A few web searches dredged up some miscellaneous gems.
From Sweden, the possibility of fiber to every home:
techweb.com
The Swedish government wants to take a big leap into broadband. Its goal: providing every household and company in the country with a high-speed connection by 2005. But debate rages over how much it will cost to provide those connections and whether the government can muster enough support to push its ambitious proposal through parliament early this year. . . .
Summarizing the year in technologies, InformationWeek mentions SDLI:
techweb.com
Can you say "optics"? Optical networking equipment, supporting the build-out of the fiber-optic communications backbone, generated huge returns for companies such as JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSU-Nasdaq) and SDL Inc. (SDLI-Nasdaq)-833.7% and 1,000.3%, respectively. Since the InformationWeek 100 focused on more stable companies with longer operating histories, we benefited by our positions in Ciena Corp. (CIEN-Nasdaq) and Cisco Systems (CSCO-Nasdaq) with returns of 293% and 131%, respectively. Cisco bought Cerent Corp. and Monterey Networks Inc. to move aggressively into this arena.
Kool-aid, indeed!
techweb.com
Think it's hard to hire talented people these days? Get this: One engineering manager told me he lost an excellent job candidate-a top-notch grad straight out of Stanford-to a communications startup that crafted a package of stock options worth a cool million in four short years. Blame Wall Street's love affair with the Internet and the infrastructure companies behind it for creating an environment that could turn our brightest minds into nouveau riche recluses. . . .
From Barrons:
interactive.wsj.com
January 17, 2000
¶ Barron's Table
At A Glance
Janus Enterprise Fund
100 Fillmore St.
Denver, Colorado 80206-4923
800-525-3713
Top 10 Holdings
¶ Percentage
Company Of Portfolio
Paychex 5.0%
SDL 4.8
Veritas Software 4.1
Vitesse Semiconductor 3.8
Exodus Communications 3.7
McLeodUSA A 3.5
Apollo Group A 3.4
Nextlink Communications 3.2
Hispanic Broadcasting 3.2
Metromedia Fiber Network A 3.0
Total 37.7%
As of 10/31/99
The adjoining article indicates he's been a seller:
interactive.wsj.com
Indeed, telecom stocks could very well become an even larger part of Goff's portfolio, as the valuations on many of the technology stocks he favors grow out of sight. For example, he admits that he's been a seller in names like E-Tek and SDL, strictly based on price. After all, everyone has a limit for risk, even ice climbers-turned-portfolio managers.
Based on the size of his holding, I'm guessing it's a matter of being over-weighted.
Lucent comments on fiber optic market:
lw.pennwellnet.com
However, Lucent chairman and chief executive officer Rich McGinn cited unprecedented demand for optical equipment as a major reason for the company's shortfall. "We saw faster-than-expected shifts in customer purchases to our newest 80-channel optical product line and greater-than-expected demand for the OC-192 interfaces on that system," says McGinn. "This resulted in near-term capacity and deployment constraints; we could not meet demand as that shift took place. We also had manufacturing capacity constraints on our fiber-optic business and our optical components business because demand was so high."
And, finally, from SDL's website:
SDL anticipates participating in the conferences listed below.
February 1-4, 1999
Bank of America Securities Conference, San Francisco, CA
February 9-11, 1999
JP Morgan Communications Equipment Conference, Laguna Niguel, CA
February 21-23, 2000
Twelfth Annual Cruttenden Roth Growth Stock Conference, Laguna Niguel, CA
March 5-6, 2000
The Second Annual OSA Executive Forum
Photonics & Telecommunications-The Tidal Wave of the New Millenium
Baltimore, MD (In conjuction with the OFC 2000 conference)
Pat |
