| |
enthusiastic: read this thread from the beginning. CMGI is a holding company that invests in development-stage Internet companies, then sells minority interests as the companies develop, and spins off shares to its own shareholders as the subsidiaries go public.
As a result, the earnings reflect the 'passed-through' losses of its various subsidiaries. CMGI's value lies in its ownership interest in companies such as Lycos, Geocities, Blaxxun and others. Microsoft bought a minority interest over a year ago, paying in the low teens, and Sumitomo Group took a minority interest earlier this year, paying more.
CMGI is just being rediscovered as a asset-based play on the demand for Internet investment. It traded as high as a split-adjusted $50 in late 1995, then drifted back to the low teens in early 1997 when MSFT made its investment. As did I.
Its story is complex and requires careful reading of its 10Ks and 10Qs, as well as understanding how Net businesses work together and are valued from time to time. Fortunately, much of that story is recapped in some very insightful messages posted in this very thread, dating back to October 1996. If you plan to consider CMGI, it is very important that you consider those complexities.
The price of CMGI is probably correlated closely with price of LCOS, because much of CMGI's asset value is its interest in LCOS. Another value not on the balance sheet is CMGI's interest in GeoCities, which some expect to go public this year.
Doug (long CMGI and LCOS)
Net Nuggets: Thoughts on ECommerce
at dougsimpson.com |
|
