Ben Williams

Metrics, Mortgages and Analysts

Wez, No one here is saying E-trade is immune to what is happening to the financials. In fact, we are actually supporting that cause. That is why the stock is down so much. However, CEO Layton and E-Trade have minimized their risk with the mortgages by getting rid of the majority of bad loans and have disclosed the bad loans they do have. He has done an awesome job of selling of what needed to be sold, going back to its core business, and raising capital to ensure they have the funds to cover any losses that still might occur. A look at ETFC's financials might be in store for you to see that have over a billion, thats right, BILLION dollars, sitting on the books. Obviously you are not here to add any insight, good or bad, but to make some moronic statement that serves no real purpose.

Metrics, Mortgages and Analysts

Excellent post Cindy. Thanks for your insight and just for summarizing the news about E-trade from other sources as well. I know the usual cast of characters will come in and try to debunk and trash this stock as usual, but the numbers continue to get better and the stock is poising itself for a run up when the market itself recovers somewhat. I believe E-Trade is the baby being thrown out with the bathwater in the financial sector as it is being driven down with the others who have much larger exposure to these bad loans and have not really owned up to their problems like E-Trade has done. Next month's numbers and the continued addition to the E-Trade accounts month after month should squash some of the fear and the market will begin to warm up to this stock once again. The shorts are starting to take notice and I would not be surprised to see some of those positons begin to dwindle somewhat in the coming months. For full disclosure, I am long ETFC both in equity and options. I have added more positions the past two days as the price has dropped with the market.

E*Trade's 'First In, First Out' Position: Yes, 111M Shorts Can Be Wrong

While ETCC is dropping along with the other financials that are taking a beating, it is not dropping as bad. Another great report from the company showing growth and customers still returning back to the E-Trade Platform for the third consecutive monthly gains. This company is getting back on its feet in spite of the financial collapse that is hitting the marker. If they can survive and even grow in this environment, then think of how things will be when the market makes the U-turn upward for financials.

Long term ETFC bears beware, this company has turned the corner and IS going to make it. Loading up on more options and would consider loading the wagon with actual shares if it falls to $3.40 with the financials dropping as well. This is my speculation play of 2008 - 2009 for the long haul. Know your risk and know your reward and play accordingly. I have little doubt this company will rise to make us bulls some cash within the next 8 - 12 months.

S&P Upgrades E*Trade Despite Struggling Financial Sector Peers

Thanks Cindy, I know you have taken a beating in some or your posts, but I appreciate the information from all sides to help make an informed decision. I hope the shorts get buried on this one. Probably will take a while though with the market in general being crushed by oil and financials as a whole.

S&P Upgrades E*Trade Despite Struggling Financial Sector Peers

I have not seen this upgrade news. Can someone point me in the right direction as it is not listed on any major investment sites this morning? I am a solid believer in this stock and would like to get some reassuring news that indeed that upgrade is real.

Either way, I am still accumulating positions both in equity shares and options on this one as the fundamentals don't lie and it has survived its near demise and appears to be making the turn. I am bullish all the way on ETFC.

E*Trade's 'First In, First Out' Position: Yes, 111M Shorts Can Be Wrong

For real investors here, don't get caught up in the Cindy, E-trade pump busters feud. Bottom line, this IS a risky stock, but is near bottom at $3.50 and can only go down to zero, while the upside could easily return to $6 - 8 within 8 to 10 months if not sooner, depending on how the financial sector returns to normal after all the turmoil and how fast gas stabilizes. The probability of this stock not only making it, but returning from near death are getting better with each passing day. If it were going to die, they would have had the funeral on many different dismal days, but the trutht is, this stock is holding its own in this crappy market and is poised to pop. May take some time, may happen quicker. I am looking to July's numbers to see how much the bleeding has stopped and hopefully get the good pulse that business is picking up as it has been and everything is moving in the right directions. Don't need great numbers, just a sign to the positive should give investors confidence to know ETFC is a value as an investment and/or takeover bid. Buy, buy, buy as Jim Cramer would say, but know it is speculative and do your OWN HOMEWORK or stay away!!

E*Trade's 'First In, First Out' Position: Yes, 111M Shorts Can Be Wrong

Let it fall and buy, buy, buy. Hear me now, believe me later, Cindy or not. Long term bull. I do own shares and call options in ETFC for full disclosure. Don't think it will rip anytime soon as noted before, but as a long term investment or as a takeover acquisiton, it is undervalued by at least $3/share in my opinion as of todays price range of $3.50 to $4. Thanks for eveyone's input, gives us all something to think about and helps weigh the good with the bad, which all smart investors do.

