Management said recently that the job cutting is about over. On the food side, Sara Lee appears to be cashing in on the nation's interest in fresh baked goods as it produces more such products while de-emphasizing its frozen goods. In fact, seven of the Top 20 companies are banking institutions, with NationsBank of Charlotte coming in at No. 3. It's still acquiring banks, but not more strategically. For example, NationsBank's acquisition of BankSouth in Atlanta make its the largest bank in the Atlanta metropolitan area, far larger than Sun Trust, First Union and Wachovia.
Stock prices are up.
Price expectations are high. NationsBank has wisely sat on its powder and continued to invest internally. That's the smart thing to do. Marketing plans, products offered and even account information to customers is becoming standardized so that NationsBank can better manage its diverse, far-flung holdings. The work is paying off.