November 21, 2002

 

 

  Headlines---

 

Pictures from the Past---1988---Millerbis and Possehl

    Classified---Jobs Wanted-Credit to Finance

      U.S. Housing Starts Fall 11.4% - October 2002

         Streamlined Sales Tax Update--Dennis Brown, ELA

   Great Christmas Gift---or Reward to a Colleague for business or recommendation

    ITAA ---The New Customer for Equipment/Software Leasing

      Out of 1,500 B2B, only 200 to Survive--Beth Cox, Internetnews.com

       Irwin Financial Fourth Quarter Dividend

         HP Reports Strong Profit 4th Quarter/Financial Services up 5%

           Siemens Fin. Services Names Lowry Fenton & Steven Taylor VP's

 

  ### Denotes Press Release

 

   New Section Tomorrow---Recommendations

 

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Pictures from the Past---1988---Millerbis and Possehl

 

1988 WAEL (Western Association of Equipment Leasing President ) Ben Millerbis, CLP (left) of Pentech Financial Services passes the gavel to 1989 President-elect Jim Possehl, CLP of Republic Financial Corporation during the Annual Business Meeting at Lake Tahoe Conference.

 

 

 

Classified---Jobs Wanted—Credit to Finance

 

Credit: Los Angeles, CA

Over 15 years experience in Credit/Operations with Small Ticket and transactions up to $500,000.00. CLP, with excellent relationships with most major lenders. Email:jonbh123@earthlink.net

 

Credit:New York, NY.

V.P.Credit & Collections w/23 years exp.looking for a situation where I can utilize my varied & extensive knowledge of credit/ collections/risk-management & leasing. Email:rcouzzi@yahoo.com

 

Credit: Mill Valley, CA

Senior corporate officer with financial services credit background. M and A, fund raising and workout expertise. Email:nywb@aol.com

 

Credit: Vista, CA

+15 years experience structuring, underwriting, and collecting leases to privately and publicly held companies. Creative and results oriented. Proven ability to achieve bottom-line results. Email:dkalitow@pacbell.net

 

Finance: Lyndhurst, NJ

CFO w/20+ years leasing/financing. Respected by lenders/rating agencies full & fair financial reporting. Outstanding record restructuring debt. Adept at investor relations and mentoring people. Email:joemcdev@aol.com

 

Finance: Atlanta, GA

Twenty five plus years experience in middle market lease/ asset based/cash flow transactions. Heavy banking and credit background, with particular expertise in structure and negotiation. Email:brown235@bellsouth.net

 

http://65.209.205.32/LeasingNews/JobPosting.htm

 

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 U.S. Housing Starts Fall 11.4% - October 2002

 

 Largest Drop Since 1994---except for the West

 

“main concern looking forward is the potential for disinflation (slow growth in inflation”

 

US Government Report with Economic Forecast

 

Although starts fell 11.4%, to 1.6 million (SAAR), the housing market remains much healthier than the rest of the economy.  Single-family activity fell 7% (1.35 million SAAR) from a very strong September number, while the more volatile multi family sector fell 29%.    All regions posted losses except the West, which was up a modest 3.6%. There were double digit decreases in the Northeast (-18.8%), Midwest (-19.5%), while the South (-14.5%).   Permits, an indicator of future activity, were actually up 1.7%.

 

Analysis and outlook:  The housing market remains in good shape, thanks to very attractive mortgage rates, continuing, albeit slower income growth for most households, and price appreciation of real estate.    Mortgage rates (30 year fixed as reported by Freddie Mac) have hit new historical lows seven times this year, and now stand slightly below 6% at time of writing.  And, the refinancing boom is supporting consumer spending, partly compensating for the recent slowing in income growth.    Mortgage demand remains very strong, so lower consumer confidence and a flat job market are not hurting demand for housing yet.  

