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Technology Stocks : CheckFree Holdings Corp. (CKFR), the next Dell, Intel? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jjs_ynot who wrote (4908)	4/25/1999 10:27:00 AM
From: Ron S	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 20297

Weekend article in Barron's 'Net Returns Someday, we may all bank this way, but not yet.... This article will probably be viewed by the market as unfriendly to the likes of NTBK and TBFC as it points out that, at the no brick-and-mortar banks, what you get in higher interest rates, you give up in ATM access fees and being unable to complain to your personal banker. For this same reason, it may be misconstrued as negative for CKFR, another mistake. In a glaring omission, the article fails to even mention that many full service banks are offering the same internet service. Rather, articles like this help awaken traditional bankers to get with it quick or they may lose some traditional business. Competition among banks, formerly a moribund activity, is moving toward a fever pitch, and ebilling on portals and at brokerage sites, will be all the more a frightening prospect to your old-line banker. Thus, wiser heads will view this article as very positive for Checkfree. Does anyone doubt that the likes of Wells Fargo, Chase and Bank One will end up with infinitely more internet banking customers than Netbank, Telebank, Security 1st Network Bank, et.al.? Can any bank, anywhere, right now, post up bills from the vast majority of large billers plus any other bill presenter, have the back end processing capability of a proven factor in this business with massive computational backup and many years of proven service? Alas, only with Checkfree. Of course they can try to use Transpoint which so far is all talk or beta test, no on-line action (there is also the little factor of a bank helping its largest competitor, Citigroup, and maybe its octopus-like future competitor, Microsoft, if they go this route). If they still want to wait until the whole market has passed them by, they can also try to develop this on their own as several organizations have tried and failed to do. Alas, again and again, the only sensible answer is Checkfree.