My only connection to Unitec at this time is that I have spent a considerable portion of my net worth investing in the company.(More than just a "few shares"). I have not been paid for the privalege of "promoting" Unitec but certainly would enjoy getting paid for distributing the facts as I believe and understand them to be. Yes you could say that I am a "wanabee" promoter and have taken the liberty to introduce my stock broker to Unitec. He is currently arranging a portion of the financing for Unitec and has listed it among his four main stock picks for 1998 along with CPY which you seem to know about. Unfortunately, despite my introduction of this broker to John Smyth at Unitec, I will not recieve any finders fee for the private placement that is to follow.( Perhaps you could persuade John Smyth into paying me for convincing this very tallented young broker to to take interest in his Company. Perhaps you could remind him that
$ 400,000.00 doesn't just walk in off the street, without someone telling the message, making the introduction and encouraging the broker to get involved. Oh! Pardon me, you don't like "cheer leaders" as they "can be distracting...."
My technical background is that I am an investor in emerging technology. Consequently I spend considerable time studying and reading on various technologies that I consider to be high growth such as SCADA, Wireless, Internet encryption, and Video on Demand. I have no formal technical training, but that has not prevented me from understanding fundamental issues which I consider important to investing in High Technology. One of the engineers at Unitec was surprised that I had no formal technical background because I understood various aspects of the SCADA business and knew some of the technical terms. I preffer to have as much understanding of the companies I invest in as possible. I enjoy presenting that information in simple ways that every day people can understand.
You are quite correct in your assesment of the key issues facing Unitec at this time. Unitec must complete it's financing and manage it's explosive growth in a disciplined and proffitable manner, in order to realise value for all of us shareholders. I am confident that Unitec will do just that; and I have no shame in taking opportunity to express those views to anyone and everyone, wherever and however. In fact, If I had the ability, I would borrow several Million Dollars and buy as much Unitec as I possibly could, take a possition on the Board, and do what ever I could to further the Companies success. Then I'd be a real " cheer leader ".
As far as I can ascertain, there are two types of Companies listed amongst the issues on the VSE: Those which have little present fundamental value or substance, but have huge market capitalizations due to stock promotional hype, which you seem to dislike.Then there are those with strong fundamental value, sales growth, and an operational track record, but have low share prices. Tehcnical people are conservative and hard working by nature, but often neglect promoting thier stock for one reason or another.To them "Promotion" is dirty. Perhaps It's beneath thier dignity to stoop to such low non technical job descriptions. ( These same people then come crying to the market for financing, complain of low stock prices, give away a piece of the farm for next to nothing, and blame those very promoters, who initially pumped their stock up and sold it off to retail suckers for as nice proffit).
Stock Promoters are more colorful characters who often neglect due dilligence on the companies they promote and often have little respect for business fundamentals like earnings and real disciplined growth. After the easy dollar, these individuals promisse the world, jack up the stock price quickly, and then sell it off for full retail, even more quickly.
They leave Presidents of real companies on their knees , scrambling for financing, after the issue has been over sold, and investor confidence is down with the stock price. I'm no angel, but Let me assure you that this is not the kind of promoter I "Wanabee".
Consider Canada Payphone-CPY, with a share price that went from under $ .60 to $ 6.50 in little over a year with no record of earnings and limited track record. Why should it be valued at 0ver 30 $ Million Dollars today while Unitec is valued at 10 $ Million today? A rumor that the CRTC is about to open up the payphone market and a "pending" deal with a large US Telco. Who are the cheerleeders on that deal? ( I sold my possition at $ 2.30 per share nearly quadrupalling my money. I felt the story was being over hyped. I am personal friends with the lead Broker and friends with the Promoter Raymond Sampson. God Bless Them. It just didn't fit my investment criteria after it reached $ 2.30 with no proven history of operations. It may well go to $20.00. I hope it does, and I wish you well.
It is not my intention to slam CPY. My point is rather that Unitec is not given the credit that it rightfully deserves. Yes, I own shares, and yes, I have vested interest is seeing it's share price propperly reflect it's value and speculative upside potential. If I could, I would influence you and everyone else to purchace shares, in order to increase the share price. That would allow Unitec to do another financing and pump several Million Dollars into the Company to allow it to take on larger more proffitable contracts. ( Many contracts require Unitec to put up a bond. Unitec recently had to turn down a 30 $ Million dollar deal with a large Hydro Company in Canada because it lacked the financing. Unitec has superior technology, but being a young company, lacked the cummalitive earnings to finance the deal. )
I say Unitec is a real Company, with a real product, with a real large market, with a real track record, and a real low stock price.I'm a real shareholder with empty pockets and real big mouth. I want to see this Company netting $ 9 Million on sales of $ 55 million in the year 2000 with a stock price of over $10.00 per share. I'm not making foolish promisses, just expressing my opinions and doing my part as an owner of Unitec to ensure the investment community has opportunity to hear and understand Unitec's history and pottential.I speak my mind. I guess that makes me a "wanabee promoter" and a "cheer leader". Pardon the distraction. RAH! RAH! RAH! TWEET! TWEET! TWEET! |