 

The main concern looking forward is the potential for disinflation (slow growth in inflation - not to be confused with deflation or an across the board drop in  prices).  The problem with disinflation is that firms have little pricing power to recoup rising costs, and if you have lots of debt, the burden of paying it off becomes onerous.  In such an environment, cost cutting, including more layoffs, becomes the norm.  The problem is exacerbated by the fact that we have too much capacity in most commodities (lumber, panels, engineered wood products, steel, aluminum, computers, chips, telecommunications equipment, ….). 

 

Furthermore, with the exception of a few countries (Canada, South Korea, and a few SE Asian countries including China), the U.S., even with slow growth, is still the strongest of the major economies.  Most of Europe is either in recession or headed there, while Japan is back in recession again.  That means offshore economies won't provide much help (e.g. export potential) for the U.S. economy in the near future.   In fact, most of the world will be shipping as many products as they can to the U.S. to shore up their economies.

 

Looking forward, housing should continue to be the main economic driver, although with each passing month, the consensus forecast for 2003 drops a little.  The consensus (NAHB, RISI, and the big banks) is now about 1.6 million total starts with 1.3 million single family.  The key for the U.S. economy in 2003 is consumer spending (as usual) because business spending isn't expected to strengthen until 2004 according to most analysts.

 

 The "challenging business environment" means the "jobless recovery" will probably continue into 2003, and that means income growth will be weaker than it has been for some time.  Furthermore, wealth loss in the stock market will impact spending to some degree too.  Overall, consumer spending is expected to slow next year, and that means weaker remodeling activity too.

 

  Despite all this, housing is expected to remain relatively healthy, fueled by low interest rates and favorable demographics.  Furthermore, the mid term election results should accelerate decision making by our Federal government, and that may mean progress in favorable tax legislation, homeland security, and other matters that impact consumer (and business) confidence which is needed to support consumer spending.   

 

 

from Carl Villella,Jr , CLP

 Onyx Capital Corporation

CVillella@msn.com

 

 

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Streamlined Sales Tax Update - Implementation Questions & January Meetings

   Dennis Brown, Equipment Leasing Association

 

Issues covered in this update are:

 

 

 

Questions About The System

SSTP Meets In January

NCSL Task Force Meets In January

Questions About The System

 

 http://www.leasingnews.org/articles.doc/newsletter9.htm

 

The Executive Committee of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project has requested questions from the business community relating to implementation and administration of the new sales tax system.  Steve Kranz at the Council On State Taxation (COST) has agreed to compile these issues for submission to the Project.

 

 Please forward issues you wish addressed to Steve Kranz at SKranz@statetax.org

 

As stated in a previous update, questions that arise about the system could fill billboards with 12-point type. Some examples of the concerns expressed by business are provided below.  Please send your questions to Steve Kranz so they can be presented to the Project.

 

If vendors are held harmless for errors in the system does the burden fall on the purchaser for penalties on an audit?

The audit process has not been defined.  Will the system hire a 3rd party? 

What are the standards for a Model 1 Certified Service Provider (CSP) contracted as an agent to perform all sales tax functions for businesses volunteering to join the system?

As states debate the model legislation, who will resolve questions that arise about specific provisions of the Agreement?

SSTP Meets In January

 

 

The Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP or Project) will meet Thursday and Friday, January 23-24, 2003 in Tampa, Florida.  The sessions will begin at 8:30 am on Thursday and continue until 4:00 pm on Friday.  The agenda is being developed for distribution by December 1.  However, it may include a special public session on Thursday morning for those wishing to learn more about telecom issues. 

The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Tampa Downtown, located at 211 North Tampa Street about six miles from the airport.  A block of rooms has been set-aside for Wednesday and Thursday nights (Jan. 22-23), and a limited number of rooms are available for Friday and Saturday evenings.  The rate is $93 single/$118 double plus tax. Please make your hotel reservations directly by calling 813/225-1234; be certain to indicate you are part of the FTA Streamlined Sales Tax meeting room block to receive the appropriate rate.  The cut-off for making reservations is December 18, 2002. 

