ALEXANDRIA, VA (Sept. 3, 1999) -- Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) continued to advance to new highs, partially on the unveiling of a new microprocessor chip on Wednesday that will be used in devices that route information across the Internet. The new chip is a way for Intel to expand beyond its core business of personal computers while still utilizing core strengths.

Intel's new network processor will try to take out at the knees (like all good gangsters) the pricier chips that are the brains of switches and routers that move data through corporate networks and the Internet. One advantage that Intel has is pricing power. The company is efficient on such a large scale that, as we've seen, it can continually price its products below competitors. Intel does have some "big" competition from IBM (NYSE: IBM).

Intel's stock is clearing $87 as of this report. We're still waiting for an opinion switch from the analyst who said on television this summer that it was time to sell Intel at $58. Ribbing someone for a mistake is not our wish. Our wish is to hold people accountable. When involving finances, one shouldn't go on television and make generalized comments such as he did -- comments that don't take into account the audience and its different objectives, time frames, and so forth. Even Spanky the Wonder Pooch knows better. And he's a stuffed dog. (Don't tell him that, though.)

Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB) reported quarterly results that fell below expectations -- by far. Brian Graney (of BrianGraney.net fame) wrote the story in the Fool News. Soup volume fell a heady 8% domestically and 4% worldwide, but we do need to remember that inventory reductions are still impacting this number.

Meanwhile, new "away from home" sales rose an encouraging 10% to $124 million in the fourth quarter. Still, the quarter was a downer, as was the year, with lower EPS than last year. Campbell does hope for 12% EPS growth to pick up again next year. At this point, I can see more reasons to believe in that than to hope for a big jump in Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) sales next year. What we're doing with our Campbell Stock will be decided after our food and beverage study.

Related to our study, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) reported quarterly results this week, too. Brian touched on both in Friday's Breakfast with the Fool.

We spent three days this week chomping on gum as we focused on Wrigley (NYSE: WWY). The links to the articles are below. First, on Monday, George wrote about meeting Fools at an investment conference and getting first shares of stock for a Drip. On Tuesday, I offered general thoughts on Wrigley. Wednesday and Thursday, Brian went into the company's recent performance, focused primarily on return on invested capital (ROIC). We have more to say about valuation, but Wrigley is clearly going to make our finalist list. It may even be the strongest candidate right now.

All of the companies that we're looking at (so far anyway) are strong. In the end, valuation may play a considerable role in our choice if we feel that we have equally strong candidates to choose from. Our look at Wrigley has probably only just begun.

Have a Foolish three-day weekend. We'll be here again on Tuesday. Fool on!