E*Trade's 'First In, First Out' Position: Yes, 111M Shorts Can Be Wrong

Next quarterly report due out in July 08 should show more signs of progress and can serve as further reinforcement of undervaluation of stock. Probably will not see any significant uptick until then as the baby is being thrown out with the bathwater as the financial as a whole are being beat down. This gives everyone time to accumulate at these low prices now to cash in during the next 12 months as the economy recovers and the financials come back. They are the most beaten up sector and therefore have the best chance to bounce back big, but it will take time.

E*Trade's 'First In, First Out' Position: Yes, 111M Shorts Can Be Wrong

As the price gets lower, I keep adding to my position. Come Jan 09, it will be time to ring the register on this baby. You can't keep a good man or a good stock down forever. They have not only survived but are showings signs of possibly thriving. Always downside risk to any stock, but at $4/share, not much downside and a whole lot of upside. The glass is half full and and I live for the day when the shorts realize their glass is almost empty.

Citadel Infuses E*Trade with Strong, Experienced Management

Would disagree with you jbmaria that ETFC is a "crapshoot". With a $4 share price today, the downside all the way to $0 is very limited, with a much better potential for upside. The company survived near bankruptcy and has made an incredible move towards the positive since Nov of last year when they almost tanked.

Sure they have a long way to go and it is a risky endeavor, but "crapshoot" would have been a good term for Dec 07 to Feb 08. Since then, they have significantly reduced their riskiest mortgage based loans and had a nice infusion of capital through various methods to improve the solvency issues they had. Some diliution occurs as a result, but overall strenthens this play for the long term.

I certainly consider ETFC as a speculation play at this point, but far from "crapshoot". Know your risk for the downside, but keep loading up on this one. As I stated previously, Jan 09 Call with a $5 strike price is loooking better everyday.

Citadel Infuses E*Trade with Strong, Experienced Management

ETFC is on the rise. Slow and steady should win this race. Looking at the Jan 09 Call with a $5 strike price to minimum risk and potentially have a nice upside if the stock breaks upward in the next 6 months.

CEO Layton has done a great job turning this company around and getting rid of the mortgage business that almost sank them. I am long ETFC for full disclosure and have both equity and option positions. I have realistic expectations and am not pumping the stock, but think it is a great speculative play at this time. Everyone should consider the downside as well as the upside and make their play as they see fit.

I am accumulatiing more options and shares when the price dips below $4. Looks like it may be putting a solid $4/share bottom in if it can close above the $4 mark again today.

Appreciate everyones posts both pro and con. It is good to see everyone's opinion and we can all benefit from looking at upside and downside of any trade. However, there is a lot of BS you have to sort through sometimes and you need to consider the persons perspective as a shareholder, short or long, bearish or bullish and their stake when you read their blog.

E*Trade Primed for a Breakout

CEO Layton is doing all the rights things with this company and while it has leaps and bounds to go, it is moving in the right direction in a quick u-turn. The mere fact that it survived its near collapse is a testament to something extra about this stock to make me bullish. The dilution of shares issues should not be a problem once the financials start picking up on the balance sheet and the overall value of the stock rises above any dilution that might or might not take place in the near future. They only voted to have that option. Would not want to be short on this one right now, there is the potential for a nice percentage rip on this one in the near future.

XM/Sirius Merger Still a Long Shot

This article has one fact that I agree with and the rest sounds like a commercial for terrestial radio and all the pinheads that want this merger to be defeated. The fact is that the merger is still a long shot and has a small percentage to be approved in a favorable way to XM & Sirius.

The true reason behind this fact is not based on the author's comments though about competition and monopoly, but instead on terrestial radio's lobbyist and members of Congress getting their palms greased by this local stations to help defeat this merger. I am not a subscriber to either satellite radio company, but as a person who still believes in a free market society and capitalism, this deals needs a decision much sooner than later. Typical government slow decision stalled by red tape and $ passing hands. Call your Senator and Representative today and raise hell asking them why this is taking so long. Decision should be made one way or the other, we can go to war in a day, crush the economy with knee jerk reactions from the fed in a few minutes, but cannot approve a merger within a year. What a freaking joke. Approve this and move on!