You must be in the death-care business, given the investments and this
colorful new moniker you're sporting. My family sold a large chain of funeral homes, sixth generation business, to a party who recently sold out to Loewen. Interesting business, one I should know far better given the circumstances. Stewart Enterprises seems to me the cream of the crop.
I'm just about to cash in for the night, but I'll try to touch on a few of your questions. First, though, one of my own: should we chat on Silicon Investor, or is Yahoo! more likely to be wider forum? I'm fine
either way.
I've not spoken to management in a few weeks. If you're not getting through, let me know. I'll pass it along, and bring it up to Jim White when I chat with him. That pisses me off. I agree that Johan has much better things to do than fend guys like us away from earnings hints. My friends in Vegas tell me the company is getting terrific exposure,seeing all the right people and getting bids out on the street. That is what we should want as investors here, these guys really cranking up that lease portfolio.
You seem to have a very clear understanding of how the leverage works on the leasing portfolio, something that took me a fair time to grasp.
Yes, the best comes later. And leasing, rather than sales, is by far the more interesting business, where I think less can go wrong. If I
have a worry here, it's the refurbishing business, where the cleaner science of leasing gives way to the bee's nest of equipment and parts.
However, there is a lot of room for margin improvements, a positive.
Jack Whitty is an impressive guy, solid and hard-working and, from my
observations, focused on very little but this job.
If you're heading to Vegas in September, you might try to angle that
visit to coincide with the gaming show. I'm going then, too. Should be
a very constructive visit. PDS will have a booth and they're planning
a number of other initiatives, I'm told, to expand and further educate
prospective customers.
Tired, big week ahead. Off to bed...
Quilty
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