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 : Vantive Corporation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Melissa McAuliffe who wrote (1950)	4/30/1998 6:34:00 PM
From: seth thomas	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3033

Melissa - you are reading too much into my selection of comps to compare service vs. license revenue. I just happened to pick some off the top of my head that had similar business models. What companies would you choose to study that have a model more like VNTV than those? I did include PSFT, which you decided to ignore. Other than SEBL, which is a unique case, and will converge on the others with the addition of SCOP anyway, what enterprise application software companies would you like me to compare? Give me a list of 3 or 4 and let's see. I already know that the proportion of licenses to services in companies like ORCL, SYBS and IFMX is not as favorable as in VNTV. BTW, RMDY is the largest company in the help desk sector.

To: Melissa McAuliffe who wrote (1950)	4/30/1998 11:18:00 PM
From: investorgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3033

Melissa, I think another vntv/sebl discussion is called for. Why not? I'm surprised at VNTV's lack of revenue performance vs SEBL ($36m vs. $47m). If VNTV sells 5 apps and SEBL sells 1, common sense says VNTV should pull in more revenue. People make fun of the culture at SEBL but maybe the structured environment breeds salespeople who know how to sell. For example, SEBL sales people demo their own product. At trade shows VNTV always has their technical people do it. Could it be their sales people are too "unstructured?" Are they unfocused? VNTV & SEBL play in the same market regarding SFA, but now I can see why SEBL does not acknowledge them as a competitor. If 20% of VNTV revenue (to be generous) comes from SFA related sales then only $7m of first qtr revenue came from SFA for VNTV. SEBL had $47m. So looking at it simply, VNTV was only in 1/7 of the deals that SEBL was. Yes I know it's simplistic math. But I think it makes the point. IMHO Cheers.