From Barron's 7-30-07: "Goldman Sachs noted in a report last week that large-cap-growth mutual funds are dramatically underweight in the software giant's shares; the average fund holds a 1.23% position, compared with Microsoft's 3.3% weighting in the Russell 1000 growth index. Goldman software analyst Sarah Friar asserted that the low level of enthusiasm offers "potential for significant buying if growth managers fear missing the upside." Alas, there's no sign that growth managers are changing their minds, though Microsoft (ticker: MSFT) is trying to shift investor thinking. At the company's annual Financial Analyst Meeting Thursday, company execs spent an extraordinary amount of time trying to convince people that Microsoft really is, yes, a growth stock...The most recent numbers support their case...Mary Meeker, the Internet and software analyst at Morgan Stanley, was one of the few people I talked with who came away feeling more upbeat about Microsoft's prospects. "They have more clarity on what they need to do than they've had in a long time," she says. "My confidence that they have a good strategy has increased, not decreased."

From Barron's 7-30-07: "Magic words at this moment: "Fortunately, unlike some of the larger firms in the securities industry, [we have] virtually no exposure to the subprime business." They were uttered last week by Thomas James, chairman and CEO of Raymond James Financial (RJF), as the financial- services firm reported record quarterly profits. But even that reassurance and a 20% jump in net income weren't enough to stave off a 3% stock slide...In truth, its subprime-free aura isn't the only appeal. CEO James has been building its banking and asset-management operations, and that shift is "starting to click," notes Wachovia analyst Douglas Sipkin. Bank revenue increased 41% last quarter, and strong deposit growth continues to outpace loan production. Management recently guided up the bank's contribution to 2008 earnings to 19 cents a share from 12 cents, and that figure is projected to reach 35 cents a share in 2009."

From Barron's 7-30-07: "Internap (INAP) is slated to announce earnings Tuesday, and based on its recent turnaround and penchant for raising targets under new management, it wouldn't be a stretch to see the company cast a rosier outlook for the second half of 2007. That could lift the stock, which, at 13 and change, is down from around 20 early this year. "We're really moving in the right direction," says CEO Jim DeBlasio, who came off then-struggling Internap's board in November 2005 to become CEO."