By: GZ on Giovedì 15 Febbraio 2007 02:10
Comprano le proprie azioni con il DEBITO, si indebitano per pagare mega dividendi subito al gruppo che acquisisce la società oppure per pagare le stock options dei managers lasciando la società piena di debiti. Ma dato che il mercato obbligazionario assorbe qualunque quantità di debito senza far salire i tassi funziona.
3M annuncia una trimestrale pessima, un disastro, ma dato annuncia che ricompra il 12% delle proprie azioni in borsa il titolo sale.
Domino's Pizza compra il 22% (!) delle proprie azioni indebitandosi per 1.2 miliardi e sale ovviamente.
Tribune una catena di giornali, settore che va male, si indebita per 10 miliardi per pagare dividendi al gruppo che l'acquisisce così loro si arricchiscono immediatamente e lei affonda sotto il peso del debito.
Applebee una catena di ristoranti che è già gestita molto bene ma costa molto, 23 volte gli utili è costretta a mettersi in vendita. Che senso ha ? se sei gestito male e costi poco allora essere acquisito ha senso per ristrutturare, ma qui costa molto ed è gestito benissimo e arriva gente dalla finanza pura che la rovina
Persino Jim Cramer lo sta dicendo
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Domino's Pizza Inc. announced a large share repurchase financed through debt. The stock jumped nearly 13 percent on Feb. 7 to an all-time high of more than $32 a share on the news.
Domino's plans to buy back up to 13.85 million shares, equal to 22 percent of its common stock. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company will borrow up to $1.35 billion to fund the buyback and pay back some older debt
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Tribune Co. The Chicago-based newspaper publisher received a joint proposal from Los Angeles billionaires Eli Broad and Ronald Burkle to sponsor a recapitalization of the company that would leave them in control after paying shareholders a big dividend. Broad and Burkle would fund the payout by a $500 million investment and the assumption of new debt that analysts estimate at around $10 billion.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Tribune directors may reject all takeover bids and decide instead to borrow money to pay a big cash dividend - leaving the company even deeper in debt.
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3M had a terrible quarter, where a lot of things went wrong and growth was uncertain. Yet, today it raised the dividend and announced a giant buyback? Perhaps, just perhaps, this is a bad use of the money? Maybe it should put some money into its own businesses.
3M is a real quandary. The company is selling some fast-growing health-care businesses to add who knows what. There's no sense that it has any momentum in its businesses.
To me, the return of the money is a mistake. But nobody ever considers that a buyback, when it is announced, is a mistake.
This one's a mistake.
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The Absurdity of Applebee's
02/14/2007 7:39 AM
Applebee's is rich. Richly priced. It has a 23 multiple on 12% growth. It is up nicely year over year: 14%. It's doing a good job in a tough environment.
And now it has to give up, a victim of activist pressure from Richard Breeden, the former chairman of the SEC. It's put itself up for sale.
This is all stupid. Applebee's will lever up, become an even crummier restaurant chain than it is, and somehow muddle through as a not-great company.