Ezra Marbach

Interactive Q&A: Ted Awerkamp, President and CEO of Mercantile Bancorp

Ted:

I have read about your de novo bank investing strategy and that Mercantile wholly owns community banks in a variety of areas outside of your core market. Given the lending and interest rate environments, do you see any additional acquisition or investment opportunities for MBR? Do you think that the current climate has created a number of sellers in the community banking arena?

Thanks,
Ezra

International Displayworks Warns about the Impact of Chinese New Year (IDWK)

B. Research:
Thanks for your comment. Would you be interested in sharing what you know about these two companies and writing a post for The China Stock Blog?
Best,
-Ezra

Baidu Releases Top China Keywords for 2005 (BIDU)

Thank you Dehydrator!

China Book Giveaway: Winners and China Stock Recommendations (CNTF, SVA, SINA, ADIY, FMCN)

Hi Eva:

I did not endorse any of the recommendations relating to the book giveaway. The recommendations were selected simply on the basis of their arguments. I did, of course, take into account that the authors were likely promoting positions they had.

As for The China Stock Blog remaining a neutral, information-based blog, I assure you it will.

I am currently considering a host of changes to The China Stock Blog in an effort to provide readers with an even better resource than it is now. So if you have any suggestions of things you would like to see on The China Stock Blog please let me know.

Thank you for your feedback!

-Ezra

Ctrip: An Acquisition Target? (CTRP)

I received the following comment:

Pretty remarkable article, considering IACI looked at CTRP first, decided at $36/shr it was too pricey, and went to LONG and Tang instead....and we're talking over USD $1B now for CTRP....

I think the possibility of CTRP being bought out is one that needs to be considered, but I can't see EXPE being the buyer, given the fact they looked and passed before.

CTRP and LONG won't/can't merge without EXPE absorbing CTRP (or EXPE shedding LONG to another buyer and getting out of China completely).

Just went back to the prospectus, as I kinda sorta recalled some non-competition language about IACI (and sucessors) travel businesses.

As it stands, EXPE would need to sell LONG (which they can't do until next November) to buy CTRP (or for that matter, to support a CTRP/LONG merger).

Looking at EXPE's B/S, I just can't see that happening. Barry took the cash to IACI...

Prohibited from owning any other travel interests so long as they have a 15% economic interest in LONG.

Investor Assesses China Techfaith Wireless' Weak Stock Performance (CNTF)

Did any of you read the CNTF report from Kaufman Brothers today? I have been unable to get hold of it.

The Bull Case on Collectors Universe (CLCT, EBAY)

But CLCT doesn't have the international exposure that EBAY has. So is it really a proxy for EBAY?