 

The registration fee for the meeting will be $200.   The fee will cover breakfast and lunch on both Thursday and Friday as well as the requisite breaks.  You may register (and pay if possible) online at http://www.taxexchange.org/meet/0103sales.taf

 

 

NCSL Task Force Meets In January

 

 

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Task Force monitoring the Project will meet in conjunction with the NCSL Executive Committee in Tucson, Arizona on Friday and Saturday, January 24-25.  The potential congressional linkage of Business Activity Tax protections with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement drafted SSTP may be the primary focus of their attention.

 

 

Dennis Brown

Equipment Leasing Association

 

http://www.leasingnews.org/articles.doc/newsletter9.htm

 

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Great Christmas Gift---or Reward to a Colleague for business or recommendation:

 

 

Power Tools for Successful Leasing—

 

the acclaimed book adopted for Equipment Leasing Association workshops, and  on the recommended reading list for CLP and CAUCUS certification programs, as well as

Leasing News book recommendation.  http://two.leasingnews.org/Books.htm

Technology Leasing: Power Tools for Lessees--(c) 2002, the unique lessee focused book

on the recommended reading list for CAUCUS certification.

 

Both titles are available through year-end at the reduced price of $59.95 each, with

shipping and handling waived.

 

Orders may be placed by phone (815.753.1116), secure fax (630.365.5602) or email

(phdleasing@fastmail.fm

 

In addition, over 70 leasing websites and a dozen leasing articles are available for

complimentary download at www.leasingpress.com

 

James M. Johnson, Ph.D.

Graduate School, Northern Illinois University

www.leasingpress.com

 

Barry S. Marks, Esq.

Berkowitz, Lefkovits, Isom & Kushner

www.leasingpress.com

 

 

ITAA ---The New Customer for Equipment/Software Leasing

 

http://www.itaa.org/about/index.cfm

 

Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) web site.

 

“With the market in 2001 spending over $800 billion, Information Technology (IT) is one of America's fastest growing industries, encompassing computers, software, telecommunications products and services, Internet and online services, systems integration, and professional services companies. Located just across the river from the nation's capital in Arlington, Va., ITAA today is the only trade association representing the broad spectrum of the world-leading U.S. IT industry.

 

“The ITAA web site provides information about the IT industry, its issues, association programs, publications, meetings, seminars and more...plus links to other valuable web sites. Enjoy your visit and check back periodically because the industry is not only fast growing...but fast changing. The ITAA Home Page can be your best stop on the Internet for industry news and perspective. It's also a great way to get to know the Association and its many valuable programs.”

 

 

 

 

Out of 1,500 B2B, only 200 to Survive

 

By Beth Cox  Internet.com

 

Of an estimated 1,500 B2B exchanges operating in 2000, only about 200 will survive through 2003 if the current shakeout trend continues, according to a new research study.

 

The study, entitled "Shakeouts in Digital Markets: Lessons from B2B Exchanges," tracks what it calls the "amazingly compressed boom- to-bust cycle" for Internet startups in B2B markets.

 

The research report was prepared by Prof. George S. Day of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Pembroke Consulting President Adam J. Fein.

 

"Our study of eight industries found only 43 percent of independent B2B exchanges survived between April 2000 and July 2002," said Fein. "B2B exchanges thought they had a great value proposition but actually misdiagnosed their advantage versus existing ways of doing business."

 

"One venture capitalist behind a prominent industrial supplies B2B exchange was reluctantly forced to admit: 'We thought buyers would want to surf the Web for industrial supplies, but they had other priorities'," Fein said. "This site was shut down after more than $50 million had been invested."

 

What happened to burst this particular portion of the Internet bubble?

 

"B2B exchanges were late movers -- not first movers," Fein said. "They couldn't replace longstanding relationships in the B2B supply chain between customers and their distributors."

 

"B2B exchanges discovered that their greatest competition was not other exchanges, but rather existing ways of doing business," Fein said. "Business customers are reluctant to disrupt systems that work, even if those systems are costly or inefficient."

 

According to Fein a "first mover advantage" versus another exchange was relatively meaningless compared with the hurdle of competing against an in-place system of buyers, wholesaler- distributors, brokers, and other manufacturers.

