Advalorem,
Your concerns and criticisms are valid.
Should we send a letter?
Or should we continue to send suggestions individually to the SanDisk IR department regarding such issues as c.c. presentations, etc...
The idea about a web broadcast is interesting. Do other companies do this already? I feel an equally suitable way would be to record the conference calls in MP3 or Real Player format and then allow downloads from the corporate website if you are unable to log in during the call itself. The problem with a web broadcast may be the length of the presentation.
On a related note, we should also be able to e-mail guestions to the CEO and CFO beforehand. Why do analysts always dominate the Q&A session?
Others have commented that the website is a bit stodgy and needs revamping. I think that the more that SanDisk hears these comments, the more likely they will be to react. After all, we have a big consumer presence now and that should be reflected in the website's construction. So let's keep suggesting an upgrade. Maybe we will be successful?!? It kind of reminds me of Tim Robbins' character in The Shawshank Redemption who mailed a letter a week to the state corrections board asking for funding for a library for the inmates. Finally they just caved in.
I think we are treading on thin ice when it comes to margin projections, "patent protection", and the like. The company already gives information about gross product margins and licensing revenues in relatively exact figures. Thus, they cannot be critcized for this. Also, product margins are highly dependent on both manufacturing yields on the company end and pricing environment on the consumer end. I think it would be unfair to ask for detailed, longer-term projections as it exposes management to greater risk (despite safe harbor regulations).
My mantra right now is...
"licensing catalyst, licensing catalyst, licensing catalyst..."
Message 14635650
We need a licensing catalyst so that the game plan for licensing the CF IP, and eventually MMC, is a bit clearer. Management should drive home this game plan on a regular basis and give updates as possible. The c.c. seems to be a perfect forum. To give SanDisk credit, I trust they are tight-lipped because of the pending '987 defense and will not jump the gun reporting other potential licensees until Lexar is defeated. This is the most plausible explanation I can think of right now.
I would be happy to craft a letter to SanDisk management and send it on behalf of "The SanDisk SI Thread" if people wanted to p-mail their individual concerns. I will keep all p-mails confidential and we could post the letter here for review before sending it off to the company.
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