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 : Ballard Power -world leader zero-emission PEM fuel cells -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Infoseeker who wrote (1847)	3/13/1998 8:15:00 AM
From: michael a. rowe	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 5827

Another Bre-X? Do you know what due dilegence is or do you just like to use these kind of terms? Why would ballard have to be the only company making a fuel cell.... wouldnt other companies interest be an indication that fuel cells are reality. You know eventhough you probably dont have any ballard right now and it is quite expensive why not just admit you werent as sharp as some people who bought in earlier and BUY SOME....its never too late to buy a good company. mike

To: Infoseeker who wrote (1847)	3/13/1998 3:26:00 PM
From: Barron Von Hymen	Respond to of 5827

There is no foreseeable shortage in oil in next century. Even in Alberta, there are improving technologies that improve the extraction of fuel from oil, drastically. What happens when oil prices plummet even lower than current $14/barrel prices? Wouldn't that hinder the rapid progress to use of fuel cells in cars, on economic grounds? I also understand they are considering using ethanol as a fuel source in the future also.

To: Infoseeker who wrote (1847)	3/13/1998 11:35:00 PM
From: Hawkeye	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 5827

For someone named "Infoseeker", you sure do a lot of preaching. Just a couple of points: 1) If GM is on par with Ballard/Daimler, where is their fuel cell? Has anyone seen it? Where is their fuel cell car? Daimler has 2 vans, 1 subcompact, and a bus. Where is the elusive GM fuel cell car? All that was shown at the Detroit show was a mock-up. No fuel cell. You would have thought they would have shown it if it was that impressive. And they still said they would continue to work with Ballard! Surprising when they supposedly have their own fuel cell just as good and when 2 of their competitors have signed an alliance with Ballard, isn't it? 2) Maybe you could share with us your knowledge on the power density of the Toyota fuel cell? I think you will find that it is several years behind Ballard's and we don't yet know if it violates Ballard's patents since Toyota is so secretive. Show me a company with a fuel cell close to the same power density as Ballard. It's easy to get 50kw out of a fuel cell the size of a house, how about one the size of a suitcase? Density is what matters. 3) If United Technologies had a viable, advanced fuel cell, why did Ford, which had been working with them for years, decide to buy in to Ballard? 4) Yes, I've heard of "insider trading", what about it? They way I see it, if you really believe in what you are saying you have 3 choices: 1) Sell the stock short. 2) Buy puts. 3) Keep trying to talk the stock down so you can buy in at a lower price than you sold at, thus realizing some value for yourself. What's it gonna be?

To: Infoseeker who wrote (1847)	3/15/1998 11:26:00 PM
From: Infoseeker	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 5827

Hello my friends. Thanks to those people who have taken the time to respond to my postings. However - It seems there are few of you who feel pretty threatened by general commentary. As a continuum to the Ballard discussion- In light the heavy discussion around the Ballard issue, I opted to read a book that would enable me to add more "food for thought" on this thread. The book I read is entitled "ITS NOT WHAT STOCKS YOU BUY, IT'S WHEN YOU SELL THAT COUNTS" Written by Donald L. Cassidy - Who by the way is an analyst with Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., and was awarded a cum laude graduate degree from Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania. In this book, Cassidy discusses the issue which is near and dear to my heart...WHEN TO SELL A STOCK? In a section of his book, "Confronting Reality," he lists some danger signs which are indicative of a point at which a stock should be sold. Here they are: 1. Heavy promotion of the stock by management or agents; 2. Projections of unusually strong/lengthy growth; 3. Use of round numbers for projections (e.g. 50% growth or a $10 billion market); 4. Questioning the motives of reasonable doubters; 5. Strong claims to be the best, unique, in a business; 6. Defining the market narrowly so that, by definition, one is the leader. Heah - Ballard fans - Is there anything about this that sounds familiar? **As Mr. Cassidy states, "Ask dispassionately, whether, in light of today's facts, it is a good idea to buy now?" He adds, "a smart investor [should] ask this key question: If I did not own the stock, with today's knowledge would I be a buyer now? If not, sell the stock. In that regard consider that 1)Ballard is valued at over $3 billion 2) will lose gobs of money for many years 3)has lots of competition and 4) a process that may never become commercial. In addition, today's NY Times article (Sunday, March 15, 1998) "For Cars - What Comes After the Internal Combustion Engine?" By Michelle Krebs. This article states that internal-combustion is seen by the experts as the mainstay for several more decades. The Times article also states that alternative - fuel vehicles are vehicles which "may never be more than concepts. As of now, even the brightest engineers which cannot say of several promising technologies will take the lead." It also states that the involvement by auto makers is "partly as a public-relations move, partly as a result of government pressure, and partly to keep competitors from gaining a technological edge." My comment - Seems like Ballard at current prices is a overblown dream.

To: Infoseeker who wrote (1847)	3/18/1998 7:22:00 PM
From: Dave Boyer	Respond to of 5827

Infoseeker: didn't do his homework............... First off, UT fuel cell business is diluted, no pure play. Toyota, is years, many years behind Ballard. and finally, GM is USING BALLARD POWER CELLS IN THEIR NEW VERSION EV-1!!! Hell, why buy any small company stock? Aren't they all going to be beaten down by the big boys? Hey, ever heard of a thing called a PATENT ? ? ?