After his Atlantic City casino chain rejected his buyout offer and descended into bankruptcy, Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka resigned from the board and he proclaimed that he wanted nothing more to do with the company.
Let the back-tracking begin. The Associated Press reports that Donald Trump is making an offer to acquire the company out of bankruptcy with the backing of Dallas-based Beal Bank. His offer will have to beat out a competing offer made by the bondholders. Since neither offer was publicly filed with the bankruptcy court, it's hard to handicap the Donald's chances.
The Atlantic City casinos have filed for bankruptcy twice in the past five years, and have been unable to compete in the highly competitive market because of a crushing debt load.
The bankruptcy of Trump Entertainment Resorts (NASDAQ: TRMP) and legal and financial woes surrounding the Trump International Hotel & Tower are causing some to question whether Donald Trump's name as a symbol of luxury will continue to carry value.
"His brand is associated with success and making money. And every time the word bankruptcy appears next to Trump, that's not good," says Allen Adamson, managing director of Landor, a brand consultancy. "He can take a few chinks in the armor, but I think he's probably at the limit."
As I predicted, Trump Entertainment Resorts (NASDAQ: TRMP) is filing for bankruptcy in the wake of Donald Trump's firing himself from the company's board. Did Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone have anything to do with the bankruptcy filing? I sincerely doubt it. But that doesn't mean casinos aren't worried about the iPhone showing up at their blackjack tables.
How so? In Nevada, where card counting is legal but card-counting devices are not, gambling regulators are warning casinos about a card-counting program on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The program can help its users predict their odds of winning a hand at blackjack so they can adjust their bets accordingly. In Nevada, it's legal to do what the iPhone program does, as long as you can keep it all in your head. Get a little help from Apple and you could be charged with a felony.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) and Chrysler LLC are expected to submit recovery plans to the government today to show how they can repay billions in loans and become viable. Of course, abysmal auto sales haven't been helping any company in the industry. Ex-Lazard banker Ron Bloom is expected to be named a key government adviser, according to The Wall Street Journal, and he is expected to be tough, demanding sacrifices by all involved, from auto workers and industry executives to shareholders and creditors. The AP reports that GM was making progress in concession talks with debtholders and the UAW. Also, GM Europe is considering shutting or selling as many as four European plants. GM shares are down 5.6% in premarket trading. GM shares declined over 12% an hour after the open.
Another day, another Donald Trump-related financial crisis.
After years of financial problems, Trump Entertainment Resorts (NASDAQ: TRMP) has filed for bankruptcy for the third time in its history. The company's last bankruptcy came in November of 2004.
The company reported assets of less than $50 million and debts of less than $500 million. Nine affiliates of the company also filed for bankruptcy, including Trump Plaza Associates, Trump Marina Associates and Trump Taj Mahal Associate. Including all affiliates, the company said it had consolidated assets of $2.1 billion and debt of $1.7 billion as of December 31st of 2008.
Trump Entertainment Resorts (NASDAQ: TRMP) has been squeaking out forbearance agreements with its lender for months to avoid bankruptcy, but that game could finally be coming to an end.
The Wall Street Journalreports (subscription required) that "Bondholders to Trump Entertainment Resorts are planning to force the real-estate mogul's Atlantic City casino group into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy early in the coming week, say several people familiar with the matter."
Although he was a supporter of Senator John McCain during the election, author and reality television star Donald Trump says President Barack Obama has done well so far. "We hope Obama is going to be better," he said. "I think he is going to be better. He's off to a good start, and we have to see what happens with the stimulus."
He also had harsh words for Obama's predecessor: "I'm not a fan of George Bush," he said. "I think he has been the worst president maybe we've ever had. He's a total disaster. Frankly, when the economy cratered, that was the end, because the only thing he could say about his administration was that the economy was good. Well, it turned out that it was falsely good, not really good."
Well it won't happen. At least, not until next month. In an 8-K filed with the SEC today, the company disclosed that "On January 21, 2009, the parties to the Noteholder Forbearance amended the Noteholder Forbearance to extend its term until February 4, 2009, unless certain events occur."
