Dell warns stockholders that Icahn's plan would 'hamstring' company

The battle for control of Dell between the company's eponymous founder and investor Carl Icahn is in its endgame, with both sides making last-ditch attempts to win over stockholders for Thursday's vote on Michael Dell's plans to take the firm private again. That's if the vote happens, of course. Several media outlets have …

[User McUser]

I hope Carl fails

I *really* don't want to have to start buying HP desktops at work...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I hope Carl fails

Really ? they are better than smell any day of the week.

[Down not across]

"While not a Dell shareholder, this hack reckons that Michael Dell's offer is going to be better in the long run for investors."

Most likely. Dell (the man) is likely to try to make Dell (the company) succeed if at all possible. Burning less of the cash reserves would leave he company more operating capital.

Icahn, on the other hand, will most likely plan for quick exit strategy whilst maximising his own profit from the deal. With his offer the company would be crippled with debt that I can't see it being able to afford.

[Mage]

I thought Icahn was a serial asset stripper rather than an investor in it for the long haul.

I'm surprised he didn't recycle Eircom a few years ago.

Putting real money in = Investing

Putting debt in = asset stripping, not investing.

[Herby]

If Ichan wins...

...Dell's competitors are the ones who will win. Of course if one roots for Dell's competitors one could easily make a case for Icahn's bid.

Me? If Ichan wins, selling Dell stock short might be a good strategy. At the very least, selling what you have would be an easy decision! Maybe that is what the other investors who are backing the bid will do. The problem is who will be a sucker to buy the shares. It won't be Ichan with the debt he is piling up!

Good luck with a long term strategy Carl! You will need it!

[M. B.]

I am quite literally...

...at this very moment waiting for a Dell Active System 1000 build workbook to arrive in my Inbox. I was actually quite pleased with the Dell hardware and some of the software products as well, but I told my director going into this that an Icahn win would mean opening the doors wide for the HP and VCE reps to duke it out. I'm really quite fond of my Dell folks locally and hope Mikey D comes out on top.

[Pascal Monett]

Company founder on one hand, vultures on the other

I don't really see that there is a choice in the matter. Shareholders are obviously much better off with the man who founded the company, given that the alternative is a person who has the history of a financial vulture.

Besides, I must admit that I'd rather see Michael Dell at the head of Dell Enterprise. That way, whether failure or success, it will be his legacy.

If Icahn gets his hands on Dell, the company is sure to go the HP way (i.e. to shame and ridicule).

[Tom 13]

Re: the company is sure to go the HP way

Actually, I'd expect it to be more of a Kodak moment.