Symantec

The anti-virus software company Symantec (NASDAQ symbol: SYMC) makes Norton antivirus software, one of the industry's leading anti-virus programs. This paper investigates how Symantec fares against Network Associates, Inc. (the makers of MacAfee anti-virus software) in terms of the relationship between revenue and computer virus outbreaks, as well as overall averages. Specifically, stock quotes for Symantec and Network Associates will be compared post-virus outbreak for each of these four major outbreaks: 1) Blaster, Category 4, August 12, 2003, 2) SoBig, Category 4, August 22, 2003, 3) Bugbear, Category 4, October 2, 2002, 4) Klez, Category 4, April 25, 2002, and 5) Sircam, Category 4, July 24, 2001. Ultimately, there is a small decrease in stock price for both Symantec and Network Associates the day after a major virus outbreak occurs.

One of Symantec's main competitors in terms of industry anti-virus software is McAfee, a business unit of Network Associates,...
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