Edgar Filing: EXPONENT INC

SEC 1745

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 6)

Exponent, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock

(Title of Class of Securities)

30214U102

(CUSIP Number)

December 31, 2000

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

[ X ] Rule 13d-1(b)

[ ] Rule 13d-1(c)

[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

1. Names of Reporting Persons.
I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).

Palo Alto Investors, LLC

2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a) __XX__

(b) ______

3. SEC Use Only

4. Citizenship or Place of Organization California

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	5. Sole Voting Power 0
	6. Shared Voting Power 509,300
	7. Sole Dispositive Power 0
	8. Shared Dispositive Power 509,300

9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 509,300

10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See
Instructions) ______

11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 7.8%

12. Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO, IA

1. Names of Reporting Persons.
I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).

Palo Alto Investors

2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a) __XX__

(b) ______

3. SEC Use Only

4. Citizenship or Place of Organization California

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	5. Sole Voting Power 0
	6. Shared Voting Power 509,300
	7. Sole Dispositive Power 0
	8. Shared Dispositive Power 509,300

9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 509,300

10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See
Instructions) ______

11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 7.8%

12. Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) CO

1. Names of Reporting Persons.
I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).

William Leland Edwards

2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a) __XX__

(b) ______

3. SEC Use Only

4. Citizenship or Place of Organization United States

Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With	5. Sole Voting Power 5,200
	6. Shared Voting Power 509,300
	7. Sole Dispositive Power 5,200
	8. Shared Dispositive Power 509,300

9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 514,500

10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See
Instructions) ______

11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) 7.8%

12. Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) IN

Item 1.

(a) Name of Issuer

Exponent, Inc. (the "Issuer")

(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices

149 Commonwealth Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Item 2.

(a) The names of the persons filing this statement are:

Palo Alto Investors, LLC ("PAI")

Palo Alto Investors

William Leland Edwards ("Edwards")

(collectively, the "Filers").

(b) The principal business office of the Filers is located at:

470 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301

(d) This statement relates to shares of the Issuer's common stock ("Common Stock").

(e) The CUSIP number of the Issuer is: 30214U102

Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to rule 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

(a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).

(b) [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

(e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).

(f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F).

(g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G)

(h) [ ] A savings association as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813).

(i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3).

(j) [ X ] Group, in accordance with section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

Item 4. Ownership.

See Items 5-9 and 11 of the cover page for each Filer.

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ].

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

PAI is a registered investment adviser whose clients have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the Common Stock. No individual client account owns more than five percent of the outstanding Common Stock.

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

PAI is a registered investment adviser. Palo Alto Investors is the manager of PAI. Edwards is the controlling shareholder of Palo Alto Investors.

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group

Not applicable.

Item 10. Certification.

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: February 7, 2001

PALO ALTO INVESTORS By: /s/ William L. Edwards President	PALO ALTO INVESTORS, LLC By: Palo Alto Investors, Manager By: /s/ William L. Edwards President
/s/ William L. Edwards

EXHIBIT A

AGREEMENT REGARDING JOINT FILING

OF STATEMENT ON SCHEDULE 13D OR 13G

The undersigned agree to file jointly with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") any and all statements on Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G (and any amendments or supplements thereto) required under section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in connection with purchases and sales by the undersigned of securities of any issuer, until such time as the undersigned file with the SEC a statement terminating this Agreement Regarding Joint Filing of Statement on Schedule 13D or 13G. For that purpose, the undersigned hereby constitute and appoint Palo Alto Investors, LLC, a California limited liability company, as their true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority for and on behalf of the undersigned to prepare or cause to be prepared, sign, file with the SEC and furnish to any other person all certificates, instruments, agreements and documents necessary to comply with section 13(d) and section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in connection with said purchases and sales, and to do and perform every act necessary and proper to be done incident to the exercise of the foregoing power, as fully as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, until such time as the undersigned file with the SEC a statement terminating this Agreement Regarding Joint Filing of Statement on Schedule 13D or 13G.

DATED: February 5, 2001

/s/ William L. Edwards PALO ALTO INVESTORS

By: /s/ William L. Edwards, President

PALO ALTO INVESTORS, LLC MICRO CAP PARTNERS, L.P.

By: Palo Alto Investors, By: Palo Alto Investors, LLC,

Manager General Partner

By: /s/ William L. Edwards, By: Palo Alto Investors,

President Manager By:/s/ William L.Edwards,

President