Re: Informix stock

boris wrote: > > Why does Informix stock go down again? > I bought mine last fall after Informix Developer's conference which featured > lots of bullshit (as I know now) propaganda and lies about their products. > If their products don't sell why can't they start doing something useful? > > Boris [Warning: The sturgeon general has issued that this reply should not be read by those who are humor impaired.] -FTITCTAJ Well Boris, Interesting question. And since you posed it as a question versus a diatribe, it deserves an answer. Informix has the products. XPS and ODS are money makers. They smoke the competition. Nobody questions that. What they do question is the management's ability to lead. First, there have been some defections of some key people. Johnathan wasn't the only one to leave. But that's not what the market makers (MM) are looking at. Informix had to re-state their earnings. They lost money. So now they have to climb out of the hole. 4th Qtr '97 was a good qtr, soundly beat the streets. Why? Because they really cut costs. Informix beat the street again in 1st qtr '98. At first, by $.06 USD. But alas, Informix yet again had to re-state earnings. Why? Well it appears that Bob needed to take revenue from embedded Informix over a longer period of time rather than up front. (Revenue wasn't lost, it just takes longer to be recognized.) But this restatement meant that Informix broke even versus $.03 USD a share gain. So the street frowned on Informix because they can no longer trust the numbers. [Note they still beat the street by $.03 USD] Bob posted a nice message on the web site, but nowhere else. So a lot of investors, MM , and analysts are not to happy. Informix has yet to make a cohesive statement about their marketing plans. Bob says one thing one day and something completely opposite the next. For example, and there are many, Bob says "We can't compete against Microsoft. So we are not going after the shrink wrap market." But then Informix releases the PE edition on Windows 95. I wonder how much they spent on it and what was their thinking? Whats their rationale? (This may be asked at the shareholders meeting, but I am getting ahead of myself.) So, internally to Informix, you have a lack of stated direction, and many miscommunications. That will hurt the stock price. (Along with a lack of strong sales and good marketing.) But then there are those factors outside of Informix. The market as a whole for example. Or the sector Informix is in. Sybase is hurting, and Oracle has stumbled. Everyone says that the RDBMS market is saturated. Informix says differently. Everyone says that Informix will become a niche player since they "target" the high end. Informix hasn't shown them anything to refute that. The bottom line? Informix has to instill confidence in the street, and show that it is aggressively pursuing new markets. There are other problems too. Take Informix's upcoming conference. I think the theme is "Find the edge". While I think that they meant to make the statement that they are the "leading edge of technology", which is a positive message, they also send a negative message too. If I were Oracle, I'd have a field day. "Find the edge, then take a running leap in to the abyss below." "Bleeding edge of technology." That's were projects go over budget and time because managers gambled on the underlying technology. Many companies refuse to be Lab Rats for companies to test their untried products. (Oh wait, Informix has yet again reversed itself and has started pushing ODS and XPS over UDO. My mistake.) My point is, that Informix has yet to provide any real thought to their marketing. (Oh yeah, Diane is now on board. But wait. Isn't she vacationing in Europe right now?) ;-) While this may seem critical of Informix, it is. Informix *DOES* have the best products. That's why they still exist. What Informix hasn't shown, is that they have the best management team. That remains to be seen. And Boris, like you, I have a vested interest in seeing Informix live up to its potental, however, I wouldn't hold my breath on Informix turing the corner any time soon. Plan at least for another 6 months if we are lucky. What's scary is that Bob did cut out a lot of the fat. Some of the cuts went too deep. For example, you spend money on the UDO product line. OK, that's a good thing. Its the future. We all can accept that. But you then cut out projects and joint ventures that utilize the product and provide visibility. Go figure. Please note, I did not, nor am I calling Bob Finocchio or Mike Saranga idiots. Thats someone else. ;-) Granted you have to take what I say with a pinch of salt and a lime, but hey at least I tells it like I's sees it. Sitting in the trenches.... -Uncle Mikey BTW, Boris, you really should take one of my dumpster diving seminars. After all, you live in their back yard and it would save me on all those plane tickets each time I want to find something out. Too Bad Mike S. hasn't gone down to the local OfficeMax or OfficeDepot and gotten one of those shredders. Then I'd have to give up on diving and go back to electronic eavesdropping. (Yes boys and girls, Informix doesn't have an electric fence nor do they pulse their windows.) -- #include <std_disclaimer.h> /* Mike Segel (MS385) */ #include <No_Spam.h> #ifdef OFFENDED_BY_CONTENT The author takes no responsibility for this post. Any resembalence to a coherent rational thought is purely coincidence. -The Management. #endif ***************************** * Attention * -*- Due to AGIS's Refusal to Act Responsibly -*- Due to ACSI's Refusal to Act Responsibly We are blocking all of their domains at the packet level. This block will exist until they modify their policies to conform to existing RFCs and net community standards. 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