Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Gorilla Game Investing in the eWorld -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Teflon who wrote (257)	9/10/1999 5:00:00 AM
From: gdichaz	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1817

Teflon: SOFTBANK the new Microsoft? See this mantra more and more. Based on Global Crossing deal in part. But seems to be a bit more to it than that. This might be an interesting area for fruitful discussion here. See below: Talk : Coffee Shop : Softbank - Japanese Internet stock To: Edwin S. Fujinaka (1604 ) From: Malcolm Bersohn Friday, Sep 10 1999 4:25AM ET Reply # of 1607 I agree with you totally,Edwin, about 4726, Softbank Technology. That's a matter of quite limited supply I think, not of the true value which is probably less than recent prices. What's also amazing is the steady rise of 9984, which closed at 43,100, not even pausing at Lehman's first goal, which was supposed to be achieved in a year, not in three months. The reason is probably the Microsoft tag. It's not hard to believe that this is the second Microsoft, a tremendous accolade. First of all, long ago they made the deal to become Microsoft's distributor in Japan. Then the deal with Microsoft and Tokyo Electric Power, now the deal with Microsoft and Global Crossing. The two companies can continue to increase their cooperation. Also we have Harmon, the internet guru, saying that eventually Softbank will (may?) become larger than Microsoft. Everybody who knows about Microsoft will want to own "a little" Softbank, even though it's "high". There's no way to accommodate everybody'sdesire without a further big rise in price. What we have to watch is the profitability. Many companies in Japan have become enormous by simply selling new shares almost annually. A typical example is Fujitsu which now has 50 billion dollars in annual sales but wasn't an attractive investment in the 25 year period 1972-1997. This followed a seventeen fold increase in the stock price in 1967-1971. I'm not at all predicting such a future for Softbank, just suggesting we keep our antenna out for the profits, not this year or next but eventually. If you were too early insisting on profits for Yahoo, for example you would have missed so much!

To: Teflon who wrote (257)	9/10/1999 5:09:00 AM
From: gdichaz	Respond to of 1817

Teflon: "Microsoftbank" - an addendum on Softbank as the new (or Japanese) Microsoft - in this case, Softbank bought by Microsoft: Talk : Coffee Shop : Softbank - Japanese Internet stock To: Malcolm Bersohn (1605 ) From: Edwin S. Fujinaka Friday, Sep 10 1999 5:00AM ET Reply # of 1608 We seem to have the most civilized, informative comments on this Softbank Board and contributions from You and Jay and several others have been responsible for that. I've been seeing many comparisons to Microsoft and it seems like Softbank ought to already be bigger than Microsoft. Of course, Microsoft is still capitalized at well over ten times Softbank's total (Perhaps twenty times?). I was only partly kidding when I suggested that Gates might even attempt to buy Softbank and then issue an Internet tracking stock called Microsoftbank <G>. I am not advocating or hoping for that, but it wouldn't surprise me. I actually prefer that Softbank just keep going it's own way.

To: Teflon who wrote (257)	9/10/1999 8:08:00 AM
From: gdichaz	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1817

Teflon: Softbank. On mechanics of buying into the "Japanese Microsoft" [sic.] Softbank. :-) : Talk : Coffee Shop : Softbank - Japanese Internet stock To: Martin Atogho (1607 ) From: Edwin S. Fujinaka Friday, Sep 10 1999 5:07AM ET Reply # of 1610 I have only purchased round lots throught Schwab, but I understand that Merrill Lynch will let you buy in odd lot quantities. They are making the market in the Over the Counter Bulletin Board "Pink Sheets". I believe that several brokers will buy Softbank for your account, but you generally have to talk to a broker directly rather than initiate an online trade. BTW, Softbank was trading at over $405 in Frankfurt this morning before the US Market opened. Note: I nibbled on the Global Crossing / Microsoft / Softbank partnership news. Symbol SFTBF on over the counter market here.