Quaker Oats

Q. I own several hundred shares of Quaker Oats and wonder if I should buy more, especially with the spinoff of Fisher-Price. What do you think?A. This giant food company, no longer toying around, has a fine outlook.Quaker Oats (around $59 a share, New York Stock Exchange) is a stock well worth buying, even when considered apart from the spinoff of its Fisher-Price toy division, said Roger Spencer, analyst with PaineWebber Inc. The company's stock is undervalued in the current market, he believes.

IN A renewed age of nominalism, where every waking moment is a brand-new brand experience, what's in a name is everything. From the moment you awake and turn off your buzzing Sony clock, to squeezing your tube of Crest, to showering with Dove, to pouring your Quaker Oats - well, you get the picture. The average American consumer comes across hundreds if not thousands of brand experiences a day. Or as James Twitchell, the author of Adcult USA, wrote about advertising, "It cannot not be found."

MIT and Quaker Oats have agreed to pay $1.85 million to former residents of the Fernald State School in Waltham, Mass., who were fed radiation-spiked breakfast cereal in nutrition experiments during the 1940s and 1950s.The settlement "is a recognition that these actions were improper and a violation of the civil rights of helpless children," said Alexander Bok, an attorney for the 15 plaintiffs who filed the class action suit in December 1995.Those children -- some of whom were mentally handicapped and some from troubled families -- were frequently used for medical and nutritional experiments without the informed consent of their parents.

CHICAGO - Quaker Oats Co. shares rose 9 percent yesterday on expectations that the company will receive more takeover offers, after published reports said the maker of Gatorade rejected a $14 billion bid from PepsiCo Inc. While either PepsiCo or rival Coca-Cola Co. could use its marketing muscle to boost sales of Gatorade, some analysts identified Nestle SA as a more likely buyer because of its interest in Quaker's foods. Quaker's other products range from oatmeal to Cap'n Crunch cereal to Aunt Jemima syrup.

CHICAGO - Quaker Oats Co. shares rose 9 percent yesterday on expectations that the company will receive more takeover offers, after published reports said the maker of Gatorade rejected a $14 billion bid from PepsiCo Inc. While either PepsiCo or rival Coca-Cola Co. could use its marketing muscle to boost sales of Gatorade, some analysts identified Nestle SA as a more likely buyer because of its interest in Quaker's foods. Quaker's other products range from oatmeal to Cap'n Crunch cereal to Aunt Jemima syrup.

LONDON - Cadbury Schweppes PLC agreed yesterday to buy Triarc Cos.' Snapple juices and iced teas for $1.45 billion to add noncarbonated beverages to its Dr Pepper, 7 UP and other soft drinks, making the third time in less than six years that Snapple has been sold. Cadbury will pay $910 million in cash and borrow from banks for the acquisition. It also will pay $120 million for employee options and assume $420 million in Triarc debt. Cadbury wants beverages with faster-growing U.S. sales than its carbonated drinks.

The Quaker Oats Co. recently challenged individuals to stretch their imaginations and create tasty, innovative recipes using oatmeal for its ninth annual Bake It Better With Oatmeal Contest. Although oatmeal may be regarded as a humdrum breakfast cereal by some people, winners of the baking contest demonstrated the potential of the grain in recipes that ranged from imaginative breads and cookies to a low-fat fruit crisp. The grand-prize winner, Marie Rizzio of Traverse City, Mich.

Q. I own 150 shares of Liz Claiborne that have done well for me. I understand that the company will be aggressively advertising for the first time. Does this signal trouble? Should I buy more shares, as I had been planning to do?A.Don't worry. This stock will stay in fashion a long time. Performance of the stock of Liz Claiborne (around $36 a share, New York Stock Exchange), designer of women's apparel, should be average short-term and above average longer-term, said Brenda Gall, analyst with Merrill Lynch & Co.While the company name is well known, Liz Claiborne hasn't advertised on its own in magazines or newspapers in the past, opting instead to simply be a part of retailer advertisements, Gall pointed out. The shift toward placing its own ads might be termed aggressive by some, but this company is cautious enough not to build up large inventories of apparel until it feels sales figures merit it, she said.

AT&T, Silicon Graphics join forcesAT&T Corp. and Silicon Graphics Inc. plan to announce an alliance today aimed at developing and marketing networks that deliver interactive television and on-line computer services into the home, the New York Times reported yesterday.The alliance brings together two powerful suppliers in the race between telephone and cable television companies to build multimedia networks, like those being built by Bell Atlantic Corp. the mid-Atlantic states and by Time Warner Inc. in Orlando, Fla.People familiar with the plans said Mountain View, Calif.

Sale of QVC approved by FTCTwo of the nation's largest cable companies received permission from federal regulators yesterday to acquire home shopping channel operator QVC Inc. for $1.42 billion.The Federal Trade Commission voted 4-0 to close an investigation into the acquisition by the nation's No. 1 cable company, Tele-Communications Inc., and Comcast Corp., which is No. 4.The FTC's investigation of the deal was prompted by concerns that it would violate antitrust laws. TCI controls QVC's closest competitor, Home Shopping Network Inc. FTC commissioners approved the deal over staff objections.

