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Yes, I learned this fact painfully. I bailed on my IPO AMZN shares because they kept taking on massive debt. Just didn't have the stomach for it. Of course, th

Yes, I learned this fact painfully. I bailed on my IPO AMZN shares because they kept taking on massive debt. Just didn't have the stomach for it. Of course, that was 2004, about 1/20 of today's price. <sigh>

simonsarris 9y ago
I wouldn't take it too badly,* its not as if there's no risk to taking on billions of debt, so if you feel something is too risky for your investing dollars, maybe you did the right thing for you at the time. If you don't think they (Musk, Bezos, I wish I could think of a failed example![1]) can spend it wisely. The interesting thing to me is that we know that Tim Cook (and other cash rich companies sorry to pick on Apple) cannot spend the money wisely. And they know it too. That's why it's sitting there, where "sitting there" is the best ROI they can think of so far. I think the existence of such large cash piles should worry us all more than it does. * just kidding if I bought AMZN at IPO and sold it I'd take it pretty badly. [1] thought of one. If you don't remember pets.com, you owe yourself a treat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets.com
- 11thEarlOfMar 9y ago
  I guess today's theme is "how to flagellate oneself with memories of painful investing lessons". Not only remembering Pets.com, which I avoided, how about TGLO or CMTN, which I did not... I had to sell CMTN at a 101% loss. Figure that one out. TheGlobe.com was as much a laughing stock as Pets. The best thing to come out of The Bubble was this eTrade commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_tfoTTGOQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_tfoTTGOQ At least the absolute $s weren't that big for me at the time. And the lessons formed a base of experience that served me well as I had more to invest. It's been much better since.
mrtron 9y ago
For a few select few companies, I see the constant investment (and increasing debt) as an opportunity. The general market will undervalue the performance of the company. AMZN was undervalued for years, and potentially still is, for this reason.
justadeveloper2 9y ago
I passed up a job there when they were opening up for the first time. That's life.

simonsarris 9y ago

I wouldn't take it too badly,* its not as if there's no risk to taking on billions of debt, so if you feel something is too risky for your investing dollars, maybe you did the right thing for you at the time. If you don't think they (Musk, Bezos, I wish I could think of a failed example![1]) can spend it wisely. The interesting thing to me is that we know that Tim Cook (and other cash rich companies sorry to pick on Apple) cannot spend the money wisely. And they know it too. That's why it's sitting there, where "sitting there" is the best ROI they can think of so far. I think the existence of such large cash piles should worry us all more than it does. * just kidding if I bought AMZN at IPO and sold it I'd take it pretty badly. [1] thought of one. If you don't remember pets.com, you owe yourself a treat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pets.com

11thEarlOfMar 9y ago
I guess today's theme is "how to flagellate oneself with memories of painful investing lessons". Not only remembering Pets.com, which I avoided, how about TGLO or CMTN, which I did not... I had to sell CMTN at a 101% loss. Figure that one out. TheGlobe.com was as much a laughing stock as Pets. The best thing to come out of The Bubble was this eTrade commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_tfoTTGOQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0_tfoTTGOQ At least the absolute $s weren't that big for me at the time. And the lessons formed a base of experience that served me well as I had more to invest. It's been much better since.

mrtron 9y ago

For a few select few companies, I see the constant investment (and increasing debt) as an opportunity. The general market will undervalue the performance of the company. AMZN was undervalued for years, and potentially still is, for this reason.

justadeveloper2 9y ago

I passed up a job there when they were opening up for the first time. That's life.