Drew- I agree with you about Fortuna and ML...BUT...Dell is partly to blame here...if the stock was stronger...it would have blown right thru Fortuna's comments, and finished up 2+ today...........(1) The October "debacle" (perhaps too strong, but I'll use the word anyway)...gave Dell a short-term black eye (I emphasize, short-term)...(2) Dell should, as I have frequently suggested, come out NOW and diffuse this endless guessing game about this quarter....it is not the worst thing in the world (but I think Dell thinks so...) for Dell to come out now, and say..."hey, its going to be close, we may or may not make it....we may be a little light on revenue...but, look it, everyone anticipated that we would have "nuclear meltdown"...and guess what, we (Dell management) were much more right than wrong (like many analysts)...we're having a pretty good (not great) quarter........then, Dell NEEDS to shift the argument (this desperately needs to be done)...to the very good/excellent demand that Dell should see during fiscal 2000...THE BIG PICTURE!...... the end of component price hikes, component shortages, its dominant market position, and the march to #1...(as well as other growth opportunities).........clear the air, for Pete's sake....Missing by .01 is irrelevant (in the grand scheme of things)..but, by hiding out (and not arguing this publicly...it makes the whole thing seem much worse, IMO)..and gives guys like Niles and Fortuna WAY TOO MUCH POWER AND CREDIT.....
Dell needs to "frame" the argument..to date, it is letting Fortuna and Maria B. frame it for them...
Most other companies come out strong....Mike Ruettgers of EMC was on TV constantly, after an analyst would hammer the company....Last week, after Lucent warns, John Chambers of Cisco was out with a release within two hours concerning Cisco's quarter...
I can not recall a quarter, since I've been following the stock, that I've seen so few press releases and/or visible appearances from Michael....strange, I think.....this is a pretty new turn for MD, no?..........is this a new "sit-back and let the results do the talking strategy"....Dell keeps taking punches here.......maybe a (over) reaction due to October?? It didn't work very well for Dukasis....MD needs to come out swinging and defend the stellar growth rate..and growth ops going forward, IMO...
Again, I maintain that Dell will end of the year in the mid-60's or better...but, for that to happen, IMO, it is important that Dell gets some positive press going here...or at least get investors (and analysts) thinking longer-term (like all those companies who have hooked their slogan to the internet)...Several of those companies miss projections...yet, the stock STILL goes up....based on perception that they "get it"...Dell "gets it", but no one seems to notice...
I have morphed into Edamo <G> |
