In this article we look at evidence that strongly suggests IBM (IBM), despite being turned into a cash “machine,” has done so not through its own R&D efforts, but rather through massive cost cutting. And its strategy is errily similar to that of Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), even prior to today’s announcement of a $1.7 billion acquisition, its second large announced deal over the past week.
Sometimes it’s better not to hire your friends, admittedly some late advice for former Bear Stearns executives. For Bill Gates, it’s definitely not to late given the superiority in Microsoft’s strength and consistency in its cash flows. However, enough time has gone by to render a verdict on the leadership ability of Steve Ballmer. For Microsoft (MSFT), the tables below are telling, as we compare some important metrics to those of Oracle (ORCL), its largest and most important competitor.
There have been more than a few stories making the rounds advocating share repurchases, in which the authors attempt to make the point that firms which repurchase their shares tend to outperform the general market.
What do Bear Stearns, Freddie Mac, Lehman and Station Casinos have in common? Their executives believed they were so well-funded they began very large buyback programs, even though they borrowed to do so.
