Business Services Industry

RBC Capital Markets Announces Investment Opinion: Initiates Healthy and Active Lifestyles Coverage With Ratings On Seven Companies

Business Wire, Dec 12, 2001

Business Editors

NOTE TO EDITORS: The following is an investment opinion issued by

RBC Capital Markets.

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2001

RBC Capital Markets equity analyst Carole Buyers today initiated coverage of seven healthy and active lifestyles companies:

-- Horizon Organic Holding Company Corp. (Nasdaq:HCOW), $14, with a Strong
Buy-Aggressive Risk rating and a six-month price target of $18.

-- United Natural Foods (Nasdaq:UNFI), $22.47, with a Strong Buy-Aggressive
Risk rating and a six-month price target of $30.

-- Gaiam Inc. (Nasdaq:GAIA), $18.15, with a Buy-Average Risk rating and a
12-month price target of $21.

-- Hain Celestial Group (Nasdaq:HAIN), $26.44, with a Buy-Average Risk rating
and a 12-month price target of $32.

-- Whole Foods Market Inc. (Nasdaq:WFMI), $42.57, with a Buy-Average Risk
rating and a 12-month price target of $50.

-- NBTY Inc. (Nasdaq:NBTY), $11.39, with a Neutral rating.

-- Wild Oats Markets Inc. (Nasdaq:OATS), $9.55, with a Neutral rating.

Institutional investors interested in receiving more information should contact their RBC Capital Markets salesperson. Media interested in receiving Buyers's research should call (612) 371-2239.

RBC Capital Markets is the global brand name for the corporate and investment banking divisions of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates, including the equity capital markets division of RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., member NYSE and SIPC. The firm offers focused industry expertise and global reach in its chosen products, markets and industry sectors through five business divisions and 3,000 employees including some 80 analysts covering more than 900 companies. It is a member of RBC Financial Group, the brand name of Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY)(TSE:RY.), the seventh largest bank by assets in North America. The Group has 57,000 employees who serve over 12 million customers in 30 countries around the world. For more information please visit www.rbccm.com.

RBC Dain Rauscher Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY), is the parent company of RBC Dain Rauscher and Tucker Anthony Sutro, which combined form the nation's ninth largest full-service securities firm with more than 2,000 financial consultants and 6,000 employees. The companies serve individual investors and small business owners through offices coast to coast, and capital markets and correspondent clients in select U.S. and international markets. Founded in 1909, RBC Dain Rauscher is a member of the New York Stock Exchange and other major securities exchanges, as well as the Securities Investor Protection Corp. The company's headquarters are located at Dain Rauscher Plaza, 60 S. Sixth St., in Minneapolis.

RBC Dain Rauscher Inc. makes a market in Gaiam Inc., Hain Celestial Group, Horizon Organic Holding Corp., NBTY Inc., United Natural Foods, Wild Oats Markets Inc. and Whole Foods Market Inc. and may act as a principal with regard to the sales or purchases of these securities. The author is employed by an affiliate, RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., a securities dealer with principal offices located in Minnesota, USA. RBC Capital Markets' Research Ratings Legend can be viewed at www.rbcdrw.com/researchratings.> Additional information on the securities mentioned is available on request. This does not purport to be a complete statement of all material facts related to any company, industry, or security mentioned. The information provided, while not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness, has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. The opinions expressed reflect our judgment at this time and are subject to change without notice and may or may not be updated. RBC Dain, its officers, directors, affiliates, and/or employees (including the authors of this report) may from time to time have a long or short position in publicly or privately issued securities of companies mentioned or derivatives thereof and may sell or buy such securities for their own or related accounts. This notice shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which said offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.