OK..Where's the big surprises now???

[dmodemd]

Just some constructive advice/criticism for Scott:

I don't think it really serves anyone's interest to tease any potential future information. To just say that "some surprise is coming..." doesn't help anyone and really comes across as simply being self-serving.

Not that a lot of people don't appreciate the inside information we sometimes get here. I think if there is real information, even if small, and even if rumor, its ok to post as long as proper context is given: that it is only rumor and unconfirmed and unsubstantiated. I think for the most part these forums are self policing on this. When a new rumor comes out, everyone runs out to find confirmation just like journalists do.

So I would just suggest everyone (not just Scott) think twice before saying "SOMETHING is coming...". Its just a tease when that is done.

Lee

 

[Mark_AR]

Just some constructive advice/criticism for Scott:

So I would just suggest everyone (not just Scott) think twice before saying "SOMETHING is coming...". Its just a tease when that is done.
Lee

Can you say...... Waaaaaaaaahhhhhh?

Its no worse than getting a present that says, 'Do not open til Christmas'

 

[mkm4]

Re: My prediction

The way E* is headed, expect D* to buy them out within a year. That's my prediction anyway.
.

Never happen.

Government antitrust laws won't allow it. That would make D* the sole power of the DBS industry and therefore a monopoly.

Too bad the customers couldn't band together and make it a Co-op owned service.

Only then would you see an improvement in content and support. That will never happen either though.

Hmmm, maybe VOOM will team up with Microsoft to buy E*. What a combination that would be!

 

[rad]

Maybe Dish and SBC aren't in the wind. CNNFn reports that Cingular is looking to purchase AT&T Wireless and using the war chests of SBC and Bellsouth to finance the purchase: http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/14/technology/cingular_att.reut/index.htm

Would SBC want to go into debt to also pick up Dish????

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

For SBC picking up Dish would be the holy grail for them and would allow them to for one compete with the cable companies, they would be able to offer voice, high speed data and video.

 

[AndyMon]

....... Bingo TV has made me think a lot.....

That's really frightening :shock: :?: :?: :?:

 

[Neutron]

....... Bingo TV has made me think a lot.....

That's really frightening :shock: :?: :?: :?:

If you read my entire post not just that excerpt you will understand what I'm getting at.

Thanks AndyMon

 

[jerryez]

Maybe Viacom will buy Dish.

 

[Neutron]

That would be interesting. Then we would have a CBS vs FOX thing going on.

 

[LarryH]

In order for the Shareholder to vote out Charlie would require Charlie voting himself out since he is the majority shareholder.

Charlie is no longer the majority shareholder. He quietly sold most of his Echostar stock in 2003. Mr. Defranco is now the majority shareholder:

Holder Shares Reported
DEFRANCO, JAMES 4,767,302 12-May-03
ERGEN, CANTEY 1,032,038 12-Feb-02
ERGEN, CHARLES W. 628,148 19-Aug-03
MOSKOWITZ, DAVID K. 500,220 14-May-03
MOSKOWITZ, DAVID K. 362,899 15-Sep-03

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

What about private stock?

Where did these numbers come from?

Those are VERY interesting numbers.

 

[LarryH]

What about private stock?

Where did these numbers come from?

Those are VERY interesting numbers.

This data is available on Yahoo finance. Charlie sold about 1.2M shares in 2003:

15-May-03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 200,575 Sale at $31.83 - $32.08 per share. $64,090,002.00
05/13/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 500,000 Planned Sale $157,500,001.00
05/13/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 49,425 Sale at $32.08 per share. $1,585,554.00
08/19/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 250,000 Sale at $36.15 per share. $9,037,500.00
08/19/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 250,000 Planned Sale $90,380,001.00

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Wow it seems as though Charlie knows something we don't.

Very Interesting.

 

[cracka]

This was clearly to cover his poker losses.

 

[Neutron]

Either DISH is about to go under (highly unlikely), or there's about to be a merger or sell out.

