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BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA INDEX

SPOTLIGHT

Shares of Old Dominion Freight Line fell 15% in October. Much of that decline came after it I said third-quarter earnings had dropped 55%.

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Highest price/earnings ratios

HIGHEST PRICE/EARNINGS RATIOS Company P/E ratio (3) 10/30/09 52-week range price Highwoods Properties 196.6 $27.52 $14.65-34.09 Investors Title 115.0 32.21 17.14-39.50 Cree 82.5 42.10 12.57-46.25 Crescent Financial 58.1 4.07 2.80-5.50 Red Hat 56.1 25.81 7.50-28.94 Hanesbrands 44.1 21.62 5.14-24.45 PowerSecure International 41.6 8.32 2.70-10.25 Bank of America 40.5 14.58 2.53-24.62 First Citizens BancShares 32.9 149.00 73.48-167.70 MedCath 31.6 8.21 5.70-15.85 LOWEST PRICE/EARNINGS RATIOS Company P/E ratio (3) 10/30/09 52-week range price Cornerstone Therapeutics 2.6 $5.60 $1.72-12.29 Alliance One International 3.0 4.41 1.97-5.71 First Bancorp, 4.6 13.56 6.87-19.00 The Pantry 4.6 14.11 13.31-25.97 Xerium Technologies 4.6 0.97 0.30-4.45 Air T 5.8 9.98 5.33-11.71 Carolina Trust Bank 6.2 32.02 13.92-48.90 Hatteras Financial . 6.9 28.10 20.50-33.59 Kewaunee Scientific 7.8 13.25 6.50-16.00 Trimeris 9.1 3.56 0.84-3.68 Company 3-month 52-week 52-week range change (4) change TOP 10 LARGE-CAP STOCKS Salix Pharmaceuticals 51.0% 99.9% $6.14-24.23 Cree 31.3 114.5 12.57-46.25 Ruddick 13.7 (6.7) 18.86-30.31 Red Hat 13.1 93.9 7.50-28.94 Cato 12.3 43.9 11.35-23.00 Reynolds American 11.4 (1.0) 31.55-50.00 VF 9.8 28.9 38.22-79.79 Hanesbrands 8.6 23.8 5.14-24.45 Highwoods Properties 7.5 10.9 14.65-34.09 Tanger Factory Outlet Centers 7.1 5.3 24.62-41.78 TOP 10 SMALL-CAP STOCKS Targacept 74.7% 216.7% $1.40-24.50 Trimeris 72.0 8.9 0.84-3.68 DARA BioSciences 40.7 (69.6) 0.15-1.30 PowerSecure International 37.5 116.1 2.70-10.25...