11.   Apple said that declining prices, inventory writedowns and rising costs will continue to bring its gross margin down.

12.   Apple said declining prices, inventory writedowns and rising costs will continue to bring its gross margin down.

13.   Argyll also said gross margins are a little below last year because of increased price pressure but are showing signs of improving.

14.   As a result, the company said it gained market share, but gross margins suffered.

15.   At the drugstores, gross margins declined in part because of costs associated with the relocation of its marketing and procurement functions to Salt Lake City.

16.   Best Buy also said its gross margin, or percentage of revenue left after the cost of goods sold, met expectations as it improved inventory management and advertising.

17.   Best Buy Co. reported an unexpected third-quarter loss as fierce competition for personal computer sales reduced its gross margin.

18.   Blyth said although the rate of increase in gross margin was slowing, it will be up from a year earlier.

19.   Across the PC industry, gross margins have been reduced steadily by price cutting.

20.   Adding to those ills, Lucent said that the costs of introducing new products had lowered its gross margins.