Anyone here sell Radio Shack Short lately?

[BettinBilly]

I missed this one and shame on me for ignoring all the signs. I'm usually a Bull investor, but when I see an opportunity like this, I usually jump on a Bear investment.

Radio Shack is now officially a Penny Stock. They closed last Friday under $1.00 a share. The close today was $0.83 cents. All the signs were there in the Spring that this company was in turmoil and was going to wind down. I would not have projected under a buck, but that's where they are now. Many Analysts are predicting Bankruptcy as immanent for the once mighty Electronics Retail Chain.

Anyone capitalize on this?

[TJDave]

Sad. I was an electronics nerd as a kid and spent lots of time and money at RS. Now I think they are nothing more than a phone store.

I visited one last week hoping they had potentiometers for an amp repair. Poor little girl at the register had no clue. Had to look it up on the register after I told her how it was spelled.

[BettinBilly]

Yes sir, Dave. Times have changed. I used to frequent Radio Shack back in the late 70's and 80's. Bought a few Receivers, some speakers, a few Amateur Radio items, and other electronic items. I was really into HiFi and Electronics back then. Loved visiting Radio Shack. Their flyers and catalogs were always great to get in the mail.

Now? They are basically a Cellular Telephone Outlet with a few items that are ancillary in the background for interest. Gone are the walls of parts and the sections of decent HiFi Stereo Systems. They've been tumbling down the red ink hole since Charles Tandy died in 1978. They tried Computers after they rode the CB Boom in the late 70's and that failed miserably. So they jumped on Cell Phones and cheap electronic junk that few want any more. Most of the clerks are clueless to anything other than Cellular Telephone sales and contracts.

The Stock traded at a high of $79.50 in December of 1999 after many stock splits that made some investors serious coin. But then the demise really started. From 80 bucks to under a buck by 2014.

The NYSE is going to de-list them if they stay under a buck for 30 days, and that's a real possibility.

It will be interesting to see if they survive. Most Analysts believe they will not.

[DJofSD]

I wasn't a RS guy. I was into Heathkits.

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

I wasn't a RS guy. I was into Heathkits.

I built a Heathkit hi-fi back in the 60's. Good stuff, more importantly the only component stuff until the early 70's. Another company gone. They tried to revive it in 2011 but no go.

[DJofSD]

Didn't know about the revival effort. Too bad. I think Lionel was another one that was trying to come back from the grave.

I guess now a days kids are building Raspberries and robots.

[BettinBilly]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

I wasn't a RS guy. I was into Heathkits.

I built my fare share of Heathkit as well. Sold most of them over the years, but still have a few, including a VTVM that was my very first Heathkit. Glad I kept it.

Heathkit tried a revival as well a year or two ago. Very few people are going to be into kit building Amateur Radios or Stereos these days. Hard market to keep a revenue stream going.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Glad to see the Shack in the shitter for good. Once a place that was about my favorite joint to spend time as a youngster, they were the first company I knew of that interrogated you for personal information at every transaction. I stopped going after fighting with a clerk because I gave my zip code as '90210' and only grew to detest them more and more as their model became standard protocol over the next few decades. Rest in pieces like that bunk Tandy TL/2 I bought.

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

Glad to see the Shack in the shitter for good. Once a place that was about my favorite joint to spend time as a youngster, they were the first company I knew of that interrogated you for personal information at every transaction. I stopped going after fighting with a clerk because I gave my zip code as '90210' and only grew to detest them more and more as their model became standard protocol over the next few decades. Rest in pieces like that bunk Tandy TL/2 I bought.

They needed to change their name to Radio Shaq and get Mr O'Neill as a spokesman, they would have survived then.

I can't stand (can you say Pet Peeves thread anyone?) when these places ask you for zips or phone numbers i just say if you want personal info, its going to cost you, give me 20 pct off and i'll give you a zip code.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyS_o6lqKS0

[Red Knave]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

I gave my zip code as '90210'

I used to give my name as Cash Sale.

[BettinBilly]

The stock is hovering around the 90 cents per share mark today.

It will be interesting to see if the stock can pop back over the magic dollar a share or stay below that for 30 days and risk a de-list from NYSE.

I'd consider playing it as a day trade penny stock but at this point I'm fairly convinced it is going to hover at the 90 cent mark for a while.

[tucker6]

The company name didn't help. Radio is yesterday, and shack doesn't have a positive vibe. The stores carried everything the bigger box stores didn't want to sell. As was said before, the staff was untrained. The company had no vision and suffered the fate of all ships without a rudder. Good bye RS.

[Boris]

I worked there for several years as a store manager. I was hired on with the thought of becoming a District Manager and being placed in a program to be developed. It was a terrible mistake and a giant setback to my resume. Quite simply, this company is failing because they have the worst collection of middle managers ever! I was graded monthly on 25 categories that did not include profit. They have absolutely no chance at survival.