LONDON - Cadbury Schweppes PLC agreed yesterday to buy Triarc Cos.' Snapple juices and iced teas for $1.45 billion to add noncarbonated beverages to its Dr Pepper, 7 UP and other soft drinks, making the third time in less than six years that Snapple has been sold. Cadbury will pay $910 million in cash and borrow from banks for the acquisition. It also will pay $120 million for employee options and assume $420 million in Triarc debt. Cadbury wants beverages with faster-growing U.S. sales than its carbonated drinks.

The Quaker Oats Co. recently challenged individuals to stretch their imaginations and create tasty, innovative recipes using oatmeal for its ninth annual Bake It Better With Oatmeal Contest. Although oatmeal may be regarded as a humdrum breakfast cereal by some people, winners of the baking contest demonstrated the potential of the grain in recipes that ranged from imaginative breads and cookies to a low-fat fruit crisp. The grand-prize winner, Marie Rizzio of Traverse City, Mich.

MIT and Quaker Oats have agreed to pay $1.85 million to former residents of the Fernald State School in Waltham, Mass., who were fed radiation-spiked breakfast cereal in nutrition experiments during the 1940s and 1950s.The settlement "is a recognition that these actions were improper and a violation of the civil rights of helpless children," said Alexander Bok, an attorney for the 15 plaintiffs who filed the class action suit in December 1995.Those children -- some of whom were mentally handicapped and some from troubled families -- were frequently used for medical and nutritional experiments without the informed consent of their parents.

The company that made "Seattle" synonymous with "coffee" is establishing a foothold in Baltimore. Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened a shop at 6378 York Road, in the York Road Plaza shopping center, serving its trademark dark-roasted coffee and coffee drinks. The shop, which has seating for about 30 people, also sells cookies and biscotti, muffins and scones, cakes and Danish pastries. Customers who want Starbucks flavor at home can choose from 30 types of coffees -- and buy a pot to brew it in, a mug to drink it from or a travel cup that entitles the user to a discount on refills.

Kellogg to cut 300-350 jobsKellogg Co. said yesterday that it will cut 300 to 350 jobs by year's end, or about 2 percent of its work force, as it streamlines its breakfast-cereal production.The nation's No. 1 cereal maker said the cuts will trigger a $30 million to $40 million pretax charge in either the second or third quarter.Host Marriot to sell, lease hotelsHost Marriott Corp. said yesterday that it agreed to sell 21 Marriott Courtyard hotels to Health & Retirement Properties Trust for $179 million and then lease them back.

Sale of QVC approved by FTCTwo of the nation's largest cable companies received permission from federal regulators yesterday to acquire home shopping channel operator QVC Inc. for $1.42 billion.The Federal Trade Commission voted 4-0 to close an investigation into the acquisition by the nation's No. 1 cable company, Tele-Communications Inc., and Comcast Corp., which is No. 4.The FTC's investigation of the deal was prompted by concerns that it would violate antitrust laws. TCI controls QVC's closest competitor, Home Shopping Network Inc. FTC commissioners approved the deal over staff objections.

Kellogg to cut 300-350 jobsKellogg Co. said yesterday that it will cut 300 to 350 jobs by year's end, or about 2 percent of its work force, as it streamlines its breakfast-cereal production.The nation's No. 1 cereal maker said the cuts will trigger a $30 million to $40 million pretax charge in either the second or third quarter.Host Marriot to sell, lease hotelsHost Marriott Corp. said yesterday that it agreed to sell 21 Marriott Courtyard hotels to Health & Retirement Properties Trust for $179 million and then lease them back.

Recycling firm gets city contractChesapeake Paperboard Co., a South Baltimore recycling company, has received a one-year contract to handle Baltimore City's curbside paper recycling, which will help boost the prospects of the financially troubled company.Under the contract, which was approved by the Board of Estimates Wednesday, the cost of handling the paper will be tied to fluctuations in wastepaper prices, said Murrell E. Smith Jr., chief operating officer of the company.The plant at Fort Avenue and Woodall Street, which makes paperboard out of waste paper, had been scheduled to close June 30. But the company decided to stay open until at least July 18 as it talks with city and state agencies about financial assistance.

Recycling firm gets city contractChesapeake Paperboard Co., a South Baltimore recycling company, has received a one-year contract to handle Baltimore City's curbside paper recycling, which will help boost the prospects of the financially troubled company.Under the contract, which was approved by the Board of Estimates Wednesday, the cost of handling the paper will be tied to fluctuations in wastepaper prices, said Murrell E. Smith Jr., chief operating officer of the company.The plant at Fort Avenue and Woodall Street, which makes paperboard out of waste paper, had been scheduled to close June 30. But the company decided to stay open until at least July 18 as it talks with city and state agencies about financial assistance.

AT&T, Silicon Graphics join forcesAT&T Corp. and Silicon Graphics Inc. plan to announce an alliance today aimed at developing and marketing networks that deliver interactive television and on-line computer services into the home, the New York Times reported yesterday.The alliance brings together two powerful suppliers in the race between telephone and cable television companies to build multimedia networks, like those being built by Bell Atlantic Corp. the mid-Atlantic states and by Time Warner Inc. in Orlando, Fla.People familiar with the plans said Mountain View, Calif.