In other words, Trump will be back in this very situation in less than two weeks. The company failed to reach any kind of long-term restructuring.
Shareholders chose to notice that rather than the brief reprieve, and the stock has tumbled more than 10% today, to less than 25 cents per share. In 2006 it traded over $20.
Donald Trump hates to appear the loser, at anything. It damages his reputation as a business superman. It may prevent him from getting a fourth wife. He could lose his TV series. Success is Trump's way in the front door and always has been.
One place where Trump has stumbled is his gaming and gambling business. He is not alone. Many casino companies, including MGM Grand (NYSE: MGM), have been hurt by too much debt, over-building and the recession.
Trump Entertainment Resorts (NASDAQ: TRMP) has already missed a $53 billion debt payment. According to the FT, "The group, which operates three properties in Atlantic City, is saddled with $1.7bn of debt, of which about $1.2bn is bond debt." The paper says that one of Trump's options is to take the company private and give creditors stock in the new business. In the midst of a credit crisis they may rather do that then get pennies on a dollar in Chapter 11.
Who gets screwed? Why the common shareholders, of course. Two years ago, Trump shares were above $23. Now they trade at 21 cents.
Trump may get out of this without it costing him a dime to restructure the debt. People who bought the stock, perhaps because his name was attached to the company, will get zilch.
The company owns and operates the Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, and the Trump Marina Hotel Casino. The Donald serves as the nonexecutive chairman of the board and his daughter Ivanka is also a director.
The company's results have suffered along with the broader tourism economy, but the Trump properties in Atlantic City have also been hurt by their dated feel and the company's lack of cash that has made necessary updates difficult.
As I wrote back in March, Donald Trump has continued to loot this sinking ship: In 2007 he was paid $2 million for serving as chairman of the board in addition the company's purchases of Donald Trump-branded water and other goodies.
The focus of last week's preview was on oil and energy companies, and we saw that big oil had a good week, reporting better-than-expected results and record profits driven by high prices in the third quarter. Energy-related companies are well represented again this week and expectations in general remain high.
Early in the week, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial anticipate that the big earnings gainers will include EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG), Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC), and Cimarex Energy Co. (NYSE: XEC), which are expected to post profits of $2.24 per share (up 64.7% from a year ago), $1.48 per share (up 52.7%) and $2.26 per share (up 61.1%) respectively. All three of them have offered positive surprises in recent quarters, and analysts on average recommend buying EOG and Anadarko. Other expected big earnings gainers early in the week include Forest Oil Corp. (NYSE: FST), Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (NYSE: PXD), Comstock Resources Inc. (NYSE: CRK), and MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA). The earnings of phosphates producer Innophos Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: IPHS) are expected to have risen 92.3% to $3.37 per share. Innophos beat estimates in the previous quarter by a whopping 210%, and analysts have been impressed with Innophos's lack of debt and pricing gains despite the slowing economy, so, on average, they recommend buying IPHS.
Also early in the week, analysts expect Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT), Kaiser Aluminum Corp. (NASDAQ: KALU), and Oshkosh Corp. (NYSE: OSK) to report that their profits fell 52.9% to $0.33 per share, 45.1% to $0.67 per share, and 41.2% to $0.67 per share, respectively. These companies have tended to beat estimates in recent quarters, and the consensus recommendations of analysts are to buy them. However, PMI Group Inc. (NYSE: PMI), one of the largest private mortgage insurance providers in the U.S., is expected to take another hit as the housing slump drags on. The California-based company is expected to have widened its net loss from $1.04 per share a year ago to $2.43 per share in the most recent quarter. Its shares are down 84.5% from a year ago, and have been trading recently near their 52-week low.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka opined on the meltdown in the financial markets. The Donald advised viewers to keep as much cash as they could so they would have the opportunity to take advantage of the terrific opportunities.
