Citibank’s ‘Nationalization’: Am I missing Something?

The plan is to convert the Government’s preferred shares to common shares. The value of the Government’s preferred to common conversion is $45 billion.

At $2.50 per share (Citi closed lower than that today), that is 18 billion shares.

Citi has a current float of 5 billion shares. Are they talking about quadrupling the float of the common stock?

Oh vey. Tell me again how this is going to make the stock price go up?

Disclosure: As of publication I have no position. I am not a professional, but I am trying this at home. It is highly recommended that you consult a licensed financial advisor or broker before making any and all investment decisions.

Let’s Get Serious About The Future of Sirius XM

Let’s just get it out on the table. The subscription radio business is a terrific model. But the delivery method of satellite is simply not viable because it is not cost effective, and it is grossly overcomplicated.

And, that is, not financially viable with just today’s financial pressures. Sirius XM can’t even pay the bills they have, let alone any new obligations.

When the new high speed internet networks arrive–which for it to consistently stream an audio program and provide nearly ubiquitous nationwide coverage will not be as long as you think–look for either the Sirius XM delivery model to change (if they are still alive) or look for them to get eliminated by the emergence of a low-cost competitor. Hint: anyone who owns a sliver of nationwide broadband spectrum can move into this business fast. And with broadband, issues like line-of-sight are a thing of the past.

To be fair, Sirius XM as a company might survive in some form because they have the two key ingredients to success for any subscription-based business: customers (nearly 10 million of them) and established content that those 10 million users are willing to pay for. 

But at some point, you have to get serious: If you have a lick of sense, you know the way forward for the common stock is to be zeroed out.

Disclosure: As of publication I have no position. I am not a professional, but I am trying this at home. It is highly recommended that you consult a licensed financial advisor or broker before making any and all investment decisions.

The Stimulus: How Many Jobs Exactly?

I read here that the Obama stimulus plan will create 286,000 jobs for Texas.

That’s a brand-spanking new, permanent job created out of thin air for 1 in every 86 Texans. Not working- age Texans. Texans period.

Take out the 9.5 million Texans who are either under 18 or over 65, and that’s a brand spanking new permanent job for one in 51 working-age Texans.

So I am supposed to believe that this plan–which is little more than wealth transfer from those who pay taxes to those who don’t– will generate this many permanent jobs? This is an exaggeration so very obvious that it borders on ridiculous. Makes me wonder what other exaggerated projections of success are contained in this bill.