FINANCE NOTE: NORTH FACE ADMITS TO BOOKKEEPING ERROR

          The North Face said that "it overstated" its '98
     earnings "to a much greater extent than it had previously
     estimated" and has restated '98 earnings to $3.6M, or $.29
     per share, down from $9.5M, or $.76 per share.  The company
     also "expects to report a first-quarter" '99 loss. (WALL
     STREET JOURNAL, 5/11).  In Denver, Donald Blount writes that
     The North Face "attributed the problems to bad bookkeeping,"
     and those "negative impacts will be felt when first quarter
     results are released."  The North Face President & CEO Jim
     Fifield: "We will report a loss for the first quarter of
     1999.  These results will be significantly lower than
     analysts' expectations" (DENVER POST, 5/11).