To: ED PLOPA who wrote (2378 ) 5/6/1998 2:17:00 AM From: Analog Kid Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 7150
Just got back from the west coast, something always big happens to one of my stocks or the whole market when I take a trip. I'm amazed at what happened to the stock price but I will not let it affect my opinion of this company. They are already dominant in an explosive sector, they have the best product, they have terrific management, and they will continue to make more and more money. Demand for firewalls will increase exponentially as the internet grows, and most companies presently hooked up to the net still have laughable security measures in place. Add to this the boom that will occur in VPNs and electronic commerce and you have the ingredients for a 10X increase in profits in the next ~5 years (that would be 60% per year). The market action is nonsense, ignore it, KTEL and YHOO show you that the Street doesn't know their ass from their elbow. People are all worried about Microsoft while right under their noses Checkpoint is building the de-facto OPSEC platform, which will become the equivalent of Windows in OSs. CHKPF's lead over Microsoft is only growing and it is already clear (IMO) that it is too late for Microsoft to ever dominate this segment. Checkpoint is becoming a Microsoft. To those who say it can't be done, look at EMC - back in 90 they had 2% market share in mainframe storage and took the market away from mighty IBM. Here Checkpoint only has to defend its turf. I didn't get tuned in to EMC until 95 but it has still been a 5-bagger. We are getting in much earlier on Checkpoint. I'm never happy to see paper profits erode (or losses) but I think we will all do very well with this company if we stick with it. Some of us on the thread still have profits in CHKPF after this drop, and I think all of us will in a year or two. The consensus earnings estimates for 1999 are too low for 1998 . I don't see why CHKPF can't earn $1.80-1.90 in 98 and then $2.75 in 99 (have the analysts noticed that their 99/98 earnings contradict their 40% estimated growth?) Roger, I'm sorry about your situation, I hope you are able to get back in at these low prices.