We can always count on you for a fair and unbiased comment, Mark...Let's see, how about a recount of the blockbuster products promised by the company and not delivered....Try to stay in the era of current management.
For those not quite as close minded as Mark, one thing GUMM has learned (and re-learned with Zicam) is that, no matter how good the product, it takes big bucks to manufacture, market, distribute and sell a product. GUMM is therefore trying to forge partnerships with billion dollar companies. That is, to coin a phrase, an ambitious enterprise which takes what seems an interminable amount of time. Some say they will not be successful. Who knows, they could be right. Then again, they already have landed one billion dollar venture partner (SWMAY). It will probably take a year or two to know just how successful that venture will be.
GUMM has been working to land another venture deal to market dental gum. Some of us think that the partner, if closed, will be big enough to virtually guarantee success. Time will tell.
Folks like Mark would have us believe that the company is "hype city". Shareholders, on the other hand, don't think enough material information gets to the marketplace. This is a hell of a conundrum for management. Having a long term investment approach, I don't really care. I do admit, however, that I was flabbergasted that people like Wexler would blatantly lie about the company. I hadn't realize that people like him had been spawned by the internet until last year.
I readily admit that I don't know what is in store for this company. But I do know some things and among them include the following: The integrity of this management team, people I know first hand, is impeccable. The efficacy of Zicam is remarkable. The turnaround of the finances of the company is admirable (from last year's deficit they now have no debt and $5M in the bank and Gel Tech has another $3M).
Irrespective of the short term movement of this stock, (maybe the correction is over and maybe it isn't) I will be a shareholder and will give them at least two years to execute the business plan. I project no sales figures and expect only that revenue will grow substantially for the next few years. This commitment (as is the case in all of my investments) is subject to review.
I am as disappointed as other shareholders that some of the officers have sold shares in the course of exercising options. While I agree that this can be a precursor to bad news I know it does not always mean this. MSFT management has been net sellers of their stock for many years. The same is true of CSCO. I don't need a reminder that the companies aren't similar. Reasons for selling one's stock are varied and anyone who uses that reason for shorting a stock is asking for trouble.
Having said that, I am unconcerned that some want to short this company. I have on occasion boxed a position myself. I would only hope that folks on this thread would concentrate on what they know. While what someone thinks may on occasion be worthwhile, reiteration ad nauseum is tiresome.
Again, only time will tell who is right.
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