 

"Business customers care more about getting the right product at the right time than about saving a few incremental percentage points on price by perusing an online site that lacks access to their preferred brands," he said.

 

"Only a handful of exchanges (and suppliers) such as FreeMarkets (Quote, Company Info) ... have capitalized on the breakthrough possibilities of the Internet," Fein said.

 

FreeMarkets, whose software has been hailed for successfully enabling companies to save money on goods and services by aggregating big orders and purchasing online, recently reported its third-quarter net loss narrowed to $3 million, or 7 cents a share, from a loss of $7.9 million, or 20 cents a share a year ago.

 

Indeed, many B2B exchanges and related companies are just gone, and others are hanging on by their fingernails. Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric (Quote, Company Info) sold off its GE Global eXchange Services B2B unit last June. And Goldman, Sachs at one point bravely predicted a $1.5 trillion B2B playing field in the United States by 2004.

 

And VerticalNet (Quote, Company Info), for example, once a player in the business exchange software game, has recently seen its CEO and CFO step down and talk is the firm is looking for a buyer, according to a recent article at eMarketect.com.

 

Pierre Mitchell, an analyst at independent research and analysis firm AMR Research, goes on to say in his VerticalNet piece that "companies are buying tactically, and concerns about vendor viability indeed loom large."

 

Who will the winners be?

 

Fein said that "our study identifies three winning types of players: adaptive survivors who find a protected niche by retooling their strategy for re-formed markets; ... incumbents who acquire the assets of pure-play companies at steep discounts; and pure play start-ups that capitalize on their early mover advantages in breakthrough markets."

 

The full results of the study will be published in a forthcoming edition of "California Management Review," which is published by the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley.

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Irwin Financial Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter Dividend

 

 

COLUMBUS, Indiana -- -- Irwin Financial Corporation (NYSE: IFC) today announced a dividend of $0.0675 per share to be paid on December 27, 2002, to all shareholders of record on December 13, 2002. The dividend rate is a $0.0025 per share or 3.8% increase as compared with the dividend paid in the fourth quarter of 2001.

 

Irwin Financial Corporation (www.irwinfinancial.com) is an interrelated group of specialized financial services companies organized as a bank holding company, with a history tracing to 1871. The Corporation, through its five subsidiaries -- Irwin Home Equity Corporation, Irwin Mortgage Corporation, Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company, Irwin Capital Holdings, and Irwin Ventures LLC -- provides a broad range of consumer and commercial financial services in selected markets nationwide.

 

 

CONTACT:

Suzie Singer

Irwin Financial Corporation

Phone Number: (812) 376-1917

 

 

 ( courtesy ELAonline.com)

 

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HP Reports Strong Profit 4th Quarter/Financial Services up 5%

 

 

PALO ALTO, Calif.----HP (NYSE:HPQ)

 

    --  Revenue of $18 billion, up 9% sequentially

 

    --  All businesses and regions post sequential revenue growth

 

    --  Strong gross margin improvement

 

    --  Significant sequential operating profit improvement in

 

        Enterprise Systems, Personal Systems, HP Services and Imaging

 

        and Printing

 

    --  Solid sequential improvement in channel inventories overall

 

    --  Pro Forma EPS $0.24; GAAP EPS $0.13

 

    --  Meeting or exceeding integration targets

 

    --  Affirms current Q1 consensus estimates

 

Financial Services

 

HP Financial Services offers leasing and financial asset management services to HP customers worldwide, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Revenue was $537 million, up 5% sequentially and down 1% year over year on a combined company basis, with strong results in North America. Operating margin for the segment was negative 18.8%, compared to negative 4.7% last quarter and negative 9.3% in the prior year. Included in the quarter were bad debt expenses of $116 million due in large part to economic deterioration in Latin America. Growth in the quarter was further constrained by tightened credit terms and conditions. Total assets stayed relatively constant quarter to quarter, reflecting a slower market and the relative maturity of the legacy HP portfolio.

