thestreet.com
Why Net2Phone's a Battleground Stock
By James J. Cramer
8/25/99 4:54 PM ET
Open this lion's den and let me in!!
Ring, Ring
The Plot Thickens as Wall Street Plays Its Games With IDT/Net2Phone
Berko Hangs Up on Net2Phone
I just got a call from Matt Jacobs on Net2Phone (NTOP:Nasdaq). You don't know Matt. Yet. When the DOT was screaming, Matt was Matt.com, but these days Matt is strictly Matt.Redhot.
Matt signed up for Net2Phone today. Couldn't take the hype any more. It was classic. Just like the Herb vs. the world Net2Phone real-life dilemma. The sound was horrible on my end. But it was crystal clear on his end. I wished he had called on the land line. He saves a fortune using Net 2 Phone. I had a horrible echo on my end. His was echo-free.
If I were to invest from my end, I would short it, or at least go long IDT (IDTC:Nasdaq) (true disclosure: You can't borrow Net2Phone, so it can't be shorted -- see my glossary or my rewrites about shorting) and sell Net2Phone.
But from Matt's perspective, I would buy every share. Clean, quality calls with a great graphic on his PC (we are next to each other, so I ran into his office while he was talking to me) with a device that shows you how long you are on and lots of nifty buttons to go elsewhere. If I didn't know any better I would say I have seen the future and it is Net2Phone.
Bottom line: This one is a battleground. I'm staying away. But one phone call sure explains why this stock is caught in a vicious squeeze that may just be beginning.
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thestreet.com
Berko Hangs Up on Net2Phone
By Jeff Berkowitz
8/25/99 5:57 PM ET
Jeff Berkowitz, Cramer's partner, offers his two cents on Net2phone:
Ring, Ring
The Plot Thickens as Wall Street Plays Its Games With IDT/Net2Phone
Why Net2Phone's a Battleground Stock
"Hello, hello." That's all I heard on the muffled line.
"Is this Marlon Brando," I ask?
"No, it's Matt," says our analyst, matt.com.
EVERYBODY sounds like Marlon Brando on Net2Phone (NTOP:Nasdaq). Such is my perspective. Stay away, even with the Sprint (FON:NYSE) deal short squeeze killing the poor schnooks bold enough to short this stock. Yeah, this stock probably rocks and rolls for a while. But it won't do that in my portfolio.
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