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Strategies & Market Trends : Fatty's Donut Shop -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Matt Brown who wrote (3676)9/25/1999 5:17:00 PM
From: Mr. Park  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 5041
 
09:51am EDT 24-Sep-99 Scott and Stringfellow (Thomas C. Morabito 804-782-200)
GEEK - Revising 2000 Estimates and Initiating 2001 Estimates
September 24, 1999

Internet America - GEEK - $12 3/4(www.airmail.net)
GEEK - Revising 2000 Estimates and Initiating 2001 Estimates
52 Week Price Range: $61 - $11 Market Cap.: $88 MM
Current Yield: N/A Shares Outstanding: 6.9 MM
Est. 3 Year Revenue Growth: 45% 50-Day Average Volume: 110,000
12-18 Month Target: $28 Debt / Capital: $0.3 MM /2%
Current Opinion: Strong Buy (1) Previous Opinion: Strong Buy (1)
EPS (FYE: June) 1999 A 2000 E 2001 EQ1 - September $(0.05) $(0.26)
Q2 - December (0.16) (0.34)Q3 - March (0.10) (0.38)
Q4 - June (0.13) (0.33)Year $(0.45) $(1.33) $(0.85)
Revenues (MM) $18 $35 $47
TEV/Revenues 3.9x 2.0x 1.5x
EBITDA/Share $(0.18) $0.17 $0.53
We are revising our 2000 estimates for Internet America, and initiating 2001
estimates. Our projections now incorporate effects of the PDQ.net acquisition,
as well as the KDI Internet Solutions and INTX-NET acquisitions that were made
earlier this year.
The recently announced merger between EarthLink and MindSpring emphasizes the
importance of size in the ISP sector, and Internet America continues to grow
via acquisition.
We are maintaining our Strong Buy (1) rating on Internet America, and believe
that shares of the Company are attractively priced at current levels.Key Points
_ We are revising our 2000 estimates for Internet America and initiating
2001 estimates. Due to the factors outlined below, we are reducing our
estimates for the Company. On the top line, we are raising our 2000 revenue
figure from $32.2 million to $34.7 million, while at the same time raising our
connectivity & operations expense from $15.9 million to $17.3 million, thus
reducing gross margin from $20.7 million to $17.4 million. However, we are now
projecting SG&A to decrease almost 20% from $19.4 million to only $15.6
million, thereby improving EBITDA to $1.7 million from $1.3 million, or $0.15
per share to $0.17 per share. The real impact, however, comes on the bottom
line. We are increasing our D&A estimate from $3.0 million to $13.7 million,
which lowers our EPS estimate from $(0.06) per share to $(1.33) per share. For
2001, we are initially projecting revenue of $46.8 million, EBITDA of $5.6
million ($0.53 per share), and a net loss of $(0.85) per share.
_ The acquisitions made by the Company this year are having some significant
effects on our model. As a result of PDQ.net's pricing structure, which
includes $9.95 and $13.95 per month pricing plans, revenue per acquired
subscriber is actually lower than that of Internet America's existing
subscriber base. Because the PDQ.net acquisition is also much larger in size
than any previous purchase, the Company is now having to recognize a
significantly greater amount of amortization related to the acquired subscriber
base, roughly $30 million amortized over three years. Similarly lower revenue
per subscriber is being realized by the Company related to the KDI Internet
Solutions and INTX-NET acquisitions that were announced on August 2 and July
28, respectively. Furthermore, in virtually all post-acquisition scenarios,
subscriber churn invariably increases during the next quarter or two, which
further impacts revenue.
_ The proposed EarthLink and MindSpring merger reinforces the fact that in
the ISP sector, size does matter. Yesterday, EarthLink and MindSpring
announced a merger agreement that would create an ISP powerhouse that,
virtually overnight, could be a real contender with their archrival and
industry behemoth, America Online. We believe that Internet America's strategy
of growing subscribers organically and acquiring other ISPs that make
strategic sense will preserve the Company's status as one of the top regional
ISPs, as well as enhance shareholder value. We believe that Internet America
will continue to make acquisitions in the future, though they will likely be on
a smaller scale than PDQ.net. Essentially, the EarthLink-MindSpring
combination is concrete proof as to the importance of critical mass in the
industry, and we support Internet America's campaign of growing larger via
prudent acquisitions.
_ We are maintaining our Strong Buy (1) rating and believe that Internet
America shares are attractively priced. We believe that Internet America will
remain competitive in the industry. As a result of the recent acquisitions,
the Company should grow its subscriber base reported last quarter by 45% to
145,000 subscribers, which will expand its presence throughout Texas and in the
important metropolitan Houston market. Based on the Company's positive future
prospects, we are maintaining our Strong Buy (1) recommendation and $28 target
price on Internet America, and believe that the Company's shares, down some
45% over the past two months, are attractively priced for aggressive investors.
Company Description
Based in Dallas, Texas, Internet America is an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
with over 145,000 customers located in the southwestern United States. The
Company offers traditional dial-up services, dedicated access, web hosting and
other services for its residential and business customers. Internet America
employs a user density business model in targeting specific regions in the
Southwest. This approach allows the Company to effectively market its services
(1-800-Be-A-Geek) and to pursue its Virtual Point of Presence (VPOP) network
deployment strategy. Internet America currently offers local dial-up access in
over half of the 254 counties in Texas.



To: Matt Brown who wrote (3676)9/25/1999 5:19:00 PM
From: Mr. Park  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 5041
 
03:09pm EDT 22-Sep-99 Insider Research Wire (REBECCA ERSKINE 800-243-2324) GEEK
INSIDER WATCH....SELLING - GEEKInternet America (GEEK) Data Processing
Shares of GEEK are trading roughly at their December '98 IPO prices, and
insiders have begun to sell shares rather aggressively. Between August 3 and
August 18, four insiders sold 83,810 shares at prices ranging between $13.77 and
$14.25. (When the sales were made, the stock was already down more than 25%
from the market prices when the six-month restriction period was over).
Some insider trades are more significant than others. This situation fits our
early criteria of significance and is being published as a "heads up" at this
time. Subsequent insider activity may cause this to evolve into a story to be
eventually disseminated through any of our various information and media
pipelines.