PricingExpert(R) Acts as Complete Solution for Gas Sales, Marketing, Contract Management and Forward Book Management

PEABODY, Mass., March 3, 2003 -- LODESTAR Corporation today announced PricingExpert is able to provide a pricing and quotation solution for gas distributors in addition to retailers. PricingExpert compares supply and demand data with customer data and business rules to calculate price quotes tailored to specific customers and to manage the quotation process. Companies can use it to optimize service offerings to customers and to create new customers from prospects, converting a series of manual steps into one integrated business process.

PricingExpert provides a central database to capture market and customer data, including customer attributes and forecasted usage profiles to assist in modeling future demands. In addition, PricingExpert can provide access to critical information regarding historical and forward market prices, pipeline capacity and rates, ancillary services and LDC tariffs. It can also be configured to automatically scan and re-optimize customer offers based on changes in market conditions, alerting companies to new opportunities for profitable sales. PricingExpert can help manage forward books by creating and organizing forecasted customer usage, contract terms and delivery points.

"PricingExpert has been a valuable application to many of LODESTAR's customers," says Joe Franz, a LODESTAR Product Manager. "Companies can use PricingExpert to calculate offers, prepare and generate the legal document, as well as manage the process of handling internal review and approval. Our clients report they can provide their customers with faster service and better pricing options. The responses have been extremely positive and we're looking forward to seeing it become the application of choice for gas and electric companies."

About LODESTAR Corporation

LODESTAR Corporation is the world's leading provider of back-office software solutions for energy companies. With more than 120 clients worldwide, LODESTAR is a well-known and reliable provider of world-class software solutions for pricing, billing, load profiling and settlement, financial management and transaction management. LODESTAR Corporation's headquarters is at Two Corporation Way in Peabody, MA 01960 USA. For more information, visit http://www.lodestarcorp.com. LODESTAR and LODESTAR's other marks are either trademarks or registered trademarks of LODESTAR Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other brands or products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should be treated as such.

SOURCE LODESTAR Corporation

Web Site: http://www.lodestarcorp.com