The Wall Street Turtle

2004-08-24T21:12:00.000-04:00

This has been the summer of Google, Shrek, Barack Obama and Michael Phelps. But for our purposes, let's just focus on Google. One of the largest and most interesting IPO's to rock the financial world in sometime. For a few moments and newspaper articles, it is as if the average American was given a glimpse into the ever-so-simple, yet ever-so-frustrating transition of a private company going public. One day, it is as if the Sergey Brin and Larry Page Show is a giant nightmare, and the next they are living and breathing billionaires (still driving their Prius to the Googleplex) But the IPO frenzy got us thinking of some of our other favorite companies that we would most like to see as an IPO. Without any further ado, here is our IPO WISHLIST...

RETAIL/clothing: The Detail of Retail is not an easy picture to understand. Yet, two hip-hoppin visionary entrepreneurs are putting a little innovation into the field. Dov Charney of American Apparel (above), a self-described "neurotic Jew" has reinvented the wheel with his human-friendly factories and quality, anti-logo t-shirts. And who wouldn't want to go to an Annual Meeting led by Dov Charney! Liz Lange's company would be a fun stock to have concepted. Specializing in maternity ware, Liz makes it cool be pregnant with her upscale and fashionable clothing. Though she plans significant growth in the future, she has no plans to go public. Runner up: Moosejaw.com for it's unique branding savvy...who knew the outdoors could be so much fun! And we can't forget Olympics provider ROOTS.

Who wouldn't want to have a stock certificate with Shrek on the front...and with Dreamworks SKG animation, that just might be possible in the near future. Also... I'd like to see an annual report made by Hallmark, or how about the ability to invest in one of America's oldest companies, Levi Strauss. If PowerBar was a stock, they would have one mighty groth chart for the last few years. New Balance Shoes would be a nice investment as many, if not all, of their products are made in America. I wouldn't mind a little dividend, in the means of product samples, from M & M parent Mars. And don't forget Burger King. Heck, even Fuji Water would probably be a hot commodity. Have more suggestions? Send them to thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com
thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-07-07T19:01:00.000-04:00

This is just not the day for Kenneth Lay...NEW YORK TIMES: A federal grand jury in Houston has returned a sealed indictment against Kenneth L. Lay, the former chairman and chief executive of people briefed on the investigation said today, and the indictment is expected to be unsealed on Thursday.

thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-07-02T21:51:00.000-04:00

It feels Great to Liquidate!
thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-07-01T22:53:00.000-04:00

Vladimir Putin, more like Vladimir Pukin! Seriously, he's in the big leagues globally, and then, goes back to Russia and act's like Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. He and his cronies have taken numerous double standards to Russian domestic policy. Let's start and end with Mikhail Khordokovsky. Mikhail is Russia's 21st century Howard Roark. So why is he currently behind bars? The big V alleges illegal tax schemes. Sorry, but those are common accounting schemes across Russian big business today. End the public lynching before you get you own scarlet letter taped on your suit. This time, the A is for arduous happiness.
thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-07-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

BUCKLE UP! It's going to be a longggggg summer. It was announced today that auto sales have put their brakes on and skid to a nearly six year low. While Dieter got a free pass this time, General Motors and Ford could not pass go. For many analysts, this was even lower than the already stagnated expectations. Does this spell trouble. It may, but is not likely to. A fickle consumer confidence level may be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Gas prices have been lowering, albeit for a short time and incentives could be on there way.
thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-07-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

