Dutton Associates Announces Investment Opinion: Forgent Networks Strong Buy Rating Maintained By Dutton Associates
EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., Aug 15, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Dutton Associates continues its coverage of Forgent Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORG), maintaining its Strong Buy rating. The 13-page report by Dutton senior analyst Richard W. West, CFA is available at www.jmdutton.com as well as from First Call, Bloomberg, Zacks, Reuters, and other leading financial portals.
Forgent Networks, Inc. (Forgent) started litigation to protect another of its more than 20 unexpired patents. On July 14, 2005, Forgent filed a lawsuit against 15 cable TV providers, including: Cable One Inc, Charter Communications, Comcast Corp., EchoStar Communications, The DIRECTV Group, and Cox Communications. The lawsuit covers the possible infringement relating to their patent covering a computer-controlled video system that allows playback during recording. During playback, the system reads the video content from the storage component. This is the second market in which Forgent is actively protecting its patents through litigation. Forgent's efforts concerning the protection of its Compression Labs (CLI) subsidiary's U.S. Patent (the '672 patent) appear to have stalled since our Update Research Report (4/01/05). Forgent has, over the past three years, licensed 38 companies from a wide variety of businesses and recorded revenues of $102.0 million in lump-sum payments and/or royalties. Four defendants settled since Forgent initiated patent litigation. Forgent's past IP revenues of over $102.0 million, the possible future IP revenues, and the strong balance sheet are, in our judgment, not reflected in the current stock market valuation of these shares. Therefore, we believe Forgent's common stock provides investors with above-average capital-gain potential with limited downside risk.
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Dutton Associates is one of the largest independent investment research firms in the U.S. Its 27 senior analysts are primarily CFAs and have expertise in many industries. Dutton Associates provides continuing analyst coverage of over 100 enrolled companies, and its research, estimates, and ratings are carried in all the major databases serving institutions and online investors.
The cost of enrollment in our one-year continuing research program is US $35,000 prepaid for 4 Research Reports, typically published quarterly, and requisite Research Notes. The Firm does not accept any equity compensation. We received $33,000 from the Company for 4 quarterly Research Reports with coverage commencing on 12/21/2004. Our principals and analysts are prohibited from owning or trading in securities of covered companies. The views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the analyst's personal views about the subject securities or issuer. Neither the analyst's compensation nor the compensation received by us is in any way related to the specific ratings or views contained in this research report or note. Please read full disclosures and analyst background at www.jmdutton.com before investing.
SOURCE: Forgent Networks, Inc.
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