Stock watch.

• Position: Illustration

SPOTLIGHT

RF Micro Devices stock surged more than 50% in three months but ended July just above where it was a year earlier.

Highest price/earnings ratios P/E 7/29/05 52-week Company ratio (3) price range Tanger Factory Outlet Centers 250.4 $28.80 $19.42-29.42 MedCath 166.9 27.21 14.69-30.65 TriPath Imaging 146.5 8.79 6.15-9.52 SpectraSite 138.7 81.70 40.32-82.60 Charles & Colvard 114.4 27.33 5.85-29.29 Highwoods Properties 79.7 31.65 22.62-31.86 Red Hat 61.0 15.24 10.37-17.75 Salix Pharmaceuticals 60.7 19.30 13.85-24.38 Integrity Financial 50.8 21.50 14.25-27.49 Gateway Financial Holdings 45.5 17.94 12.80-20.78 Lowest price/earnings ratios Insteel Industries 3.2 $13.82 $8.10-21.89 SPX 5.8 48.88 32.46-50.15 Nucor 6.5 55.45 37.52-65.53 Wellco Enterprises 9.0 13.79 11.70-21.24 Investors Title 9.4 36.07 28.01-47.00 Bank of Oak Ridge 10.3 10.30 9.51-13.75 Bank of America 11.2 43.60 41.70-47.47 CommScope 11.3 16.89 13.83-22.65 Triad Guaranty 11.7 47.99 45.77-60.93 Jefferson-Pilot 11.9 50.17 46.00-52.73 3-month 1-year 52-week Company change (4) change range Top 10 large-cap stocks RF Micro Devices 55.4% 2.9% $3.77-7.79 SpectraSite 45.6 90.0 40.32-82.60 Red Hat 41.8 (11.0) 10.37-17.75 Salix Pharmaceuticals 35.1 (9.5) 13.85-24.38 The Pantry 33.1 95.6 18.89-44.77 Martin Marietta Materials 32.2 66.1 41.49-74.23 First Citizens BancShares 30.7 41.2 113.78-168.42 Lowe's 27.1 35.9 45.90-67.01 SPX 26.3 19.4 32.46-50.15 PPD 26.1 63.2 32.45-60.72 Top 10 small-cap stocks Charles & Colvard 46.1% 353.2% $5.85-29.29 Insteel Industries 45.5 53.6 8.10-21.89 Unifi 41.0 51.4 1.80-4.55 TriPath Imaging...