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To: Gator who wrote (4589)7/30/1999 12:38:00 PM
From: burns29  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 4767
 
A simplified scenario.
Assuming a 4 month operating season at 30 days per month. You have 120 days time $4000 a day. This is $480,000. If they are expecting $.5M for the season, that is only a $20k profit.



To: Gator who wrote (4589)7/30/1999 1:24:00 PM
From: Toby Zidle  Respond to of 4767
 
Did Doug have on his rose-colored glasses when he talked to you? Sure sounds like a fine business! But the postings after yours sure make it sound like the revenues are watermelons and the expenses are blueberries, but when you hold them to the light for comparison, you see that they are really two prunes.

I am reminded of that old circus shell game.

Under Shell #1, we have the mighty half-million dollar revenues and the miniscule $4,000 daily expenses. A brilliant gem under the shell.

Under Shell #2, we see an equation: "500,000 - (120x4000) = 20,000" -- and two dimes.

Under Shell #3, we have two rusty old coins and a hell of a depreciation bill with the sharp jaws of a wide open bear trap.

Doug Butcher is master of this game. Can there be any winner?



To: Gator who wrote (4589)8/1/1999 3:25:00 PM
From: Toby Zidle  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4767
 
Gator, you say Doug just told you the "water park should do close to half a million for the season." I just found ETPI's August 17, 1998 letter to share holders. A year ago, ETPI reported, "The Wonderland Water Park, in Midland, Texas has projected revenues of $2 million dollars a year."

For some other areas, we were told last year about the Bronco Bowl and the entertainment center in Arlington that "each of these centers should produce revenues in excess of a million dollars a year." We do know about the Arlington center. How's the Bronco Bowl doing? No one ever says a thing about it.

Back on August 17, 1998 the price of ETPI stock was 55 cents; on Friday's close it was 18 cents. If revenue projections were missed as badly as those above, it's no wonder we've lost two-thirds of our share value. No wonder the insiders regularly are sellers.

Tell me, Gator, is Doug attuned to the realities of a competitive world (including the possibilities of delays in financing and construction), or does he just look at the most optimistic scenarios and run with that? It looks like that's no different from what we'd been doing all along.

-------

Here's a P.S. for all: How do you wipe out around $2 1/2 million dollars in projected revenues (not a small percentage!) and have three penny stock newsletters come out with 'Buy' recommendations on a positive earnings forecast? The smell of P&D gets even stronger. Unless some division of ETPI is beating the pants out of all prior forecasts. And if that's happening, would ETPI be so blase about it that they don't even put out a press release? I've seen no earnings projections <'legitimate', company-issued projections> in an awfully long time. Will Doug address this, Gator, or are we left to our own sad conclusions?



To: Gator who wrote (4589)8/3/1999 9:11:00 AM
From: Mel L.  Respond to of 4767
 
the auditors comment

Gator,

I have talked to Doug and his bookkeeper quite a while back about
their financial statements. There were various errors in them.
Anyway, my point is that I don't think they have any auditors
working on anything. It is their own accounting department and
I don't think the department includes a CPA.