As a member of the 10% Promise team, I see all kinds of wild stock moves, but some leave a bigger impression than others. Here are a couple of things that caught my eye this week.
Can I pay myself and call it revenue?
Subsidiaries are commonplace for operations in foreign countries, but having a string of subsidiaries in the U.S. can make an investor's head spin. Especially when they all have "Cheniere" in their name.
The twisted web may have caught up with Cheniere Energy (AMEX: LNG) and subsidiary Cheniere Energy Partners (AMEX: CQP) this week when Centerbridge Partners, a holder of debt in Cheniere's Sabine Pass unit, accused the company of improperly reporting revenue. The question surrounds a web of companies, including marketing and investment arms, and how they are reporting the money that passes among them. Bottom line, Centerbridge thinks Sabine Pass is actually in default on its debt.
The irony is that the allegations aren't what caused this week's move but rather Cheniere Energy's lawsuit claiming defamation, business disparagement, and other causes of action against Centerbridge. If something as seemingly simple as a company's corporate structure is too complicated to understand, maybe I should just stay away.
Chinese companies are tired of being picked on
Scan the tickers of the Nasdaq or NYSE exchanges and you'll run across a slew of Chinese companies trading in the U.S. But an idea that sounded great a few years ago has turned sour, as transparency and fraud by some have put a black eye on a wide swath of companies. As a result, short sellers have moved in, and valuations have suffered compared to U.S. companies that are viewed to be "safer."
China Fire & Security (Nasdaq: CFSG) is one firm sick of being pushed around, and with the help of a private equity firm, it may be leaving public life for a more private existence. As a Chinese company, if your business is really as strong as it appears and you think your shares deserve a loftier valuation, that may be the right move. With a forward P/E of just 6, China Fire certainly seems to think so. China Security & Surveillance (NYSE: CSR) also jumped this week on word the CEO wants to take the company private for $6.50 per share.
I wonder if this will turn into a wave of Chinese firms being bought out by management or private equity firms. It may, but as we've seen with the ongoing battle over China MediaExpress, the trouble is trying to distinguish the studs from the frauds.
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More Interesting Moves This Week:
