WSJ: The Internet Is Dead (As An Investment)

[drgrey]

The Internet Is Dead (As An Investment) - WSJ.com

 

[bmugford]

This is the type of article I would expect from the WSJ and old world media.

Brad

 

[lincolndsp]

let's see what they'll write about in 2 years.

 

[mhdoc]

Probably a good reference to save for a future book on dumb predictions.

 

[Jaco]

The articles author- James Altucher- lists him as being a partner in "Formula Capital".
Portfolio.com lists their website as FormulaCapital.com

When I navigated to "FormulaCapital.com", I got a 403.

In checking the availability of the "FormulaCapital" keyphrase, I see that this "alternative asset manager" didn't bother to secure the .net, .org or .us, which are all presently sitting out there, for reg.

In looking up the whois, the author is indeed the registrant.

So, here we have a guy who's proffering 'expert opinion' about the internet who, by all immediately apparent external measures, kinda sucks at using it in the most basic ways.

A bio of the dude says that indeed, he owned a company that designed corp websites during bubble 1.0, but he eventually lost all his money, only to regain it back by selling Stockpickr.com (awesome domain name... lol) http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/james-altucher-strikes-again/

 

[bmugford]

I think WSJ should just stick to their wonderful advice on investing in can't miss companies like Bear Stears, AIG, Lehman, etc.

Brad

 

[jaydub]

Wall Street is dead....without taxpayer assistance ...just print that WSJ....

Time these guys got off their high horses...

 

[j6942]

I think WSJ should just stick to their wonderful advice on investing in can't miss companies like Bear Stears, AIG, Lehman, etc.

Brad

LOL, good one. Seriously though, it looks like he is referring to stock investments and I'd have to agree with what he's saying. Are MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter making any money? How will they make money in the future? Subscription model? Ads? I dunno.

Google is replacing microsoft and Amazon is sort of like Walmart.
Netflix is the new blockbuster? (both troubled companies IMHO)

Things definitely aren't as hot as they used to be for domain name money making and the flipping potential of the lower tier names are much lower now.

Look at how quiet these forums have gotten. I was lurking when the LLLL.com buyout was coming and these forums were humming. I think there is a direct correlation between the level of forum activity and domain namer profitability/perceived profit potential.

 

[ecalc]

Altucher's internet stock comments are rational and the market agrees. Investors are paying mid-teen ttm p/e ratios for moderate growth large caps like CSCO, MSFT & EBAY and higher p/e's for faster growth and promise/smoke/mirrors. Nothing new, not old media tunnel vision, not dumb predictions, just another auction market. New internet giants are rising and yet to be born but few investors are lucky or smart enough to pick winners early and make good buy/sell decisions. Investment deals are everywhere and most of them are not pure internet plays.

 

[domian_buyer101]

good read.

 

[TylerW]

Very interesting article..I have a really hard time believing much of what is in this thing is true...It just seems like their are a lot more holes in other parts of the business world than the internet...just doesn't all add up to me.

 

[Scott Davis]

I guess the WSJ writer never invested in domains. One of my hand regged domains from the 1990's that cost $100. just got a $100,000 offer. Please show me how many stocks have that kind of return.

But hey, do we really want all those investors reading the WSJ on here with the same ideas - I think not