> > >> Without continuing the L3 pile-on, one can easily glean from their public >> filings that they have never properly filled out their management depth in >> acquisition absorption and/or sufficiently empowered those folks. The >> billions in revenue lost from acquisitions like Genuity and others have told >> this story more than once. >> >> L3 is not alone in this. Worldcomm's failure to integrate acquisitions led >> to a much larger operational cash need than VZ has shown for the same assets >> (verio, lots of other names here). This is because VZ understands how >> traditional businesses acquire others, better, in my opinion. >> >> Unfortunately, L3 has shown little interest in making the "real world, >> tough business" cuts in heads and absorbing the real (internal) pain of >> acquisitions and seems to have a pretty laissez-faire attitude towards its >> customers, even at its senior management levels (Cxx). I think this will be >> (and has been) the biggest problem for them. Even a possible merger/JV with >> Sprint may not be sufficient to solve that. Their resolution of billing >> disputes is much more typical of WCOM than VZ. >> >> They are a big fish in lots, and lots, of markets. They enjoy being able >> to dictate pricing in them. IMO, however, they don't have the maturity of >> (say, AT&T or others) to take that big fish status and leave you still happy >> with the service. (colloquially: if [good companies] are going to take >> advantage, at least they don't make it more painful than necessary). >> >> Operationally, where you have options (because of pricing, locality, etc) >> it's long-term good to support competitors, diversity in connectivity, etc. >> History has shown time and time again that when an industry consolidates a >> lot of business with a certain vendor, bad things can and do occur. >> >> Deepak Jain >> AiNET >> > Not to mention they have also been the subject of several class action suits for this very reason regarding the integration of acquired assets, or lack thereof:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/The-Shuman-Law-Firm-Announces-pz-14325037.html?x=1 http://finance.yahoo.com/news/The-Pomerantz-Firm-Charges-pz-14430251.html?x=1 http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/090330/0486160.html Adam LaFountain