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 : Lightbridge (LTBG) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Qualopec who wrote (115)	2/11/1998 1:29:00 PM
From: JakeStraw	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 202

I believe the downgrade is a way of covering the analysts ass. Even though downgrading from a strong buy to a buy is not much of a downgrade. LTBG snapped back from opening at around $10 1/4.

To: Qualopec who wrote (115)	2/11/1998 8:02:00 PM
From: Ron Kline	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 202

I agree that II seems to do ok if the OTC market is doing well, but once that corrects II can really under perform. For example if anyone noticed, if you happen to check the performance in Nov. Dec. that portfolio was down 50% overall, pretty bad even considering the crash. But what really bothers me about their choices is they tend to either bomb or do really well with pretty few really good choices. I feel that most people can't buy all the stocks so they pick and choose and can end up getting pretty hurt. I'm not sure they are really helping out the individual investor by what they are doing, but that's from only a couple of years of watching. I call most of their stocks worry stocks because you never know where they are going, even if they are up, JMO. My feeling about the earnings is that with a PE of over 50 it's pretty disappointing to see earnings flat. I think the whole downgrade thing is really a waste of time and just a matter of the analysts covering their butt from putting out a strong buy. Every large move down of a stock causes a downgrade, doesn't matter if they will do better in the future. I think it should be illegal to downgrade after the news. Either you say it before or don't waste our time. Anyway here is the motley report on LTBG: Wireless telecom software provider Lightbridge Inc. (Nasdaq:LTBG - news) burned out today, falling $4 3/8 to $14 after reporting Q4 earnings of $0.10 per share, unchanged from the same period a year ago and just below the First Call mean estimate of $0.11 per share. The shortfall was blamed on $1 million in services to an unidentified customer that were deemed unbillable. The results, however, do not include charges associated with the company's acquisition of Coral Systems Inc. last November. A $16 million charge for "in-process" R&D related to the acquisition greatly distorted operating expenses for the quarter. Disregarding the one-time charge but including goodwill amortization, amortization of acquired technology, and integration costs, EPS for the quarter dropped to $0.04. Meanwhile, the company saw revenues grow 37% to $40.6 million in the quarter and gross profit margins expand from 52% to 53%. Lightbridge president and CEO Pamela Reese said the firm added 17 new customers during the fiscal year, bringing the company's stable of clients to 70.