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Technology Stocks : Cloud, edge and decentralized computing -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DinoNavarre who wrote (721)	8/10/2011 2:13:21 PM
From: Glenn Petersen	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1685

I have added COR and DFT to my watch list. Thanks. I see that DFT bottomed out at $1.53 at the end of 2008. Amazon Introduces Cloud Service for Books By MATT JARZEMSKY Wall Street Journal August 10, 2011, 9:52 A.M. EST Amazon.com Inc. unveiled a service Wednesday that lets Kindle users read their e-books on Web browsers, increasing the number of places readers can access digital content. The service, called Kindle Cloud Reader, adds the Safari and Chrome Web browsers to the list of places Kindle books can be read or bought. The e-books were already available for consumption on the device itself, as well as through smartphone and tablet applications. The move also gives iPad users an easy way to buy Kindle books via Web browser, which could allow Amazon to sell Kindle books on the Apple Inc. tablet while avoiding a fee Apple charges for digital content sold via apps. Kindle Cloud Reader automatically synchronizes the user's Kindle book library, as well as information stored in the e-books, such as the last page read, bookmarks, notes and highlighted text. Amazon Kindle Director Dorothy Nicholls said in a statement the service is a "leap forward" in the company's strategy to "help customers access their library instantly from anywhere." The new offering could help Amazon circumvent new terms Apple laid out in February for companies wanting to sell digital content via its devices. Apple said companies selling digital media, including books, needed to make that content available for sale via an app, rather than through a link within the app to an outside website. As part of the change, Apple said it would take 30% of each sale. But Kindle Cloud Reader gives iPad users the option to buy books using the tablets Safari Web browser, rather than on the Kindle app. Amazon.com, which now sells more Kindle books than real books, said the service will be available for additional Web browsers such as Microsoft Inc.'s Internet Explorer and Firefox in coming months. online.wsj.com

To: DinoNavarre who wrote (721)	8/15/2011 9:47:12 AM
From: Glenn Petersen	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 1685

Fortress International: Possible Buyout on Horizon by: Harris Berenholz Seeking Alpha August 15, 2011 Over the last few years management has taken steps to strategically position the company to participate in the move to cloud computing. Improved profitability is being accomplished by a combination of: The growing relative importance of Facilities Management, The most profitable and most rapidly growing business segment is now cutting costs and rebuilding its balance sheet. The company is in the business of consulting, planning, designing, building and maintaining mission-critical facilities including IT data centers and communication facilities that, because of their complexity and high technology environment, demand a wide variety of specialized expertise in order to be run cost-effectively, efficiently, and smoothly. Between 2006 and 2008 Fortress made five acquisitions to gain critical mass, to diversify its customer base and to achieve greater economies of operational scale. Now FIGI offers a full menu of services under three headings: Technology Consulting, Construction Management Facilities Management It is the latter that is the most profitable, that has a recurring revenues business model and that is benefiting from the accelerating trend to cloud computing (which requires building and managing high-tech data facilities). Last year, the Facilities Management business accounted for only $16 million out of the $74.9 million in company revenues. So far this year, it accounts for about $9.4 million (47%) of the $20.1 million of Fortress’ revenues and for some 27% of FIGI’s backlog (now). This better business mix explains the year-to-year improvement in Gross Margins on lower revenues. Adjusted EBITDA year-to-date is $2.6 million vs. $800,000 last year. Minus the one time positive “other income”, reported first half EPS was $0.14 this year vs. $0.01 last year. Management remains optimistic about its ability to maintain a sustained level of high profitability given its expectations regarding customer wins and company orders already in hand. I think these shares are deeply undervalued. FIGI has a market cap of $27.5 million and no Wall Street coverage but this could change for the better if earnings surprise on the upside or if the company decides to list the stock or if a takeover offer emerges (see below). On April 5th, international energy management giant Schneider Electric ( SBGSF.PK) ($15 billion in revenues) acquired privately-held Lee Technologies, a company comparable to FIGI. This acquisition confirms the growing interest, and the desirability of participation, in this space. Although no financial details of the transaction were released, based on conversations with industry contacts and applying an estimated comparable valuation, my "guesstimate” is that FIGI could be worth over $3 a share in a buyout scenario. Disclosure: I am long FIGI.PK. seekingalpha.com