More Dell-ays (CELL)

Posted: December 15, 2006 at 8:10 am

From Willaim Trent, CFA of Stock Market Beat

We recently outlined the somewhat cloudy case for whether DELL is cooking the books. We came away unconvinced, at least with regard to warranty reserve issues. Still, what we think is of little significance with the SEC breathing down the company’s neck. Dell Delays 3rd-Quarter Filing: Financial News – Yahoo! Finance:

Computer and server maker Dell Inc. said Thursday it is delaying the filing of its full third-quarter results as it continues to investigate some of its accounting practices.In a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dell said it was delaying its quarterly report for the period ended Nov. 3 because of questions raised during investigations by the SEC and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The investigation covers reserves and other balance sheet items that could affect previous results.

The delay leaves investors with little hard data to go on other than a very stale January quarter financial statement that appears likely to be revised. And that is a very flimsy basis indeed.

Disclosure: Author is short DELL put options.

The author may hold a position in the securities discussed. The author’s current holdings are as follows: Long: FedEx (FDX) put options; Intuit (INTU) put options; Nasdaq 100 (QQQQ) put options; Bookham (BKHM; Ballard Power (BLDP); Syntax Brillian (BRLC); CMGI (CMGI); Genentech (DNA); Ion Media Networks (ION); Lion’s Gate (LGF); Three Five Systems (TFS); Adobe Systems (ADBE) call options; IShares Japan (EWJ); StreetTracks Gold (GLD); Starbucks (SBUX); U.S. Oil Fund (USO); Plantronics (PLT) call options; Short: Ceradyne (CRDN) put options; Lion’s Gate (LGF) call options; Dell (DELL) put options; Plantronics (PLT) put options

http://stockmarketbeat.com/blog1/

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