NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2008--Piper Jaffray & Co. will convene more than 100 high-profile retail, footwear and apparel brand, food processor and distributor, restaurant, leisure and entertainment companies in New York City for its 28th Annual Consumer Conference, June 10-11, 2008. This year's conference will address the timing of an economic recovery in the consumer sector and how it will affect global growth opportunities, cost inflation and market share shifts across the domestic market.

Through presentations and one-on-one meetings, management teams from leading U.S. consumer growth companies will focus on key issues that are important to the institutional investor community. In addition, the conference will feature a teen panel, Tuesday, June 10, comprising a group of teenage students from Oceanside Senior High School in Oceanside, N.Y., who will discuss the latest trends in apparel, electronics, video games and food.

"In light of the fiscal stimulus and cycle of monetary easing, investors are trying to balance near-term fundamental weakness in the consumer sector with a long-term potential recovery in spending trends," said Jeff Klinefelter, senior retail research analyst at Piper Jaffray. "We expect 2008 to be a dynamic year for this sector and look forward to addressing current industry trends and hearing from companies on their latest growth strategies."

Companies scheduled to present include: A.T. Cross Company; Aeropostale, Inc.; B&G Foods, Inc.; Big Lots, Inc.; BJ's Restaurants, Inc.; Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (The); Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.; Cabela's Inc.; Cache, Inc.; California Pizza Kitchen, Inc.; Castle Brands Inc.; Central Garden & Pet Company; Charlotte Russe Holding, Inc.; Chico's FAS, Inc.; Citi Trends, Inc.; Cost Plus, Inc.; Crocs, Inc.; Denny's Corporation; Diamond Foods, Inc.; Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc.; Famous Dave's of America, Inc.; Fossil, Inc.; Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc.; Gap, Inc.; Genesco Inc.; Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.; Guess?, Inc.; Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (The); hhgregg, Inc.; Hormel Foods Corporation; Inter Parfums Inc.; Jakks Pacific, Inc.; Jamba Juice; Jones Soda Co.; LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.; Life Time Fitness, Inc.; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Lumber Liquidators, Inc.; McCormick & Schmicks Seafood Restaurants, Inc.; Morton's Restaurant Group, Inc.; NexCen Brands, Inc.; Nordstrom, Inc.; O'Charley's Inc.; Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc.; Panera Bread Company; Perry Ellis International, Inc.; Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation; Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc.; Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc.; Quiksilver, Inc.; RC2 Corporation; Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.; Regis Corporation; Signet Group plc; Sonic Corp.; State Stores, Inc.; Staples, Inc.; Talbots, Inc. (The); Tempur-Pedic International Inc.; Town Sports International Holdings, Inc.; Tractor Supply Company; True Religion Apparel, Inc.; Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.; United Natural Foods, Inc.; Volcom, Inc.; Warnaco Group, Inc. (The); Wet Seal, Inc. (The); Williams-Sonoma, Inc.; and Zumiez Inc.

Company and investor participation in the Piper Jaffray Consumer Conference is by invitation only. Clients interested in attending should contact their Piper Jaffray representative. Members of the media who would like to attend should contact Andrea Young at 612 303-6697 or andrea.m.young@pjc.com.

About Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray Companies is a leading, international middle-market investment bank and institutional securities firm, serving the needs of middle-market corporations, private equity groups, public entities, nonprofit clients and institutional investors. Founded in 1895, Piper Jaffray provides a comprehensive set of products and services, including equity and debt capital markets products; public finance services; mergers and acquisitions advisory services; high-yield and structured products; institutional equity and fixed-income sales and trading; and equity and high-yield research. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Piper Jaffray has 25 offices across the United States and international locations in London, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Piper Jaffray & Co. is the firm's principal operating subsidiary. (NYSE: PJC) (http://www.piperjaffray.com)

Since 1895. Member SIPC and FINRA.

(C) 2008 Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

CONTACT: Piper Jaffray & Co.
Media Relations
Andrea Young, 612-303-6697

SOURCE: Piper Jaffray & Co.