Corel is circling the drain.Anyone considering their products, either as an initial purchase or upgrades to installed programs, should be aware the company is bleeding money and canning staff.Stock prices have tanked.Most Canadian financial observers don't give the firm much of a chance.Caveat emptor.

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), July 24, 2000

Answers

Oh come now, "bleeding money". No mention of that in Value Line. Laying off staff - who doesn't from time to time. "Stock prices have tanked", I only know of one price and that is slightly higher than it was two years ago. Has Corel's stock price fallen of late? Most assuredly but the spike up that preceeded it was the aberation not the fall. The worse thing I could find about it was Value Lines feeling that it was very much dependent upon Linux and the hand held market, the jury for which is very much out.

Could they go under? Sure but they could also be bought by a competitor who makes a competing product and who would then offer you there very expensive package at a fraction of it's cost just to bring you into their fold. But then that is just my opinion supported by some facts.

-- bill (this_old_house@pobox.com), July 25, 2000.

Sorry Bill, Corel is gasping for breath and there is no respirator in sight!

-- fred (fdeaton@hiwaay.net), July 25, 2000.

More like wishful thinking, Bill.The "facts" informing me are the Toronto Globe and Mail and Ottawa Citizen business writers who've followed Michael Cowpland's descent into insolvency over the past two years.He's currently under investigation by Canadian securities regulators--not an enviable distinction.The Canadian investment community has written Corel off.My only purpose was to alert readers that Corel products might be problematic buys.FYI, no company has shown much interest in Corel's wares--or in mergers--hence the current crisis. But, by all means, buy in now, especially since you're working with superior information.What do I know?

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), July 26, 2000.