Hi Dale... I am just sitting here thinking about the fact that since I have been on SI today, you have been to bed and are back up again... the time thing boggles my mind sometimes...<ggg>
You asked earlier about PTEK...
Their web site has tons of info about the company... it is one of the cooler websites I've seen lately, FWIW...
premtec.com
What they do:
What Premiere offers is more than just a broad family of services - Premiere enhanced calling services, voice messaging, document distribution, conferencing, and web-based unified messaging - but a way of accessing and controlling those services that is easier and more convenient than ever before. No upgrades or changes to software or hardware are required to enter the universe of enhanced communications. All you need is access to the Premiere Platform - the intelligent, network-based platform that puts your messages within reach anytime, anywhere, from any phone or Internet connection.
What's so remarkable about the Premiere Platform is that it gives you easy access to messages in uncommon ways-letting you listen to your e-mail over the phone, for instance. Or giving you the power to hear your voice mail messages over your laptop PC. Or conduct a multi-party conference call right from your desktop.
According to Robert C. Zwerneman, Vice President, Investor Relations
(404) 504-2479 PTEK is the largest distributor of documents over the net, that is their core business, over 5 million per day...
They have developed a new network solution to unified messaging, that none of the big players in the field have... ie. ATT, LU, SBC, etc... those companies do have unified messaging, but only in their service area, on their equipment, not on the net, per Bob... this will be a new revenue source for them... could be that this technology would make them an attractive takeover candidate?? I don't know...
In conjunction with the development of this unified messaging, they have invested in some inet companies, 2 of which have filed to go public... 12% in WebMD, and 14% in USA.Net... these companies are using their technology...
ptekventures.com
Premiere Technologies Announces "PTEKVentures.com"
Portfolio Strategy "Powered by Orchestrate®"
Atlanta, March, 1999 - Today, Premiere Technologies announced "PTEKVentures.com," a significant Internet investment and strategic alliance initiative designed to extend Premiere's Orchestrate Web-based communications technology to emerging Internet companies. Already, the PTEKVentures.com initiatives, powered by Orchestrate, include strategic partnerships with companies such as WebMD, USA.Net, Webforia, VerticalOne and IntelliVoice.
"PtekVentures.com's strategy is guided by two key principles. First, we seek savvy Internet partners that create solutions to improve our services and provide long term sales and marketing opportunities. Second, we seek early round investments in these companies to promote partner loyalty and provide Premiere with equity upside opportunities," said Boland T. Jones, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Premiere Technologies.
"Premiere first envisioned the Orchestrate technology three years ago when we began our investments in Web-based communications with the acquisition of Telet, an Internet development company, in 1996," said Jeffrey A. Allred, President and COO of Premiere Technologies. "We did this with an eye toward Web-enabling a full suite of traditional telecommunications services. This new Internet communications platform was then named Orchestrate which is designed to Web-enable a host of traditional communications products. WebMD is the first of these companies to deploy Orchestrate to their users."
The USA.NET portal, which just filed to go public 4/5/99, is similar to CPTH... has revenues 3 times that of CPTH per Bob... PTEK owns 14%... the other co's. they have invested in are in the incubator stage right now...
The thing that first caught my eye was the MSFT 300 mil. tender offer for WebMD, 12% owned by PTEK...as I looked further, I saw the SUNW connection, and others, seems like this might not be such a bad investment... a little inet shine, but already an established business with revenues from document distribution, etc... The IPO's, Network unified messaging, etc., are all new revenues...
Downside that I know of... large float, discussed earlier; some damage done last summer when 2 of their customers went bankrupt, but they are repairing per Bob... I think it has to be "priced in" with the dip from 30+ to 10 in June '98...
Here is a link to a PTEK chart, had a big run-up Monday preceding Tuesday's SUNW announcement... I bought earlier today @ 15 9/16...
bigcharts.com
If you are still with me here...(sorry this turned out so long)... I would like to hear what you think....
Thanks, Dale...
Kathy :)) |
