REPEAT/Bear Stearns Selects Intuit, Inc. as the E-Volve Stock Pick of the Week; Pick Kicks-Off the 4th Week of the 10-week Internet Research Campaign.

Business Editors

REPEATING...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2000

Intuit, Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU) was selected by Bear Stearns as its e-volve stock pick of the week. The selection begins the fourth week of a comprehensive marketing plan designed to utilize the findings in e-volve, a 340-page report compiled by the Bear Stearns equity research department. Featuring contributions from 77 analysts, e-volve is designed to provide investors with insight into how the Internet will affect every industry and every aspect of business.

Intuit's selection as stock pick of the week can be attributed to its growing prominence in online financial services. The firm's installed base of 15 million financial software users, its balance sheet with greater than $1 billion in liquidity, and its visionary and nimble management team are significant competitive advantages, explains Bear Stearns vice president and e-finance analyst Craig Peckham. The analyst believes that Intuit will continue to make great strides toward driving its software customer base to the Web. Peckham argues that financial products are among the best-suited products for digital distribution and thus represent one of the greatest opportunities in all of e-commerce. "This notion is not lost on Intuit," adds Peckham. "The firm's momentum continues to accelerate as it focuses on its mission of digitally delivering financial solutions to individuals and small businesses."

In addition to the stock selection of the week, Bear Stearns will hold two virtual conference calls this week based on the e-volve report. The first call is scheduled for Tuesday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m. and will be hosted by five Bear Stearns telecommunications analysts. The second, scheduled for Wednesday, February 23 at 11:00 a.m., will examine the importance of developing stong brand names on the Internet. The call, entitled, "Brands Still Rule", will be hosted by retailing analyst Dana Telsey. Both calls will be supplemented by a slide presentation on the Bear Stearns Web site (www.bearstearns.com).

To learn more about the e-volve stock pick of the week, or to participate in the conference calls, members of the press may contact Russell Sherman at 212-272-5219.

Founded in 1923, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. is a leading worldwide investment banking and securities trading and brokerage firm, and the major subsidiary of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (NYSE:BSC). With approximately $22.2 billion in total capital, Bear Stearns serves governments, corporations, institutions and individuals worldwide. The company's business includes corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions, institutional equities and fixed income sales, trading and research, private client services, derivatives, foreign exchange and futures sales and trading, asset management and custody services. Through Bear, Stearns Securities Corp., it offers professional and correspondent clearing, including securities lending. Headquartered in New York City, the company has over 10,000 employees located in domestic offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico and San Francisco; and an international presence in Beijing, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Lugano, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. For additional information about Bear Stearns, please visit our Web site at www.bearstearns.com

Any recommendation contained in this report may not be suitable for all investors. Moreover, although the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. Bear Stearns may make markets and effect transactions, including transactions contrary to any recommendations herein, or have positions in the securities mentioned herein (or options with respect thereto) and may also have performed investment banking services for the issuers of such securities. In addition, employees of Bear Stearns may have positions and effect transactions in the securities or options of the issuers mentioned herein and may serve as directors of such issuers. Copyright (c) 2000. All rights reserved by Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.