Ben Williams

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30 Comments

    • Fri Jun 20th 08:25 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Wed Jun 18th 13:31 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Thu Jun 12th 09:30 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.

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    • Thu Jun 12th 09:18 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Wed Jun 11th 20:55 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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!!
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    • Wed Jun 11th 13:24 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Wed Jun 11th 10:15 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Wed Jun 11th 09:30 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Fri May 30th 10:39 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Fri May 30th 09:14 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Wed May 21st 14:22 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      E*Trade Increases Authorized Shares to 1.2 Billion
      I agree with rl, every day that goes by that this company survives, is another day towards financial recovery, which will eventually return to making a profit. Given the current economy, all the negative news about the company with debt and possible share dilution, and the shorts piling on, ETFC is making a huge statement by merely existing. The financials are the most beaten down in the market down on average 11% for the year, so they also have the most room to gain in the future. While summer does not look to be the answer, the fall could prove to be the rebound and starting to see the share price rise with the financials in general and as well as a company due to the increasing positive balance sheets that are stopping the bleeding from November.
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    • Wed May 21st 12:45 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      E*Trade Increases Authorized Shares to 1.2 Billion
      jackoo, I am basing my assumption on the fact that more accounts are being opened each month and that the share price has not dropped significantly in recent months. I am not making any commentary on the customer service or trading platform, but instead on the company from a liquidity and capital standpoint and number of accounts being created that fled back in Nov and subsequent events. Your beef appears to be with the service of the company which is another issue. Good luck with that.
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    • Wed May 21st 08:39 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      E*Trade Increases Authorized Shares to 1.2 Billion
      I agree with this assessment for the most part that the dilution of shares has been priced in. The issuance of more shares is also key to restructuring the debt and putting the company in a better light as far as capital is concerned. They are poising themselves for a possible takeover in a positive note and it looks like they have survived their near demise back in November. Every day that goes by they are getting back on more solid ground financially and CEO Layton has done an outstanding job in turning this near bankrupt company around in a short period of time. They certainly have a long uphill battle to climb, but they have done the most important and imminent move of restoring confidence to their customers and shareholders and this is reflected in the stock price holding around the $4/share mark and the additional amount of accounts they are adding back to the fold each month.
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    • Mon May 19th 15:14 PM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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.
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    • Fri Mar 14th 10:00 AM | Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      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!
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