1/31/2000

Y2K-Related Buying Distorts Some Companies' Results; Concerns About Foul-Ups Lead to Stockpiling of Medicine, Guns and Lip Glass

Actions that companies took in anticipation of Y2K-related problems are beginning to show up as having had an effect on quarterly performance results. Some companies shipped extra merchandise in anticipation of consumers stocking up. Consumers (and wholesalers) did stock up-on items such as drugs, guns, canned goods, wine, cigarettes and cosmetics-which affected sales results for the quarter. Some companies were hurt because of Y2K-related precautionary plant shutdowns. And some computer makers said sales for the quarter were slow because customers were waiting out the period in case of any problems connected to the computer bug.

http://library.northernlight.com/WS20000131010000099.html?cb=0&dx=1006&sc=0#doc

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), February 01, 2000