnership with a telephone company is about as valuable to his organization as one obtained directly from his dish dealers. It did not take long for him to follow up with a significant new alliance. The also deal was hailed as positive for EchoStar in a research note last Friday from Bob Peck, a satellite analyst at Bear Stearns.

Because digital cable operators are able to offer bundled video, broadband and voice over IP (VoIP) services, telephone and satellite companies make natural partners to complement each other’s services and to compete head-to-head with cable. As CenturyTel Chairman and CEO Glen F. Post said last week, the agreement allows his company to compete with other service providers in its markets to drive additional revenue. The satellite TV product will be part of a bundle that may include local and long-distance telephone service, multiple feature offerings and dial-up or high-speed DSL Internet service. EchoStar’s stock price did not move much last week but the long-term implications of its partnerships with telephone companies are significant.

Paul Dykewicz is senior editor and senior analyst of Satellite News. He can be reached at 301/354-1769 or at [email protected].

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