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Technology Stocks : Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mark Fowler who wrote (4503)	5/19/1998 3:14:00 PM
From: Oeconomicus	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

It's a management decision not to be profitable at this time. Yeah, that's the story management is selling anyway. You know, EBITDMA and all that bull. Anyway, the question is not "can they make money now?" but rather "can they make money ever?". However, that's not a question they or their analyst buddies want to address. The idea is to continually come up with more stories to tell - to keep it a "concept stock". Eventually, they have to prove that it is a real business that can produce real profits. Then those potential profits have to add up to a whole helluva lot before the current valuation is even remotely justifiable. Hey, it has to add up to a lot just to cover their debts, forget providing a return to shareholders. Bob

To: Mark Fowler who wrote (4503)	5/20/1998 12:23:00 AM
From: Mark Myword	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 164684

>> It's a management decision not to be profitable at this time. Growth in Market share is the focus of this management<< Mark - while I mean no disrespect , I must say that the view you and others take of AMZN is, IMO , flawed. They are building market share, but it won't lead to profits due to the nature of the hyper-competitive pricing environment they face. Just to tag them as an "emerging company" does not excuse their failure to generate profits now or in the future. They burn cash and will face even more losses as time goes on. It may be helpful to review the story of BOST - Boston Chicken. About 18 months ago , it was at 41; today it closed at 3 and change. They were an emerging company with a wildly inflated stock price , and a concept that Wall Street liked early on, but they have lost money consistently and now are veering toward bankruptcy. The story is the same - highly competitive pricing and lots of growth without profit. Now the chickens have come home to roost. Two years ago , this company was hyped as a great growth story, analysts predicted wonderful things in the future , etc. I think their recent chart is one that only a skier could love.