JULIAN DAY IS KICKING (or, at least selling off) YOUR ASSETS! Introducing the fairy tale story of Kmart's juxstaposition with success PART 2. O.K....so yesterday, Kmart's headmaster Julian Day said he would sell 54 stores to SEARS. Just about a month before, Kmart Chairman Edward Lampert proclaimed that Kmart must create its own niche. More like finding a niche in the real estate field! This transaction comes just a few weeks after Kmart decided to sell 24 stores to Home Depot. These are not going to be the poorly run stores of the lowest economic environment. Word of the wise advises these are expected to be high-tiered locations. It boggles Wall Street when Edward Lampert slipped the note to Julian to turn this company into a Real Estate Investment Trust. That is exactly what this is looking like. On another front, Kmart has been out of bankruptcy and in the next phase of restructuring for more than 400 days! Two things are still missing; a clear line of communication with Wall Street and Main Street and also any differentiating strategy that will set Kmart apart. They have spoken of no new niche. Any earnings from the sale of these stores have been artificially disproportionate to long term profitability. While Kmart the investment has gone from Good to Great, Kmart the brand has truly stayed stagnant (just look at same store sales, or the lack there of.) One more hypocricy...retailing analysts have been quoted to say that these real estate ventures have given Kmart some "much needed cash." BOLOGNA! Kmart now has 2.2 billion dollars in the bank and Edward Lampert admitted at Kmart's board meeting a few weeks' back that "If we wanted to take the capital we have and make every store look like Saks Fifth Avenue, we could."
Saks Fifth Avenue, next to Sears, AutoZone, AutoNation and Kmart, has a connection to Edward Lampert. This time familial and not ownership. His mother, Dolores, has been a longtime employee of the tony retailer. Brad Martin, Saks CEO, can attest that Saks will be a glam and glitzy retailer for many years to come. Unfortunately, Julian Day, can not honestly exclaim that about Kmart.
thewallstreetturtle@yahoo.com

2004-06-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

Why is this man smiling? Well, for starters, he has made Kmart Holdings into a cash cow for himself! And boy, how he has milked it. Eddie Lampert owns a majority holding in Kmart and has seen it's price multiply five-fold. Kmart spokeslady Martha Stewart would agree that that is a good thing. Questions still arise about the future of Sebastian Kresge's entrepreneurial genius. Such as, is this company being taken out to dry and made into a REIT. Considering the clandestine nature of big K's new leadership, not many people are aware of the future for this once retail powerhouse. At the most recent annual meeting, doors were kept under tight lock. Some may have thought that Bob Ulrich and Lee Scott may have wanted to sneak in to find out the secrets to the success of KMRT. Yet, no findings were cited for the respective leaders of Target and Wal-Mart. So, while Wal-Mart's price has yet to hit the wall and Target Corp. is still hitting it's...o.k. you get the point. At the end of the day, K is not going to return back to home base without defining it's identity and creating a distinguished niche. K ceo Julian Day thinks that he may be taking the safeway of keeping low and resorting to focus on the oft-ignored logistics. No offense Jules, but though the Wal-Martians of the world can unite to play Goliath, the character of David goes to Ulrich. Meanwhile, in the big apple head style honcho Lisa Schultz is trying to reinvent the wheel. Somersaulting away from the melancholic TroyMi HQ is good but the question still remains if she can bring her Gap magic to the retailing mass once again. Meanwhile, Eddie Lampert can keep smiling. He is expected to make the Forbes 400 jump from 140 to the low 70's. (early estimates) Watch out Donald. Right about now, Sam Walton may be rolling over, six feet under. TO BE CONTINUED...

2004-06-24T09:28:00.000-04:00

Mikey Eisner! Oh, how far he has come. He titled his 1998 bestseller A Work in Progress. Some of his critics would argue he is no longer making progress and he should be done with his work. He has most recently been plagued by a strain in his relationship with the Miramax founding Weinstein bros and possible break up with Pixar. Not to mention a spew of recent movie flops. Has this man been outShreked? One thing's true. With a pay package of 7.3 million, he has plenty of money to send his wife and kids around the world in a lot less than 80 days.

2004-06-24T09:14:00.000-04:00

William Morse Davidson A man of few words. A man of great luck. A man of supreme leadership. But is he a guardian for industry? Here he is spending a night out with Karen, his wife. Davidson is owner of three recent championship teams: the Detroit Pistons, Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Shock.