Monster Worldwide Inc. (MNST)

All Comments on MNST

  • commenter
    fedup
    Jan 23 03:11 PM
    Comparing Internet Companies' Productivity [view article]
    Is there a scale that shows how much they are paid versus how much they actually do? If so, where would Yang and others fall on that scale? Sure, he only makes $1 a year (wink) but what about some of those others? Surely a pruning off the top is worth more than a huge chunk out of the trunk of the tree. Probably where the cuts really need to made, since this is a company that seems to lack any decent leadership or management. They could save millions of dollars. The kind like those already wasted on Semel, and so many others smart enough to have cut and run already. Reply
  • commenter
    Smart Look
    Jan 20 11:13 AM
    My Website
    Internet Stocks Aren't Immune to a Recession [view article]
    You might add LookSmart to your list. They are in the midst of pricing a dutch auction style share buyback between $3.40 and $4.15. They will buy back up to 20 mil. worth hoping to take back 4 mil. plus shares.
    The auction ends Feb. 13. The stock seems a safe play in this range at least until then.     Reply
  • commenter
    AnnCatherine
    CHt
    Jan 04 11:42 PM
    Monster's Index Shows Job Weakness [view article]
    Three points in reference to your article:
    First, corporations now seek to hire through temp or contract agencies for many reasons - namely because it increases overall cost efficiency to have someone evaluated, checked out, etc., before allowing them to come on board and ultimately waste time and resources otherwise.
    Second, sites like Monster, Careerbuilder, etc., have an extreme influx of spammers targeting job-seekers adn college students soon to be entering the job pool. The majority of jobs we now see listed online at sites like Monster.com are not legitimate jobs. Pop into either site for a moment and you'll see what I mean...
    And finally third, I do agree with you and also believe there has been a decrease in administrative/office jobs, indicating a corporate revenue rut. Currently, a corporation will, instead of hiring a qualified secretary or accounting person at $13-$15 per hour (or more), an unskilled person is hired, trained, appreciative of the opportunity, and paid $7 or $8 per hour.

    My last thought: One would think if corporations are suffering from lack of desired revenue, they'd eventually put a few more bucks back into the economy for people to spend by paying employees decent wages!     Reply
  • commenter
    DaveinHacken
    sack
    Dec 31 09:27 PM
    My Website
    Korn Ferry, Monster, Heidrick & Struggles: Recession Risk Not Priced In [view article]
    Thanks for the response.

    Regarding points 3 and 4:

    3) By the same token, aren't many of HSII's domestic clients companies with international business that would lessen their exposure to a U.S. slowdown?

    4) Does your Q1 cash estimate include the additional earnings HSII will retain in that quarter?

    I'd wish you good luck, but since we're on opposite sides of a trade here, I'll just wish you Happy New Year.     Reply
  • commenter
    Stocky
    Dec 27 05:46 PM
    Korn Ferry, Monster, Heidrick & Struggles: Recession Risk Not Priced In [view article]
    Good Analysis. You should get short SFN, KFRC, CBR, SAPE, MPS, ANSR, RHI, BE and CDI as well. It is very easy to fire contractors without paying unemployment or issuing press releases. Check out what all these companies did in 2000-2001. Rising unemployement, jobless claims and continuing claims supports your thesis as well. Reply
  • commenter
    Research
    Intensive
    Investing
    Dec 24 10:48 PM
    Korn Ferry, Monster, Heidrick & Struggles: Recession Risk Not Priced In [view article]
    Hi Dave,

    Thanks for the comments. In response:

    1) Though the stocks have already been hit hard, this is not much unlike the trend that occurred in 2000-2001; these stocks get marked down in 2 stages. The first (which has already occurs) happens when the market stops treating them a growth stories and begins to have more of a flattish outlook. The 2nd stage occurs when the businesses show clear signs of cylicality, and operating performance falls. Check my prior write-up on KFY why for I think there is still more room for these to fall.

    2) This is a long debate, but I will say that the fed's impact has been negligible so far (LIBOR spreads have continued to increase, etc.), and that there are many arguments put forth by many smart people supporting serious recession risks.

    3) I'm glad you brought this up. On an income basis, it gets ~ 61% from North America. Also, most of its international exposure is to multi-nationals, which have relatively greater exposure to the US than local companies (this is why in the last recession revenues and income abroad also dropped off a cliff, and will likely happen again this time around, though perhaps to a lesser extent).

    4) The cash number is misleading. They have $112M in bonus payments due in Q1, and $15M they still have to pay for the Highland Partners acquisition, so lets say the current number is more like $150M. On top of that they are using most that money for buybacks, which are succeeding only to keep the share count basically flat, because of the generous share grants to employees. And they are also buying their stock on peak earnings, which in the long term I believe is destroying--not adding--shareholder value. Buybacks are not good when you are buying your own overvalued stock.

