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Non-Tech : Any info about Iomega (IOM)? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: AreWeThereYet who wrote (37415)	11/25/1997 2:35:00 PM
From: Michael Coley	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 58324

RE: OEM vs. Retail Zip Sales Analysis - TMF Keeler ON TOPIC Here's one of the more interesting messages from The Motley Fool's "Iomega In Fooldom Today": Subject: Re: A nice aside... Date: Mon, Nov 24, 1997 15:44 EST From: TMF Keeler In the category of For What Its Worth ;-) Iomega sold ~4.3 million Zip drives as of 1/1/97. The OEM sales for the 3Q96 and 4Q96 were 10% and not appreciable before that. 1995 Zip drive sales were ~0.8 million. Using those figures, I figure IOM sold about 200K OEM Zip drives as of 1/1/97. From 1/1/97 through 11/97, Iomega sold an additional 5.7 million Zip drives. As of 11/97, 20% (estimated) were OEM drives; or about 2.0 million OEM Zip drives sold total. For the period 1/1/97 through 11/97 Iomega sold 1.8 million OEM Zip drives and 3.9 million retail Zip drives. So, retail Zip drives look to be on pace for around 35-50% year over year growth in units (5.5 million vs. 3.5 million). OEM Zip drives look to be on pace for 1,400% growth (~3 million vs. 200K). Not sure what this proves beyond the fact that much of the unit growth in Zip drive sales is coming from OEMs. I'm sure we all knew that already. Retail Zip drive growth is also stronger than I would've thought for a 3 year old computer peripheral. I would expect much of the unit sales gains in 1998 to come from the OEM channel. This would mean greater SKU inclusion at Dell, Compaq, IBM, and NEC/Packard-Bell. Laptop Zip drive sales will also open a new sales channel that was not previously available. - Michael Coley - i1.net

To: AreWeThereYet who wrote (37415)	11/25/1997 3:54:00 PM
From: Naggrachi	Read Replies (9) \| Respond to of 58324

RE: Sony and TEAC ON TOPIC I'm really surprised how so many people are taking the Sony drive so lightly. With the LS120 there were many negatives including speed, management, procduction, etc. However, with the Sony drive there hasn't been many negatives, not to mention IOM is not dealing with a company of Syquest or Imation caliber. Sony is a consumer electronics powerhouse whose been around the block for how many years now? I mean when was the last time Sony had to issue more stock to raise capital. Many people's reaction to the above argument is that IOM has a 10 million drive base. Well that's fine and dandy, however, it didn't take Gateway 2000 too long to drop the Zip and include the LS120 as optional in some computers. BTW, does Gateway include Zip as optional in any computer line? Another argument bulls use is that the market is not ready for a 200MB drive and when the time comes IOM will introduce their own version. My response to this is, that when Zip came out there was hardly any compatition of Sony's caliber, therefore, IOM had the playing field to itself. All IOM had to do was execute their plan and the product would catch on. However, if IOM does introduce the Zip 200 they'll be going head to head with Sony's deep pockets, assuming Sony will play fair. Look at what happend to Kodak and how they've been losing market share because Fuji alegedly is dumping their film in the U.S. market at a loss practically. The last thing I want to see is IOM getting in a price war with a consumer giant like Sony. If IOM does win the battle, I'm not sure it will be worth it, because it will be bloodied and bruised and cash straped. To make things worst, competition is tightening on all fronts. You've got syquest with SparQ, Avatar with their Shark drive, LS120 aiming at more OEM's, and who knows what other competition is lurking out there. Granted that these are companies the have been around a while and have not succeeded in overthrowing the Zip, but the point is that all these competitors are chipping away at IOM's market share. All these factors are taking place simoultaneously which IOM's managment has to address one by one and at the same time grow the business. The success of IOM has attracted many new entrants and the storage industry will never be the same. I still don't understand why the stock split. Zead (Long and haven't sold a single share )