Why is it that so many times people take pictures of me, I come out looking like the Goodyear
One company looking to improve its corporate angle is Eastman Kodak
The consolidation and closure of these manufacturing plants is consistent with similar actions in Kodak's operations in the U.S., Canada, China, Mexico, and Australia. The digital photography craze has been leveraged by companies such as Canon
However, if you want to just look back on Kodak's mistakes, then investing in the company would probably be out of the picture. Wall Street and investors are adept at punishing companies that drive off the road, but they can also be equally as accurate at rewarding hard work and perseverance.
The bottom line is that Kodak has a brand name that is as recognizable as Microsoft
Kodak has also introduced a new $199 EasyShare printer that has the capability to be accessed by Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh digital cameras. There aren't many things easier than taking a picture, plopping the camera down on a docking station, and printing out a color photo.
While Kodak's shares are not cheap (trading at 13 times the 2004 estimate of $2.51 per share), earnings are expected to grow at 8% this year, and the current dividend yield is an attractive 1.49%. With the company finally headed in the right direction, it appears that it will be only a matter of time before its prospects become clear and in focus again.
Take a digital picture of these other takes:
Fool contributor Phil Wohl spent more than 12 years on Wall Street and loves to take memorable pictures. He does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned.