Niles...scary, but you're probably right...Niles has a lot of credibility right now...and he is getting a bit cocky too...that will come to pass with time....he, of course, had to pound Intel this morning, given the downgrade....
The news really is in the middle right now for PCs...not great, not terrible, some seasonality..too many analyst, pundits, and, of course, the J-man are saying this, so it must be true...The fact is demand is a bit weaker (but primarily a seasonal phenomenona), but demand is still OK..
Let's hope Herr Pfeiffer doesnt mess things up...it is a joke that he is stating PC growth in 1Q is 7-8%, (when he knows it is higher), but the more he can pawn off Compaq's problems to market weakness, the more he can pawn off the responsibility for his poor management, and Mason's follies (sold 60% of his holdings a couple months later). Pfeiffer knows this game..if he convince the Street that Compaq's problems are mostly due to market demand...he can keep his job...and when things tick up again (could be as early as this/next month)..suddenly, things are OK (people will have forgotten his prediction), Compaq & Dell's stock can rise, and EP can harp on what a great job CPQ is doing in the market..
For the good of CPQ shareholders, EP should just step to the plate, take his hits, and move on...he has a credibility problem by mis-diagnosing the problem....Fact is, PC unit growth is (certainly) closer to 14% (Dell's number) than 7-8% (Pfeiffer's number)..but Pfeiffer would rather save his butt, and take down the other PC makers than tell the real truth here...
Oops, I'm not on the Compaq thread? <G> |
