Now that I’m no longer a business journalist, I wonder whether there’s any chance of begin the first blogger to formally interview Nortel CEO Mike Zafirovski? After all, I write the only blog (as far as i can tell) specifically devoted to all things Nortel so you figure they could treat me like a quasi-journalist, right? I’ve already put in a request for an interview so let’s see if Mike Z. bites.
He reiterated answering questions on their Q3 financial numbers on the premise of transparency. heh, ya I guess for Nortel this really was a monumental feat. Even their a recent The 8K for Flex ammendments they refused to comment on.
If there isn’t a required event to speak at, and given their year of silence still furnoshing unreliable numbers now with no guarantees, there are too many questions he would not want to answer i would imagine. You can bet he avoids interviews like the plague =) Same with Currie, they must think less said sooner mended but nonbe of this is going away hiding their heads in the sand with the endless delays and contradictions we have witnessed.
I would ask him how he plans to gut SGA while striving to increase margins, where the R&D cuits will be, any pans of mergers or more layoffs, how are they handling Canada’s largest pension shortfall, how do they anticipate handling 2008′s debt. Is bonds interst a burden on aggressive targets? How much will SAP software cost to repair accounting and is 2008 a firm year for fixing internal controls. What is happening with the criminal investigations, any word from the police or SEC fines? Since there are no provisions made for them, how do they plan on paying for them? Are they planning to support the defendants in the derivative class action like 5 the other plea bargained officers. Now that the price of their stock has dropped and with 14.5% of the company equity to be diluted for the setlement, will they be diluting more than their tradional 100M shares a year to keep paying good people as they say. Speaking of good people, what are their top engineers turnover like? Has counting numbers stopped since the last revision as it increased by the week. What management incentives are in place now, ahhhhh it is endless… so many questions, so few answers =)
Larry B
Mike Z has already been interviewed many times recently… and he just did an investor day, as you know. He has answered every conceivable question. He and his team have said all there is to say. Now they need to EXECUTE! Although it may be a feather in your cap, I don’t think we will learn anything new from an interview. I do like your blog, though…so thanks.
Hey, I’m long the stock and I am frustrated. I think the stock is worth alot more today than $2.15, but the market disagrees with me and Nortel’s results haven’t helped much. Time will prove or disprove my investment thesis. I think a price of 1 X revenue is fair for now as a turnaround story. The earnings potential of Nortel with this incredible team is significant. Over a 3 year time frame, we could get pre split earnings of $1.00 per share. Damn the torpedoes and soldier on!
My New Nortel Dream
Now that I’m no longer a business journalist, I wonder whether there’s any chance of begin the first blogger to formally interview Nortel CEO Mike Zafirovski? After all, I write the only blog (as far as i can tell) specifically devoted to all things Nortel so you figure they could treat me like a quasi-journalist, right? I’ve already put in a request for an interview so let’s see if Mike Z. bites.