Monday, November 5, 2012

TECH WRECK - GRPN UPDATE



COUPONS EVERYWHERE
In November of 2011 I posted an update on Groupon and essentially said it was terrible as it made its IPO debut.

A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH

Ultimately I felt that Groupon (GRPN) was a strong short because its business model was easy to replicate and it really wasn't fairly valued after its IPO which vaulted it into the stratosphere.  I made the argument that GRPN was simply a tech bubble fantasy that would crash back to earth.

A ZERO?
In early November, Groupon reached a price of $30.00 a share and on the 22nd of November it was already trading at $22.  In my year-end kickoff post, CONFIDENCE LOST, 13 PREDICTIONS FOR 2012, I went further as I wrapped up the article with the following quote;

"Groupon will be one firm that is out of business in the next 5 years and therefore it is clearly an equity to focus on (to short) if it can ever gain any traction and get a bounce."

Let's check back in on this great technology story and check out where it is trading and where it might be headed.  Please examine the chart below;




WHERE IS IT HEADED?
I will spare you the sophisticated technical analysis on this $3.90 stock, and summarize this view on GRPN with this final thought on "Groupon still hasn't formed a bottom".

OTHER TECH NAMES
As I wrote in an recent article, I have softened on LinkedIn (LNKD), I think that is one of the few "internet firms" that has a real business and could be amazing.  The chart looks ok here too, unless it falls through $101.  I love to shop using Priceline (PCLN), but that chart looks really shortable after the monster gap up last week.

THE FUTURE
The election is tomorrow and I am simply praying that God would give us the candidate that he has for us rather than the leader we are asking for.  I'll give you a hint about the people of Israel, it didn't work out very well when Saul was named their king.

1 Samuel 8: 6-20


But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[a] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”



Have a great week


GOATMUG

Goatmug is an investor that cares about you and your family. Goatmug's Blog - Financial Perspectives From The Mountain Top is a collection of thoughts on our economy and how it impacts the lives of investors and average people. While several specific investments are named in many of his posts, these articles are simply invitations for you to do your own research and reference to these securities does not constitute financial advice. Your situation is complex and unique and you should seek professional assistance with your trading and investing. Please visit Goatmug and share your comments athttp://www.goatmug.blogspot.com/