Let's talk stocks! Some interesting stuff I've found in the meltdown
 

Here is some interesting stuff I've found in the meltdown. I don't do too many special situations but looking seriously at these. Anyone have any thoughts on these?

Delia's (DLIA) announced they are selling their direct marketing division for $100 million. That is $3.28/share. Stock is currently $2.15.

BUD is being bought at $70 offer by Inbev. Deal supposed to close in 08. Current price $59.95 (14.4% spread)

Circuit City is possibly heading toward bankruptcy. Book value over $6.00/share. Even if you value inventory at 50% book value is over $2.00/share. Activist investor Jim Wattles has managed to get some board seats and finally got experienced turnaround expert James Marcum the CEO position just a few weeks ago. currently selling at .39/share.

Warren Buffet is buying CEG. Supposed to close within 9 months. Offer price $26.50. Current price $24.33 (8.2% spread)

thanks for the research

I bought CC at 4.29 when BBI was suppose to buy it at 6.00.... never happened. It's my biggest loss this year.

if it was a good buy at 4.29, then it's a great buy at .39

Fuck it, I'm so sick of CC I ain't touching it again. I'm just riding out whatever happens. On the flip side I've setup an AIP that is made up of eight ETFs. That's where my cash is going now.

CC WILL go bankrupt...

I rarely make predictions, but I will on this one.

about CC

I live in richmond, va, the CC hq, and EVERYONE I know that works there is convinced the ride is over

Trouble with bankruptcy is the shareholders hardly ever get anything. It's pretty difficult to get a handle on the quality of the Circuit City assets and what they would get in auction. Circuit City has $20.60/share in assets. $14.08 in liabilities.

The upside is whether James Marcum can engineer a turnaround.Look at what he did with Hollywood Entertainment.

Earnings per share
1998 -$1.30
1999 -$1.13
2000 -$11.48
(James Marcum hired)
2001 $1.90
2002 $3.88
2003 $1.28
all positive ...

Hellova environment to try a turnaround in though.

For me personally I think there are just too many other easy investment opportunities out there to do this one.

turning around a retailer right now - better chance of AlienQ getting a cabinet post in a McCain administration.

there is no money to buy or sell. No back will finance right now. No company will sell parts of companie in this stock climate. They will only sell if they need cash to pay intrest.

Yeah yeah but what about GM?

Personally I'm choosing to stay away from GM simply because I don't believe in their products. I do wonder if they will end up merging with another manufacturer.


I recently grabbed some cheap GE for the long haul. Yeay for dividends?

I thought that CC already filed...

I'd rather have Toyota than GM. Even though US auto industry sales are at about a decade and a half low Toyota stands to gain market share right now. They are just now launching an advertising campaign to get the word out that they are offering no interest loans. Those GMAC bonds look interesting. Some yielding 100%/year. Marty Whitman says they will pay. I'm not biting though. Again, too many other easy things out there.

An interesting play on Toyota though is to purchase Toyota Industries stock instead. It's a pink sheet stock. Toyota Industries owns 200 million shares of Toyota common. That works out to about $20.87 worth of Toyota Common owned per share of Toyota Industries. Toyota Industries is selling for right about that. $20.25 last quote. Now Toyota Industries is making about 257 yen per share which is roughly $2.57. So basically you buy a share of Toyota Industries for $20 which gets you $20 of Toyota Common. Then you get the rest of the operating businesses of Toyota Industries for free. be nice if Toyota Industries would sell some of the Toyota Common and release as a dividend to unlock some of that value.

What caught my eye on Circuit City is that Robert Rodriguez of FPA has been buying shares -- at a much higher price than you can get shares now. FPA has beat the S&P 500 by 5% per year average for the past 20 years.

Colin -

For someone that wants to just start out (i.e: me), which sites have some general info that I can read up on? Or where would you recommend I look at first?

Thanks!