Pre-dive, the 500 stocks tracked by Standard & Poor's index sold at nearly 20 times the next year's anticipated earnings.

But analysts say the stock is still reasonable compared with anticipated 1995 earnings.

Of course, buying a company that is still selling at 52 times its anticipated earnings may not seem sensible to everyone.

Meanwhile, the awards for economic losses, based largely on anticipated earnings over the remainder of the victim's career, will stay roughly the same.

"Based on anticipated earnings for 1988, the stock is trading at a 10 multiple, almost a 50 percent discount to the market," Mr. Aster said.

Ms. Allen said that based on anticipated 1995 earnings, the company is worth around $60 to $65 a share.

The stocks in his portfolio now trade at 25 to 30 times anticipated earnings for 1997.

One law will force insurers to refund all profits in excess of 2.5 percent above their anticipated earnings.

As a result, many high-tech stocks became grossly overvalued, their price reflecting anticipated future earnings rather than a solid financial track record.

Passage to Mars was a luxury item, and he was already in hock for two or three years of anticipated earnings.