 

 

fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31, 2002. The company reported fourth quarter revenue of $18.0 billion, compared to $16.5 billion in the prior quarter. Sequentially, revenue increased 9%, while pro forma gross margin increased from 25.7% to 26.6%. GAAP gross margin increased from 24.9% to 26.5%.

 

Pro forma operating expenses as a percent of revenue were down sequentially from 22.5% to 21.7% of net revenue, reflecting progress in merger-related value-capture savings, which were offset in part by costs for the employee performance bonus program, provisions for bad debt, increased R&D and marketing expenditures in the Imaging and Printing segment and currency effects. GAAP operating expenses as a percent of revenue were down sequentially from 39.9% to 24.1% of net revenue, primarily as a result of higher one-time charges for restructuring, in-process research and development and merger-related charges in the prior quarter.

 

Pro forma earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was 24 cents, compared to 14 cents in the third quarter and 8 cents in the year-ago period on a combined company basis. (1) This represents a pro forma net earnings improvement of 72% sequentially and 203% year over year. GAAP net earnings before extraordinary items improved 364% year over year.

 

Reported GAAP EPS was 13 cents per diluted share, versus a loss of 67 cents last quarter and a loss on a combined company basis of 17 cents in the year ago period. Pro forma EPS reflects a $331 million adjustment on an after-tax basis, or 11 cents on a diluted per share basis. The pre-tax pro forma adjustment includes a $150 million restructuring charge; $151 million of amortization of goodwill and purchased intangible assets; and $155 million for other merger-related items.

 

"We are proud of our progress," said Carly Fiorina, HP chairman and chief executive officer. "We delivered solid results in a tough market. The HP team is executing, customers are responding and we're beginning to deliver on the promise of the merger. We feel good about our trajectory."

 

"HP's revenue grew sequentially in every business and in every region," Fiorina stated. "Operating profit improved sequentially in Enterprise Systems, Personal Systems, HP Services, and Imaging and Printing. Cost structure improvements are helping us compete more aggressively, improve our market position and grow top line revenues; and HP generated $1.5 billion in cash from operations in the quarter."

 

Personal Systems cut its operating loss by more than 50 percent sequentially, continued to make progress in direct distribution, stabilized the channel with HP's new partnerONE program, grew sequentially in both consumer and commercial PCs, managed channel inventories lower, and reinforced the company's leadership in innovation with successful new product launches.

 

Enterprise Systems showed solid revenue and profit improvement in a weak IT market with quarter-over-quarter growth in every region and in every business unit, reducing operating losses by more than 60% sequentially. HP Services returned to double-digit profitability in the quarter and posted continued good growth in managed services. Meanwhile, Imaging and Printing posted another record quarter with double-digit sequential growth in revenue and profit in every region, and revenue and share gains across all businesses.

 

HP's 30 largest new business contracts in the quarter - with an average value of more than $120 million each - represent more than $3.7 billion in new long-term revenue.

 

"Six months into the merger, HP has completed the alignment of our global sales force with a single compensation plan, met or exceeded all integration targets, introduced over 100 new products, added roughly 1,400 patents to our worldwide patent portfolio of over 17,000 patents, introduced comprehensive three-year product roadmaps and managed complex product transitions - all while relentlessly focusing on customers," Fiorina said.

 

"We're cutting costs, boosting productivity, delivering more for our customers and shareowners, and investing in the future. Our strategy is working and we're picking up momentum," Fiorina stated.

 

Merger related cost savings for the second half of 2002 were $651 million, 30% above plan. The company completed 12,500 net workforce reductions in the half, 25% above plan. Of the $651 million of merger-related costs savings, $257 million came from workforce reductions, $243 million from direct and indirect procurement savings, and $151 million from other savings, including marketing program cuts and facilities closures in conjunction with our restructuring plans. The company continues to target $3.0 billion of total cost savings. The company is on track to meet 17,900 targeted job reductions by the end of fiscal 2003, in part due to an additional 1,100 positions that are part of a voluntary workforce reduction primarily in Japan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2002.

