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.

Technology Stocks : Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: KODK) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wiski1313 who wrote (6)	12/17/1997 9:41:00 AM
From: Josef Svejk	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 484

Humbly report, Edward, a few points of disgreement, and a point of agreement, if I may. Hope you don't take this as a personal attack - it absolutely is not! For me this is a friendly conversation. First of all, for someone close to my heart, with 25+ years professional photography experience, your statement that Kodak is just "a film manufacturer period", does not quite ring true: kodak.com Kodak is an all-around imaging company, film being a (large) part of that. But why quibble over details. Of all the imaging companies. I believe, they are - by far - the most unresponsive, arrogant, pushy, slow-to-adjust-to-change outfit I've ever dealt with. (Contrast with Agfa, Fuji, or Polaroid, to name just three, for example. Try it. Call all four with a question - any question - and see what happens.) Secondly, when it comes to competition, instead of cleaning up their act, they resort to strong arm tactics that are - in my humble opinion only, no slander or defamation intended - beyond belief. An example. There was once a film importer in the US, called FOMA USA. They imported b&w film from the Czech Republic. Not much, maybe 3000 rolls a month. Some of their products were unique, such as Fomapan T800 in 120 size. Absolutely no real competition to Kodak - whatsoever. Kodak threatened to sue them claiming patent infringements, and demanded instant cease and desist. When engaged in conversation, it became absolutely clear that Kodak was not interested in a marketing agreement, licensing agreement, buyout, or any other positive course of action. Why? I have no idea, though judging by the demand for, and success of Fomapan up 'til then, all positive courses of action seemed more logical to me than the one Kodak chose. You can guess the rest of this sad story. There are still people all over the US with projects they started on Fomapan, who are now unable to continue in the style and manner in which they started their projects, still calling the now defunct FOMA USA, asking what they can do. Not much. This is just a miniscule example, but telling, in my humble opinion. For these people, among others, Kodak is not exactly at the top of companies they adore. I don't know, but I am not certain that "The good news is that their is no fat left to cut from the company." Can you please support this statement with URLs that will show me this is a fact? I am much more likely to believe that, as you say, "Half the company is working like crazy while the other half is watching them." Your statement, "when they cant sell the stuff or when people are not buying it causes shortfall in earnings", rings very true to me. That is the key to my concers regarding Kodak. More and more people I know (amateur and professional) are buying Fuji. Don't know what that tells you, but I've drawn my humble conclusion. On the bright side, I agree with your statement that "at 54 dollars a share and a big marketing push in Japan for the Olympics I believe kodak is a short term buy." My emphassis would be on the "short term." Your view? Svejk (GL-15 applies: digiserve.com )