Consumer prices rise less than expected in May.
Declines in business spending suggest G.D.P. will rise less than 3percentthis yearar, economists said.
Taxes on dividends could rise less than is currently projected, allowing dividends to maintain their appeal to corporate executives.
Pearson said full-year profit at its educational publishing unit would rise less than analysts had been expecting.
But in the last decade or so, as the price of oil and propane seemed to rise less sharply, devotion to wood stoves waned.
The company said it controlled expenses and increased operating margins as large customers in the United States delayed purchases, causing first-quarter sales to rise less than expected.
National Semiconductor said yesterday that its first-quarter sales would rise less than forecast on reduced orders for chips used in personal computers and related peripherals.
On Oct. 17, Mr. Blodget lowered his short-term rating on the stock to "neutral" from "accumulate" -- meaning he expected it to rise less than 10percentt.
He said he was "very conscious" of the furore around energy bills: "Our customer base has seen their average earnings rise less than rate of inflation.
Wal-Mart said it still expects March sales at stores open at least a year to rise less than 5percentt.
(An underperform rating suggests the analyst believes the stock will either fall within 12 months or will rise less than competing companies with higher ratings).
