Replies to post #17040 on China MediaExpress Holdings, Inc. (fka CCME)

[noahfarb]

Both you and Marty make valid points worth considering.

While I understand the logic behind halting the stock, I think that the extreme nature such action would indicate panic to both shareholders and advertising partners. I'm curious if there has been a precedent set my any other companies taking this type of action, and how it worked out. Do you have any knowledge of this?

Marty- just a thought... the fact that CCME operates as Fuzian Fenzhong would seem to insulate them from the negative press directed toward CCME, no?

I think management would be wise to seriously consider these options, but should not act in haste. They should formulate a clear strategy to deal with the stock price manipulation and then methodically execute it. I'm confident this is what they are doing.

[nsomniyak]

People are trying to close the barn door after the horse is gone here. A halt would simply be seen as an admission of lax controls - like NEP had (although the exchange initiated the halt there).

In effect, these guys are saying they want CCME to be public on a part-time basis. That is exactly what we DON'T want.

If you took their arguments to their logical conclusion, all trading in all stocks would halt between the end of a quarter and the time it was reported. Companies whose fiscal year aligned with the calendar year would only trade from Feb 15 to Mar 31, May 15 to June 30, Aug 15 to Sep 30, and Nov 15 to Dec 31.

What many people calling for a halt are also saying is that they don't have the staying power to hold on until the earnings come out. This is past of the problem here--overextended longs, either on margin or Maalox or both, plus people placing short term bets (i.e. February calls). There is an old saying that the market can be irrational longer than you can stay solvent. A corollary to that is that it does you no good to be right in the long term if you go broke in the short term. Shorts were aware of this--reading the boards it was clear that CCME ownership was concentrated among a community of zealots, many of whom went all in on the promise of a squeeze when the stock rose to 20 and above. That was one reason CCME was a pretty fat target for them.

All of that said, in addition to holding CCME common I have some MARCH calls which are down from their value as of two weeks ago. Assuming CCME's earnings come out before March 19, those still have good potential and I will continue to hold them. I wouldn't touch the February calls.