Sorry Laura. Couldn't open SSG. Is that something you can change, or am I blocked. Any suggestion.

I don't have a fancy SSG program. Just Take Stock 4

Hi William - sorry you couldn't open it, and no I don't have any other ways of sending it.  I did go ahead and purchase it - planning on holding it for long term.  It's a very cyclical stock, and right now is not doing so well.  Here's what VL had to say about them...

Value Line's January 26 Sector Analysis feature ranked the Technology Sector #1 for Timeliness with an estimated 3-5 year average annual earnings growth of 16.5%.

Here's what they say about the sector:

Technology is the new leader for Timeliness.  The group underperformed in 2006, as indicated by the tech heavy NASDAQ?s 9.5% advance last year versus a 16.3% rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Tech stocks have had some notable issues to contend with, including a big changeover in 2006 stockbased compensation expense. Having to include stock options as a cost of doing business flattened profits at many high tech companies in the past 12 months, but comparisons in 2007 will be better.  In fact, profit growth in the tech sector could be one of the bright spots in the stock market this year.

I would hope to hold the stock for five years.  VL also says:

Linear shares have 3- to 5-year appeal.  We wouldn't expect this stock to perform particularly well in the near term given our outlook for slower top-line growth over the next several quarters [so keep your eye on those TA indicators!].  Capital gains potential over the pull to 2009-2011 is strong, however.

Hi Jason:

Looks like it could have been a combination of the slowdown in the chip sector as well as some backdating of options scandal.  The price has risen from 32 back in Nov up to 38 today's closing.

  THE BUSINESSWEEK 50 RANKINGS + 25

Linear Technology

Practically everyone making a new piece of electronic equipment has Linear Technology on speed dial. Linear builds specialized analog chips, which convert real-world signals such as power, temperature, and light into a form that digital chips can process. With such customers as makers of cars, cell phones, and huge telecom switches, Linear has been growing steadily for 25 years. And its margins, about 40%, are twice those of many rivals. That’s largely because of Linear’s moves to pioneer new markets when prices begin to commoditize. CEO Lothar Maier continues to follow that blueprint. Linear is focusing on such emerging markets as power-over-Ethernet chips that would let Net-based phones get juice right through the phone cable. While the company was caught in a fourth-quarter chip slowdown and has been mentioned in the options backdating scandal, neither problem should knock steady Linear off course for long.