 

[rad]

What about private stock?

Where did these numbers come from?

Those are VERY interesting numbers.

This data is available on Yahoo finance. Charlie sold about 1.2M shares in 2003:

15-May-03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 200,575 Sale at $31.83 - $32.08 per share. $64,090,002.00
05/13/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 500,000 Planned Sale $157,500,001.00
05/13/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 49,425 Sale at $32.08 per share. $1,585,554.00
08/19/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 250,000 Sale at $36.15 per share. $9,037,500.00
08/19/03 ERGEN, CHARLES W. 250,000 Planned Sale $90,380,001.00

Can you tell me how on 5/15/03 he sold 200,575 shares for $64M at $31.83-$32.08 and on 8/19/03 sold 250,00 at $36.15 but got only $9,037,500??? What am I missing here? I'm confused!

 

[LarryH]

Either DISH is about to go under (highly unlikely), or there's about to be a merger or sell out.

I think that if the company was in trouble, then Jim would be selling his shares too. Maybe Charilie is just ready to retire (he can definitely afford it). He's been in a lot of battles over the past two years (and lost most of them), so he may be getting tired of the DBS game.

...or maybe Charlie's wife went on a $340M shopping spree 2003

 

[AcuraCL]

In order for the Shareholder to vote out Charlie would require Charlie voting himself out since he is the majority shareholder.

... Mr. Defranco is now the majority shareholder:

Holder Shares Reported
DEFRANCO, JAMES 4,767,302 12-May-03
ERGEN, CANTEY 1,032,038 12-Feb-02
ERGEN, CHARLES W. 628,148 19-Aug-03
MOSKOWITZ, DAVID K. 500,220 14-May-03
MOSKOWITZ, DAVID K. 362,899 15-Sep-03

DeFranco doesn't hold spit in terms of the company. The funds hold way more:

TOP INSTITUTIONAL HOLDERS

Holder Shares % Out Value* Reported
Goldman Sachs Group Inc 13,582,799 5.52 $520,357,037 30-Sep-03
Janus Capital Management, LLC 13,129,847 5.33 $503,004,446 30-Sep-03
Massachusetts Financial Services Co - Other 10,382,528 4.22 $397,754,654 30-Sep-03
American Century Investment Management Inc. 6,574,305 2.67 $251,861,628 30-Sep-03
Transamerica Investment Management LLC 6,154,432 2.5 $235,776,293 30-Sep-03
Oppenheimerfunds, Inc. 5,853,935 2.38 $224,264,253 30-Sep-03
Morgan Stanley 5,804,800 2.36 $222,381,891 30-Sep-03
Price (T.Rowe) Associates 5,328,670 2.16 $204,141,350 30-Sep-03
Putnam Investment Management, LLC 5,128,391 2.08 $196,468,662 30-Sep-03
FMR Corporation (Fidelity Management & Research Corp) 35,391,897 14.38 $1,355,863,595 30-Sep-03


TOP MUTUAL FUND HOLDERS

Holder Shares % Out Value* Reported
Fidelity Independence Fund 9,100,000 3.7 $301,210,000 31-May-03

 

[LarryH]

Can you tell me how on 5/15/03 he sold 200,575 shares for $64M at $31.83-$32.08 and on 8/19/03 sold 250,00 at $36.15 but got only $9,037,500??? What am I missing here? I'm confused!

I agree. Looks like there is a typo on the 5/15 sale. At that price, the sale would be about $6.4M (not $64M). Check the data on another financial site (other than Yahoo). If it's incorrect on other sites, then it's a Yahoo typo. If it has the same mistake on other sites, then the data was probably keyed wrong when the sale was logged. Regardless, I don't think Charlie will be flippin' burgers anytime soon...

 

[LarryH]

I just re-checked the Yahoo site. The 5/15 sale was $6.4M. I guess my Excel spreadsheet moved the decimal point during the data import.