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Merriman Curhan analyst positive on Bidz.com, Imax, 3 others

Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:00pm IST
 
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June 26 (Reuters) - Macroeconomic concerns may have hammered most consumer stocks to near their 52-week lows, but shares of five companies, including Bidz.com, Fuqi International and Premier Exhibitions, present a good buying opportunity, Merriman Curhan Ford analyst Eric Wold said.

Wold, who is also positive on Imax Corp (IMX.TO: Quote, Profile, Research)(IMAX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and PhotoChannel Networks, said these "buy"-rated stocks have been sold off to unrealistically low levels in relation to the potential impact of a slowdown in consumer spending on their businesses.

Since touching their 52-week highs, shares of Bidz.com have tanked 60 percent, while those of Fuqi International have shed 19 percent. Premier Exhibitions stock has plummeted more than 75 percent while Imax has lost 12 percent.

These stocks are good buy for a holding period over the next 12 months, said Wold, who owns 20,000 PhotoChannel shares and 2,000 Imax shares.

"We also would recommend building positions ahead of June quarter results -- when we believe a rosier-than-expected outlook by management could quickly shift investor sentiment to the positive on each stock," Wold wrote in a note titled "Glimmers of hope within a downbeat consumer sector."

Bidz.com Inc (BIDZ.O: Quote, Profile, Research) has not seen a slowdown in Website traffic or customer conversions as the online jewelry auction company is an attractive bargain retailer in these difficult times, Wold said.

The analyst said he was enthusiastic about Chinese jewelry retail trends and in Fuqi International Inc's (FUQI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) ability to gain additional market share in near-term.

Chinese jewelry maker Fuqi International's acquisition of branded jewelry store chain Temix is on track for around the end of June, and the company will likely need to raise its fiscal 2008 outlook to reflect contributions from Temix, he said.   Continued...

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