Given the fact that verizon’s total debt nearly matches it’s market cap(not it’s actual income which is lower) I’m betting Verizon either sells off all it’s landlines AND fios lines and then buys out voda here in the us or they get bought out themselves. They don’t have the cashflow to sustain themselves as a dual land-line/wireless provider.
Vodafone sold its holding in China Mobile for $6B. Press are speculating they might use the money to buy Verizon out of Verizon Wireless or Vivendi out of SFR, Frances #2 mobile. Vodafone today has a $128B market cap and about $60B debt; Verizon $85B with $40B debt and $40B+ in deferred taxes, etc; Vivendi $23B with $15B debt. The raw numbers point to Vodafone as the surviving entity. Both Verizon and Vivendi assert if any deals go down they are buyers, not sellers. But both are struggling to cover their dividend with earnings. Verizon just cut wireline capex 24%. Vodafone is rumored to be searching for a new Chairman.
There’s one line that makes me think there’s collusion as well:
and reaching an entente with cable to both raise prices.
Where are the cops?