Should you care what Donald and Ivanka have to say about the financial crisis? Probably not, because it's just a bunch of cliches. And why exactly should we care what Ivanka says? Because she won the ovarian lottery and now works for her dad? Watch the video below and be sure to note The Donald's appearance.
Quick: think of a hypothetical idea for a really stupid television show that would have absolutely no chance of succeeding.
If you're like most people, the first thing that popped into your head was "a Donald Trump mixed martial arts reality show." And yet, hilariously, someone is actually bankrolling this train wreck in the making. The Los Angeles Timesreports that "Donald Trump and Affliction Entertainment announced today they will begin filming in April for a reality mixed martial arts series called 'Fighting Fedor'. The series, to be filmed in St. Petersburg, Russia, will open with 16 MMA fighters who will compete in a tournament that will ultimately pit the winner against heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, considered by some as the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world."
Wow. It's not yet known what network will pick up the show, but I stand ready to short as many shares of the parent company as I can whenever it's announced. If I had to guess, I would say that SPIKE TV would be one of leading contenders. I can't imagine that this will end up on network television.
Here's a reality show I'd like to see: Rosie O'Donnell strapping The Donald into a chair and beating him with her bare hands.
Australia's Herald-Sunreports that Donald Trump's first speaking tour of Australia is in "doubt after an Ipswich-based promotion company collapsed this week, leaving about 1500 ticket holders owed more than $1.5 million."
Ever the gentleman, Trump is reportedly refusing to return the more than $1.5 million he's already been paid and is even demanding more money. Malcom Quinn, the promoter behind the bankrupt firm that had booked The Donald, told The Sun that "He has provided no services for the moneys he has received and he has indicated to me in writing on two separate occasions that not only will he be keeping the funds he has received but expects to be paid the balance regardless of whether he does or doesn't come out here."
What went wrong? It turned out that Trump wasn't the draw Quinn had hoped he would be. Tickets costing up to $2500 have been available since June but only a quarter of the seats have been sold. Ouch!
Access Hollywoodreports that "Heather Mills has been "fired" before she ever set foot in Donald Trump's boardroom."
Ms. Mills, best-known for her divorce from former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney that included a demand for a $300,000 per year clothing allowance and a trial that involved Ms. Mills dumping a jug of water on McCartney's lawyer and shouting "You're a bitch! You're a traitor to your sex! How could you do this to another woman?"
Apparently her high-maintenance ways were also a turn-off to NBC insiders, one whom reportedly told The Sun that "The network was originally very keen on getting her involved. They thought it would be a clever move, attracting lots of publicity for the show... But her demands were ludicrous and it soon became clear that getting her involved would be a headache."
Here's the best part: she demanded a clause in her contract stipulating that she would make it to the finals!
I'm hugely disappointed that Mills won't be on Celebrity Apprentice. Having Heather Mills and Donald Trump on the same show would make for the most delightfully detestable hour of television since. . . ever. Maybe they should reconsider giving O.J. Simpson a spot. Some other celebrities I'd like to see on the most obnoxious show on television:
Former Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers
Congressional Sex Scandal Bad Boys Larry Craig and Gary Condit
Amy Winehouse
Former Enron chief Jeff Skilling (Let him out of jail early and call it community service!)
John Rocker (Former pitcher who managed to insult just about every minority in a 2000 Sports Illustrated interview)
After his Atlantic City casino chain rejected his buyout offer and descended into bankruptcy, Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka resigned from the board and he proclaimed that he wanted nothing more to do with the company.
As I 
Another day, another Donald Trump-related financial crisis.
Although he was a supporter of Senator John McCain during the election, author and reality television star Donald Trump says President Barack Obama has done well so far. "We hope Obama is going to be better," 
Donald Trump hates to appear the loser, at anything. It damages his reputation as a business superman. It may prevent him from getting a fourth wife. He could lose his TV series. Success is Trump's way in the front door and always has been.
The focus of 
Quick: think of a hypothetical idea for a really stupid television show that would have absolutely no chance of succeeding.
Access Hollywood 
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