TOMMY BAHAMA BUY BOOSTS OXFORD; ATLANTA MANUFACTURER RAISES ITS PROFILE ALONG WITH ITS STOCK PRICE.(Oxford Industries)

Daily News Record, May, 2003 by LLOYD, BRENDA

ATLANTA -- The investment community gave its blessing to the Oxford Industries/Tommy Bahama union last week in the best way it could. Oxford's stock price soared to a 52-week high of $35.50 on Tuesday, two days after the announcement that it planned to acquire Viewpoint International, owner of the popular lifestyle brand Tommy Bahama, for $325 million.

"Our stock has gone through the roof," gushed Ben Blount, executive vice-president and CFO. "Based on the last two days, the investment public is viewing this positively."

Up until now, Oxford Industries, which had sales of $677.26 million in fiscal 2002, has been basically ignored by financial analysts. But all that could change now that the Atlanta-based marketer of Oxford and Lanier has purchased...