61.   Western Digital and Cabletron Systems were among the first casualties, as companies began warning investors of earnings shortfalls with the fourth quarter drawing to a close.

62.   When Apple Computer Inc. warned of an earnings shortfall last week, for example, its stock plunged immediately.

63.   WestPoint Stevens added more gloom to the short-term outlook Thursday, predicting continued weak sales and a big earnings shortfall in the fourth quarter.

64.   When Motorola reported its earnings shortfall last Tuesday, Vice Chairman Gary Tooker said his company expects the current market conditions to persist in the third quarter.

65.   With earnings shortfalls a problem, the company does not expect to significantly increase its marketing budget to pay for the new campaigns, Frenette said.

66.   Yet as investors chose to focus on uplifting market news, other companies continued to warn of possible earnings shortfalls, some citing Asia as the culprit.

67.   In the previous week, IBM cited a supply shortage for a delay in shipment of new mainframes and an expected earnings shortfall.

68.   So far this year, investors have largely shrugged off bad news, believing that earnings shortfalls have already been factored into discounted stock prices.

69.   The company attributed the earnings shortfall to a challenging economic environment and increased investment spending.

70.   The pizza delivery chain announced it will have a significant earnings shortfall for the fourth quarter.