31.   Analysts applauded the decision, which they said would leave Novell a stronger company focused on its core business of networking software, which has been growing well.

32.   And Fisk, the scientist, got the big prize, leadership of the core consumer business.

33.   Analysts said such a sale would enable Cigna to focus on its core business and would vastly increase the size and geographic reach of Ace.

34.   Analysts say the core business is sound but that the company got battered by the dot-com implosion and an overly aggressive expansion.

35.   Analysts said the transaction is a plus for Rank, giving it further financial muscle to expand its core business.

36.   And Block, whose core business is retail tax preparation, was not willing to make the investment.

37.   And Randy Carlson of the Yankee Group, also in Boston, sees the cable companies retrenching to focus on their core business of delivering video.

38.   And organizing an acquisition can make top managers spread their time too thinly, neglecting their core business and so bringing doom.

39.   And recent industry mergers among investment banks and commercial banks offer the potential to diversify core businesses and stabilize revenue streams.

40.   And MCI acknowledged that its core consumer long-distance business had weakened.