1.   BMW executives repeatedly cautioned in recent weeks that Rover would not return to profitability as quickly as they had hoped.

2.   But another executive cautions that video game advertising is only as effective as its presentation.

3.   But executives caution that those changes will take time, and they note that the loss of the tax preferences coincides with other pressing problems.

4.   But other executives cautioned that the fine points of an agreement would take several more days to work out.

5.   But several executives cautioned not to read too much into a single week of ratings.

6.   But the executives cautioned that both companies could still decide to abandon the deal.

7.   Dell executives cautioned that the volatile economic and political environment has made all prognostications unusually difficult.

8.   Even before the breakdown, some executives were cautioning that an agreement, which some optimists had expected by now, would take at least two more weeks.

9.   Even so, Wall Street executives caution that six months does not a successful year make.

10.   Executives caution that they are still trying to fine-tune the marketing apparatus for the Internet.