 

 

Asset Management

 

HP exited the quarter with $11.8 billion in gross cash, which includes cash and cash equivalents and short-and long-term cash investments. Inventory ended the quarter at $5.8 billion, a sequential increase of $229 million over Q3. Trade receivables also increased $285 million from the prior quarter to $8.5 billion. Cash generated from operations for the quarter was $1.5 billion, reflecting strong operational results and minimal cash needs for inventory and receivables. In addition, the company funded its pension plan with approximately $360 million in the quarter and paid down $656 million in short-term and long-term debt throughout the quarter. HP's dividend of $0.08 in the fourth quarter resulted in a cash use of $244 million. In addition, HP repurchased $125 million of stock.

 

Outlook

 

For the first quarter 2003, HP affirmed Wall Street consensus estimates of $18.4 billion in revenue and $0.27 earnings per share on a pro forma basis.

 

The company noted that spending for brand and demand generation advertising would be stepped up in first half 2003 over second half 2002. In addition, the company said it would incur additional expenses in the quarter associated with aligning Compaq retirement programs with those of HP.

 

More information on this quarter's earnings is available on HP's Investor Relations site at http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/investor/financials/quarters/.

 

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SIEMENS FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. NAMES LOWRY FENTON AND STEVEN TAYLOR AS VICE PRESIDENTS OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE VENDOR SERVICES DIVISION

 

 

BRIDGEWATER, NJ,– Siemens Financial Services, Inc. (SFS) today announced that Lowry Fenton and Steven Taylor have been named Vice President of Business Development for the Vendor Services Division. In their new roles, Lowry and Steven will be developing new customer finance programs for manufacturers and software providers in the Western and Midwestern regions respectively. Lowry will be headquartered in San Francisco, and Steven in Troy, MI.

 

Siemens Financial Services Vendor Services Division offers proven customer financing solutions for companies in a broad set of industries. The addition of these experienced industry veterans to the team will greatly enhance the support SFS provides to its vendor clients.

“I am certain that Lowry and Steve's background in developing customer financing programs and their familiarity with their respective regional markets, will play a prominent role in the growth and success of our vendor business at SFS,” said Jeff Teucke, Vice President and General Manager of the Vendor Services Division.

Lowry Fenton comes to Siemens Financial Services with more than twenty years of experience in the leasing industry. In the past six years, Lowry was an essential part of building Oracle Finance into one of the leading captive finance companies in the world.

 

Steven Taylor integrates over twenty years of leasing expertise and contacts to the team, having been a key player in the origination and management of customer financing programs for a number of well known IT manufacturers. Steven most recently held several senior level sales and marketing positions with industry leaders Heller Financial and Dana Commercial Credit.

 

About Siemens Financial Services

 

Siemens Financial Services, comprised of Siemens AG’s worldwide independently operated financial services affiliates, is an international financial services provider with a strong customer focus and more than 1,100 employees in over 30 countries, offering customized financial solutions ranging from sales and investment financing to fund management.

 

Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), headquartered in Munich, is a leading global electronics and engineering company. It employs 426,000 people in 192 countries and reported worldwide sales of more than $84 billion in fiscal 2002 (10/1/01 - 9/30/02). The United States is Siemens' largest market in the world, with sales of more than $21 billion in fiscal 2002 and more than 74,000 employees in all 50 states. Corporate headquarters for Siemens' U.S. businesses are located in New York City. For more information: www.usa.siemens.com

 

 

CONTACT:

Cheryl Dentale

SIEMENS FINANCIAL SERVICES

Phone Number: (908) 429-6033

 

 

 ( courtesy ELAonline.com )

 

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COMPUTER SALES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
St. Louis, Missouri

has acquired

PANTHUS LEASING GmbH
Frankfurt, Germany

The undersigned initiated this transaction and served as exclusive financial advisor to a major stakeholder in Panthus Leasing GmbH.

Kropschot
Financial Services


116 Estuary Drive
Vero Beach, FL. 32963
(772)234-4544

309 Windfern Court
Millersville, Maryland 21108
(410)729-1800

Advisors in Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Finance

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