American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Seventeen Securities

NEW YORK, Nov. 4  /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) will launch trading in options on Monday, November 7, 2005 on the following American Stock Exchange, Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed stocks of:

   * Abraxas Petroleum Corporation (Symbol: ABP)
   * Building Materials Holding Corporation (Option Symbol: BGU/Stock
     Symbol: BMHC)
   * The First Marblehead Corporation (Symbol: FMD)
   * Gasco Energy, Inc.  (Symbol: GSX)
   * Global Industries, Ltd.  (Option Symbol: GQO/Stock Symbol: GLBL)
   * KCS Energy, Inc.  (Symbol: KCS)
   * La-Z-Boy Incorporated (Symbol: LZB)
   * Legg Mason, Inc.,  (Symbol: LM)
   * Meritage Homes Corporation (Symbol: MTH)
   * Novavax, Inc. (Option Symbol: NBU/Stock Symbol: NVAX)
   * optionsXpress Holdings Inc.  (Option Symbol: QYB/Stock Symbol: OXPS)
   * Range Resources Corporation (Symbol: RRC)
   * Redback Networks Inc.  (Option Symbol: RBU/Stock Symbol: RBAK)
   * The St. Joe Company (Symbol: JOE)
   * Superior Energy Services, Inc.  (Symbol: SPN)
   * Superior Industries International, Inc.  (Symbol: SUP)
   * WCI Communities, Inc.  (Symbol: WCI)



Abraxas Petroleum Corporation options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Group One Trading LP.  Amex-listed Abraxas Petroleum Corporation acquires producing oil and gas properties.  The Company explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas in Texas, Wyoming and Canada.

Building Materials Holding Corporation options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Kellogg Capital Group, LLC.  Building Materials Holding Corporation, through its subsidiary BMC West Corporation, distributes building materials to professional contractors and project-oriented consumers.

The First Marblehead Corporation options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be AGS Specialists, LLC.  The First Marblehead Corporation provides outsourcing services for private education lending in the United States.  The Company receives fees for the services it provides in connection with processing and securitizing loans.

Gasco Energy, Inc. options will open with position limits of 20,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Jane Street Specialists, LLC.  Amex-listed Gasco Energy, Inc. acquires and explores petroleum and natural gas properties in the United States.  The Company currently holds interests in properties located in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Basins of California.

Global Industries, Ltd. options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Group One Trading LP.  Global Industries, Ltd. provides oil-field construction services.  Services include pipeline construction, platform installation and removal, diving services and construction support. The Company provides its services to the offshore oil and gas industry in the United States Gulf of Mexico and in select international areas.

KCS Energy, Inc. options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be Kellogg Capital Group, LLC.  KCS Energy, Inc. acquires, explores and develops natural gas and crude oil properties located in the Mid-Continent, onshore Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain regions, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico.

La-Z-Boy Incorporated options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration cycle.  The specialist will be AGS Specialists, LLC.  La-Z-Boy Incorporated manufactures residential and office upholstered furniture.  The Company's product lines include motion, stationary and modular seating, desks, cabinets, conference tables, dining room and bedroom furniture and book cases.

Legg Mason, Inc. options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the February expiration cycle.  The specialist will be AGS Specialists, LLC.  Legg Mason, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiaries, provides securities brokerage, investment advisory, investment banking and commercial mortgage banking services.

Meritage Homes Corporation options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Trinity Derivatives Group, LLC.  Meritage Homes Corporation designs, builds and sells single-family homes ranging from entry level to semi-custom luxury.  The Company operates in the South and West of the United States.

Novavax, Inc. options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares. The options will trade on the January expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Jane Street Specialists, LLC.  Novavax, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, researches and develops proprietary topical and oral drug delivery technologies.

optionsXpress Holdings Inc. options will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be AGS Specialists, LLC.  optionsXpress Holdings Inc. provides stock and option brokerage services.  The Company specializes in the listed equity options market and also offers brokerage services for stock, mutual fund, option and fixed-income products.

Range Resources Corporation options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Susquehanna Investment Group. Range Resources Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, conducts operations in the Appalachian, Permian, Midcontinent and Gulf Coast regions.

Redback Networks Inc. options will open with position limits of 20,000,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Group One Trading LP.  Redback Networks Inc. develops and produces broadband networking systems, including subscriber management systems and platforms, as well as network operating system software.

The St. Joe Company options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Susquehanna Investment Group.  The St. Joe Company is a real estate operating company.  The Company provides community, commercial, industrial, leisure and resort development, as well as timber and commercial real estate services.

Superior Energy Services, Inc. options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Group One Trading LP. Superior Energy Services, Inc. provides specialized oilfield services and equipment.  The Company conducts operations offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Gulf Coast region.

Superior Industries International, Inc. options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Trinity Derivatives Group, LLC.  Superior Industries International, Inc. designs and manufactures motor vehicle parts and accessories.  The Company's products are sold to original equipment manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket on an integrated one-segment basis.

WCI Communities, Inc. options will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be Susquehanna Investment Group.  WCI Communities, Inc. designs, constructs and operates leisure-oriented, amenity-rich master-planned communities targeting affluent homebuyers.  The Company's communities are located in Florida.

For more information on any Amex-listed company, please visit http://www.amex.com/.

The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) is the only primary exchange that offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded funds (ETFs), including structured products and HOLDRS(SM).  In addition to its role as a national equities market, the Amex is the pioneer of the ETF, responsible for bringing the first domestic product to market in 1993. Leading the industry in ETF listings, the Amex lists 177 ETFs.  The Amex is also one of the largest options exchanges in the U.S., trading options on broad-based and sector indexes as well as domestic and foreign stocks.  For more information, please visit http://www.amex.com/. 

DATASOURCE: The American Stock Exchange



CONTACT:  Mary Chung of The American Stock Exchange, [phone],





Web site:  http://www.amex.com/ 

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