Friday's hot stocks

November 26, 1999: 12:00 p.m. ET

Telular catapults as loss narrows; Ariel's rise continues; AutoImmune confuses

NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Shares of a telecommunications equipment maker rose nearly six-fold Friday after the company posted improved financial results, while stock in a technology company tripled after winning worldwide certification for its Internet network connection product.

Telular Corp (WRLS), which makes telecommunications equipment assemblies, gained 583 percent after saying its fourth-quarter net loss narrowed to $2.7 million, from $4.0 million in the year-earlier period.
Vernon Hills. Ill.-based Telular rose 11-27/32 to 13-7/8.

Ariel Corp (ADSP) leapt 244 percent, continuing a stellar run from Wednesday.
     That's when the provider of network communications systems said its Internet access portal received certification for connection to international digital telephone networks.
     Ariel says these phone-connection portals, which are used by Internet service providers, are significantly cheaper than the competition's.
     The Cranbury, N.J-based company jumped 26-1/4 to 37. Nearly 30 million shares changed hands, making Ariel Nasdaq's most traded stock for the second straight session.

AutoImmune Inc. (AIMM), a biopharmaceutical firm that makes products for treating auto-immune and other inflammatory diseases, soared 288 percent.
     But the company could not explain the surge.
     "We're trying to figure out the same thing," Heather Ellerkamp, AutoImmune's treasurer, said when asked about the gains. "We don't have any official news."
     While a few notes on Internet message boards passed on vague rumors of AutoImmune and AIDS treatments, most buzzed with confusion.
     "If anyone has any real, tangible, factual information regarding this stock, please post it," a writer named cal144 wrote on Yahoo!.
     Lexington, Mass.-based AutoImmune leapt 1-17/32 to 2-1/16.

LanVision Systems Inc. (LANV), which provides information systems for hospitals, rose 87 percent after saying its third-quarter net loss narrowed to $494,142, or 6 cents per share, from a loss of $2.1 million, or 24 per cents per share, in the year-earlier period.
Mason, Ohio-based LanVision gained 1-21/32 to 3-9/16

Shares of Enlighten Software Solutions (SFTW), which makes software products that automate computer management systems, soared 108 percent after announcing the launch of its Web site allowing users of the Linux operating system to buy and download systems management products.
Investor frenzy over anything related to the Linux operating system, seen by some as a threat to Microsoft's operating system, is nothing new.
The trend continued Friday, with stock in San Mateo, Calif.-based Enlighten jumping 4-15/16 to 9-1/2.

MedCare Technologies (MCAR), which soared 250 percent Wednesday, gave up some gains Friday.
MedCare jumped earlier this week after the health care services firm said it received "thousands" of physician requests to enroll on its Web site, RxSheets.com. The site allows doctors to make drug sample requests and access drug protocols, studies and research information.
But enthusiasm dampened Friday as Oak Brook, Ill.-based MedCare fell 7/8, or 21 percent, to 3-1/4.

Gentia Software (GNTI) also reversed course.
The firm's shares tripled Tuesday after the company announced a deal in which IBM customers will use Gentia's software to analyze and measure business strategies.
The London-based company fell 7/16, or 9 percent, to 4-11/16 Friday.