Paul Harris, CFANortel ASNTEL.TODON'T BUYMar 28, 2005
Came out with their numbers but didn't give as much disclosure as people thought they would. Trades at almost 35 X earnings, so it's expensive. They don't make money in any of their businesses except for wireless. Would prefer Cisco (CSCO-Q) at 18 X earnings and doesn't have all the legacy problems such as pensions, etc.
If you own the stock, you are playing that there is some value in the assets they own. The company is not a going concern. Have a huge deficit hole in their pension plan. Individual parts of the company may be better being sold off.
Has about $4 per share in cash. They are thinking of selling an asset that would raise about another $1 billion, which would add another $2 per share in cash. However, the overall quality of the balance sheet is as bad as he has ever seen it. Speculative.