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 : Z Best Place to Talk Stocks -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DanZ who wrote (49403)	10/8/2003 8:55:09 AM
From: Ron McKinnon	Respond to of 53068

my 2 cents on the posts of the last 24 hours the area I live in is a typical white collar, middle class one dominated by high tech and financial services I have a reasonably good read on what is going on here 4-5 years ago jobs were plentiful, people could change for more money at will the stock market was on fire and 401k's were booming people felt great and spent their paychack with abandon if need to keep up with the neighbors borowed on credit cards and even against their 401k's new homes, cars, boats, etc the last few years saw huge job losses and those who found new jobs typically earned less than before and found their 401k's become 101k's, some to the point of being under water on their 401k loans but they kept up the same lifestyle in 4 years the average house has gone up 50% in value, a condo townhouse 75%, and garden style condos 100%+ with lower rates huge numbers of homeowners refinanced; not just to lower borrowing costs but to "cash" out value to keep spending or to pay off huge credit card debts of course they soon ran the credit cards right back up so now they have taken home equity lines to feed the spending and all the while bought new cars on 0% financing it seems like the environment has now stabilized, but still is not strong but the average person now owes more on debt than at any time in their lives and if, if, if, rates go through the roof or home values fall, or whatever, than things could get very tough

To: DanZ who wrote (49403)	10/8/2003 10:18:47 AM
From: Ron McKinnon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 53068

Dan fyi 10:06 ET TOY Toys R Us could see upside to quarter -- Piper Jaffray (13.45 +0.01) Piper Jaffray believes that TOY is positioned to outperform expectations during the Oct qtr, as the co has completed its store revitalization and continues its business segment reallocation; firm believes their est of ($0.08), which is a penny above consensus, is conservative, and that transition momentum could drive $0.01-$0.03 of upside in the qtr; also, firm thinks upside is likely to their Q4 rev/EPS ests as sales trends continue to improve