SPK- Spark NZ (TELCO)

**RGR367** · 09-06-2015, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Major von Tempsky

I take it Zaphod, RGR and Puggy are all Spark investors? ................

Well, Major von Tempsky, I happen to be one and a long investor of SPK

If you have been reading this thread instead on shouting on the ugliness of Politics on the other non investing thread, you would have read what little or senseless contributions I said too about this stock. FYI, my last bundle that I bought was at $2.70 and I think I paid too much for that

Are you Major major or just a Sergeant Major too, if I may ask

**Puggy** · 09-06-2015, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Major von Tempsky

I take it Zaphod, RGR and Puggy are all Spark investors?

Ex-Investor, Ex-Employee. I clocked eight years working for Telecom watching re-orgs and CEOs come and go where the majority of people given the axe were the ones who were good at their jobs and got on with it but weren't well connected, leaving those of us left over having the carry the extra workload while getting shafted year after year with no pay-rises and only token bonuses. When my time came I took my payout, sold out the shares and moved onto pastures new (not Datacom FYI).

I'd say that qualifies me to speak on Telecom, unless you disagree?

**airedale** · 10-06-2015, 10:33 AM

Thanks for your historical look-back Puggy. You are probably still connected to some of your ex-colleagues. What is your assessment of the present management and CEO and can they carry this company forward profitably?
As for the Major, I don't think that he is a real Major, he sounds more like a crusty old colonel from the Shirtcliffe/Gattung era

**BIRMANBOY** · 10-06-2015, 02:50 PM

As you are probably well aware ..a year in the IT industry is probably akin to 8 years in any other industry...You were well acquainted with Tel...this is a new era and new company..SPK is not TEL. All well and good reminiscing over the "good ole days" but that's all it is...looking back. However I know where you are at..my partner is ex IBM. Hah..getting shafted ...what does that mean? you were only making 90,000 a year?

Originally Posted by Puggy

Ex-Investor, Ex-Employee. I clocked eight years working for Telecom watching re-orgs and CEOs come and go where the majority of people given the axe were the ones who were good at their jobs and got on with it but weren't well connected, leaving those of us left over having the carry the extra workload while getting shafted year after year with no pay-rises and only token bonuses. When my time came I took my payout, sold out the shares and moved onto pastures new (not Datacom FYI).

I'd say that qualifies me to speak on Telecom, unless you disagree?

**Puggy** · 10-06-2015, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by airedale

Thanks for your historical look-back Puggy. You are probably still connected to some of your ex-colleagues. What is your assessment of the present management and CEO and can they carry this company forward profitably?

Hard to say really, as BIRMANBOY below you points out, there's been a fair number of people come and go since my time there, but nothing I've read or heard makes me believe that they've done anything other than some repeated restructures to try and right-size the business, which although sorely overdue, has resulted in throwing out a number of babies along with the bathwater...

I sold my shares when I left since I figured if I didn't like the place enough to work there then its not somewhere I should park my money. Nothing in the last couple of years has made me consider re-investing.

Originally Posted by BIRMANBOY

getting shafted ...what does that mean? you were only making 90,000 a year?

Just a touch more than that. I think at one point it was stated that almost 50% of the staff were making more than 100k p/a on one of our annual reports.

**BIRMANBOY** · 10-06-2015, 05:08 PM

Hah...my heart is bleeding for you and your meagre salary....

...if only someone would insult me in like manner.. SPK has done well for me as an investment, and since that is my point of reference, that has to be my point of judgement. Since 2009 when I first started buying it has not only continuously given me a very healthy dividend (currently 10.06 % gross), but also share price growth as well as the CNU spinoff ..which alone probably contributed 10,000 plus at no cost all in all. So regardless of all the noise that investments make....bottom line is how does it perform financially with the capital you put into it. Since it was up to 3.50 odd not so long ago, I see the current SP as a new opportunity to climb on...Time to take the dog for a new walkies Puggy.

Originally Posted by Puggy

Hard to say really, as BIRMANBOY below you points out, there's been a fair number of people come and go since my time there, but nothing I've read or heard makes me believe that they've done anything other than some repeated restructures to try and right-size the business, which although sorely overdue, has resulted in throwing out a number of babies along with the bathwater...

I sold my shares when I left since I figured if I didn't like the place enough to work there then its not somewhere I should park my money. Nothing in the last couple of years has made me consider re-investing.

Just a touch more than that. I think at one point it was stated that almost 50% of the staff were making more than 100k p/a on one of our annual reports.

**blockhead** · 12-06-2015, 05:19 PM

Interest rates drop and Spk goes back 2.6%, sometimes I just don't get it

**Master98** · 12-06-2015, 05:28 PM

methink Spark is thinking the right timing to start buy-back programme.

**Major von Tempsky** · 12-06-2015, 09:56 PM

Good.
My earlier point was - Why carry, nurture, feed an historical grudge long after it ceases to have any current relevance....And associated with that, I'd much rather see interesting, informative and useful comments from current actual investors.....