7 Companies That May Not See 2020

aberkowitz

aberkowitz

Audioholic Field Marshall
I don't disagree with the company choices at all, I do think some of the financial analysis within the article is piss-poor. If you're going to write an article that makes that sort of claim, you should at least back it up with some solid reasoning (e.g. "Apple iPhones have a lock on coolness").

One company that I'm surprised was not included is AOL. That company is going to head straight down the crapper, and quickly.
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
I don't disagree with the company choices at all, I do think some of the financial analysis within the article is piss-poor. If you're going to write an article that makes that sort of claim, you should at least back it up with some solid reasoning (e.g. "Apple iPhones have a lock on coolness").

One company that I'm surprised was not included is AOL. That company is going to head straight down the crapper, and quickly.
AOL just got free from Time Warner today. But I don't know if they can survive. Still it's a step in the right direction. I'm sure most people thought Apple would be dead in the 90s, but look at them now. You never can tell with some companies.
 
aberkowitz

aberkowitz

Audioholic Field Marshall
AOL just got free from Time Warner today. But I don't know if they can survive. Still it's a step in the right direction. I'm sure most people thought Apple would be dead in the 90s, but look at them now. You never can tell with some companies.
Yeah- I saw that... my best friend works for them, so I have a bit of insight into the company. My concern with AOL is how they plan on generating revenues... AOL doesn't actually sell a product anymore (e.g. the popular ISP of the 90s), so they've switched their business model to be similar to that of a Yahoo/MSN portal, where all revenue is based on advertising. We've all seen how Yahoo has gone totally into the toilet over the last few years, and is now getting financial support from Microsoft. Unless AOL is able to differentiate their product or develop a brand new way of making money, I see them dying of 1000 cuts as online ad revenue continues to fall for all companies.
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
Yeah- I saw that... my best friend works for them, so I have a bit of insight into the company. My concern with AOL is how they plan on generating revenues... AOL doesn't actually sell a product anymore (e.g. the popular ISP of the 90s), so they've switched their business model to be similar to that of a Yahoo/MSN portal, where all revenue is based on advertising. We've all seen how Yahoo has gone totally into the toilet over the last few years, and is now getting financial support from Microsoft. Unless AOL is able to differentiate their product or develop a brand new way of making money, I see them dying of 1000 cuts as online ad revenue continues to fall for all companies.
Agreed. They need to reinvent themselves. Not sure how they will do that though. I think the merger killed them.
 
aberkowitz

aberkowitz

Audioholic Field Marshall
Agreed. They need to reinvent themselves. Not sure how they will do that though. I think the merger killed them.
Totally agree. My friend works in strategic/business development, and nothing they're working on seems like a big winner.

The company is laying off about 2500 people (1/4 - 1/3 of the workforce I think) over the next few months.
 
njedpx3

njedpx3

Audioholic General
yes AOL

I don't disagree with the company choices at all, I do think some of the financial analysis within the article is piss-poor. If you're going to write an article that makes that sort of claim, you should at least back it up with some solid reasoning (e.g. "Apple iPhones have a lock on coolness").

One company that I'm surprised was not included is AOL. That company is going to head straight down the crapper, and quickly.
Good point Aberkowitz about AOL. Istarted to mentionthemina P.S. but didn't. Ten years ago when the Internet and email were a mystery AOL had aniche business. They think they are going to garner advertising away from MSN and Google time will tell, but I think they will be number 8. :rolleyes:

Peace,

Forest Man
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
WooHoo Audioholics didn't make that list :D
 
mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
Polygon

Polygon

Audioholic
Pretty spot on.

I do find it amusing that I read an article a couple of years back that said Block Buster would be dead by now.
 
aberkowitz

aberkowitz

Audioholic Field Marshall
Pretty spot on.

I do find it amusing that I read an article a couple of years back that said Block Buster would be dead by now.
Blockbuster is a bit of a special case here. I don't think it's inaccurate to say that Blockbuster's original business model (thousands of physical stores across the country charging $5 to rent a movie for 2-5 nights) is almost completely dead in the US. According to an article I read a couple months ago in the journal, they are planning to close 25-30% of their physical stores in the next year.

Unlike most of the other companies on this list, they've had an opportunity to adapt their business model. They followed Netflix into the mail-order DVD rental business, they are following Redbox by setting up 1 night rental kiosks, and they could potentially follow Apple and Amazon by offering online digital content.

There are two key problems with Blockbuster- 1) Instead of being a business innovator (they were actually the first rental chain not to buy their movies outright, they instead set up a "royalty" system with the studios for each rental) they've become a follower. This isn't always an issue, particularly if a company is #1 in their industry and has deep pockets to catch up quickly (the Microsoft model). However this is related to problem #2) They are having some serious financial difficulties. They've been losing money for a number of years and they are relatively highly leveraged.

If the company is able to financially restructure, move almost completely out of the retail store business and rely totally rely on kiosks, mail-order, and digital content, then I think they could survive and thrive. It's a good thing to have a competitor to Netflix- it will help keep the company honest and keep prices down.
 
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