Fast Growth CEOs Sharply Bearish After September 11th Terrorist Attacks, PricewaterhouseCoopers Finds.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 23, 2001

Revenue Growth Targets and Investment Plans for Next 12 Months

Off by One-Third, Comparing Post- to Pre-9/11

PricewaterhouseCoopers' "Trendsetter Barometer" interviewed

CEOs of 402 product and service companies identified in the media

as the fastest growing U.S. businesses over the last five years. The

surveyed companies range in size from approximately $1 million to

$50 million in revenue/sales.

Roughly half of these quarterly interviews (199) were completed

prior to the 9/11 tragedies, the other half (203) were completed

later, through October 5th, 2001. The parallel samples were

reasonably well matched by key demographics.

Third quarter interviews of CEOs of America's fastest growing companies--preceding and following the September 11 terrorist attacks-- reveal two sharply differing perspectives on the future growth of their business. Those contacted in late August and early September projected a modest improvement in their growth momentum over the next 12 months. But those interviewed in late September and early October are anticipating revenue growth that is 33 percent lower, with plans for business investments and new hiring similarly affected. These are highlights from PricewaterhouseCoopers' latest "Trendsetter Barometer," released today.

For a copy of the complete news release on this topic, including charts, please visit our Web site: www.barometersurveys.com