    5) This will take some time to play out. But given HSII's sector concentration, I think its more likely than not that we'll see significant pressure in Q1 of next year, if not next quarter.     Reply
  • commenter
    DaveinHacken
    sack
    Dec 21 11:35 PM
    My Website
    Korn Ferry, Monster, Heidrick & Struggles: Recession Risk Not Priced In [view article]
    Here are a few reasons I think you shouldn't short HSII:

    1) Your U.S. recession fears are baked into the stock prices in the sector already -- look at the one-year charts.

    2) A recession next year is unlikely -- the Fed is ahead of the curve cutting rates, and the weaker dollar has American exports booming.

    3) Even if there is a recession in the U.S., HSII gets 44% of its revenue from overseas (Europe and Asia).

    4) HSII has $218 million in cash, no debt, and a market cap of only $619 million. You really want to short this company? They could launch a massive buyback if they wanted and squeeze you.

    5) KFY just beat earnings and its share price went up 20%. What do you think will happen if HSII beats earnings?
     Reply
  • commenter
    Research
    Intensive
    Investing
    Dec 18 06:02 PM
    Will Monster be Murdoch's Next Acquisition? [view article]
    I agree completely on MNST. Funny thing is analysts aren't talking about this at all--they're projections are still for growth. Also, if you take a look at permanent staffing businesses--KFY and HSII--which are similarly impacted by the economy, their international businesses actually went negative more then their NA business in the last recession. It's also interesting to see MNST waste tons of money on buybacks at peak earnings.

    As a MNST short, my main worry in a buyout, but I hope that the negative macro news will keep potential investors on the sidelines. Also, for what its worth, I think MNST becomes a very interesting long in 2-3 years once things pick up again.

    Eric
    researchinvesting.blog...     Reply
  • commenter
    HarMegiddo
    Dec 06 08:18 AM
    Jim Cramer's Mad Money Lightning Round, 12/5/07: [view article]
    Cramer said to sell FCX at 90 only 10 days ago. what a joke this guy is!
    sell at 90 and buy back at 102? BUY HIGH, SELL LOW?
    please, i hope people see through this joker. all he is , is a self promoter, "buy my book", "subscribe to my site."
    Cramer should go into politics the way he talks out of both sides of his mouth.     Reply
  • commenter
    Yaser Anwar
    Nov 20 09:27 PM
    My Website
    Shorting Staffing Stocks: Monster Worldwide [view article]
    very good work! Reply
  • commenter
    Daniel
    Jacome
    Nov 20 09:22 PM
    My Website
    Shorting Staffing Stocks: Monster Worldwide [view article]
    very nice work, and you are dead on the op leverage factor: EBIT changes a lot more than sales do in good and bad times, if your macro call is right, MNST will get crushed. Reply
  • commenter
    Daniel
    Jacome
    Oct 21 05:30 PM
    My Website
    A Monster of a Deal - Barron's [view article]
    CEO Sal Iannuzzi wants that thing sold, and it will be sold. He sold SBL to Moto years ago and he'll flip MNST, too.
     Reply
  • commenter
    SteveInChica
    go
    Sep 21 09:14 AM
    Most Attractive Stocks On A PEG Basis [view article]
    I normally like the PEG as an acid test to compare companies, especially in the same group, and occasionally some good companies wind up thrown into the deep discount bin along with the others. Unfortunately, I see a lot of stocks on this list that are priced low for a reason. Boeing got knocked down last week because it looked like the dreamliner might be delayed, but they have enough orders in the pipe that it might just be a temporary hiccup.

    Once the job market tanks, Monster's jobs available are going to tank right along with it, and the companies posting available jobs are the ones paying the bills.

    We also have a few retailers and risky financial names that have been hammered for a reason.     Reply
  • commenter
    Asif
    Sep 16 11:31 PM
    My Website
    Five Sectors To Consider Shorting [view article]
    If you did not research by past trades, take a look at my current model portfolio or even the portfolio from November 2006 when I initiated four naked put options to hedge the long portion (not specific long stocks) of the portfolio. Two of those four puts (a trucking company YRC Worldwide and a homebuilder St Joe) are still in the portfolio wth gains of 111.43% and 161.54%.

    www.sinletter.com/port...


    www.sinletter.com/arch...

    As for the "tech-stock" portfolio, I would hardly call a portfolio that contains an Israeli generic drug manufacturer (TEVA), a travel company (EPAX), an oil drilling company (DO), an entertainment company (BBI), an Indian auto company (TTM) and consumer non-discrenary companies (PG and UL) a "tech-stock" portfolio.

    If using multiple naked put options, using selective short positions and diversifying long positions across asset classes and countries is not called hedging your risks, I have no idea what is.     Reply
  • commenter
    Uncle Bill
    Sep 16 09:56 PM
    Five Sectors To Consider Shorting [view article]
    One more comment. You are not hedging your $180,000 long-stock portfolio, which is heavily tech-laden, when you buy a few thousand dollars worth of puts on the home-mortgage sector. To mask the relative ineffectiveness of the "hedge," you focus on the percentage gain in the option. People should always be wary when profit/loss on options is listed in terms of the option price rather than the stock price. Reply

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