Monthly Archives: February 2012

iTrackr.com (OTC BB: IRYS): Site Launch Has Shares Flying

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First Is Not Always Best

Analysts love the phrase “First Mover Advantage”, but first is not always best. The first mover in the online coupon world has been highly publicized and controversial Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN).

The company had humble beginnings. It started with a small email distribution list. It offered a “Flash Sale” discount. What was offered? A half price pizza at a restaurant located in the fledgling company’s office building. Lots of people showed up for pizza, and a new concept was born.

The concept expanded in the Chicago area, and Groupon looked to go national. With $1 billion in financing from a Venture Capital group, Groupon started buying up Daily Deal services in larger cities all over the world, and became the fastest company is history from its birth to achieve $1 billion in annual sales.

Groupon has first mover advantage and a global footprint. But first is not always best. The best is always the one consumers like the most. Do they have the best model for the consumer?

Consider the history of First Movers in the internet space. How about the early behemoth AOL. AOL was able to swallow up Time Warner in the rah rah days of the 90′s as the market believed the AOL model would dominate online browser, shopping, and communications.

However, AOL only allowed users to see what they wanted you to see, and there were subscription fees. This closed community failed miserably, and AOL lost its dominance and retreated into oblivion.

AOL was knocked of its pedestal by Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO). Their open community and free services destroyed the AOL model. The Yahoo! community grew rapidly, and opened access to a lot more content on the internet.

However, as it turned out, Yahoo!’s model was flawed as well. Yahoo’s! search service only allowed users to find content if the content provider paid Yahoo! an advertising fee. Yahoo! failed to see this approach was vulnerable.

Google (NASADAQ: GOOG) came along, and with its completely open search features and superior technology, wiped out Yahoo!’s dominance in search.

The ever growing population of internet users doesn’t want their experience to be controlled by anyone or anything. Consumers of goods, services, and information want what they want, not want they provider wants to cram down their throat.

They say one picture is worth one thousand words. I say one chart is worth millions of dollars. Here’s a chart that says it all. This chart shows the relative performance of AOL, Yahoo!, and Google since the 2008 market crash.

AOL, the “First Mover” with the most flawed model, is depicted in blue and clearly the worst performer. Yahoo!, the upstart that wiped out AOL, is shown in Black. This stock has done poorly as well.

Google is depicted in red, and its by far the best performing stock of the group. Google was last to the party, but has the best model for the consumer.

This chart provides definitive proof that early entrants with a new business concept don’t necessarily offer the best model for consumers.

Look out Groupon- there’s a new kid on the block about to knock you off. Read on…..

iTrackr (OTC BB: IRYS): The Power of 15 Million and 200 Million

Data, when properly used, is powerful stuff. Data, simply defined, is information. Websters defines “DATA” as individual facts, statistics, or items of information.

iTraker (IRYS) has lots of data, and therefore lots of power- IRYS has 15 million items of information in one category, and 200 million in another category. The company intends to marry the two, and provide consumers with the discounts they really need and want.

200 Million is the number of records IRYS has already obtained on individual consumers. The data includes names, email addresses, street address, demographics, and spending preferences.

15 Million is the number of records IRYS has on businesses in the US. The IRYS service officially launched this past weekend, and you can go to www.itrackr.com, set up your username and password, and start negotiating your own deals with your local merchants.

iTrackr has introduced the first web based platform that allows consumer to interact directly with local merchants onlne.

The screen shot on the right is the home page where you can go to register. Merchants and consumers alike can set up their profiles, and the platform can join the two together.

Merchants will have the ability to reach to local consumers with a special offer.

Consumers have the ability to ask for a discount from businesses on the site.

Unlike Groupon, the merchant collects the money from the customer, rather than Groupon collecting the money and stretching the merchants out 60 to 90 days to get paid.

As an example- let’s say you want to take in your dry cleaning tomorrow. You log in to the site, go to your map, click on the proper service button, and all the local dry cleaners in your area come up with icons.

You simply click on the ones you want to do business with, and ask for a discount. The merchant can then respond by accepting, declining, or making another offer.

With Groupon, only Groupon wins. With iTrackr, everybody wins. 

Make Your Deal

I wanted to show you one additional screen shot. This is the interface that allows you to try to make a deal for a coupon with a local merchant.

This is a map of my neighborhood. The icons on the map show some of the local restaurants. I clicked on the icon for my local Ruths Chris Steak House. I now have the option of requesting anywhere from a 25% to a 70% discount on my next visit.

Once I’ve decided on my offer, the interface will send a message directly to the restaurant on my behalf.

Ruths Chris then has the option to decline my offer, accept it, or counter with a different offer.

Ruths Chris now knows I’m a consumer interested in their restaurant, and they now have the ability to reach out to me through the iTrackr.com interface with future offers.

From the current levels, if the company makes money, there’s little doubt you will make a lot of money on the stock. So, how does IRYS generate revenues?

Lest you think differently, IRYS is no start up. In order to introduce their platform, this company needed to have deep seated roots in internet marketing.

The first generation of the iTrackr.com model allowed consumers to find local merchants with hard to find items in stock. That version of the service was spun out in the 2008 recession, but eventually was developed and sold to eBay for $90 million.

The company is building its new platform off a rich heritage of behemoth customers that currently pay IRYS in monthly fees. Saveology, a $1 billion digital marketing company you never heard of provides customers for companies like:

  • Cox Cable
  • Verizon Wireless
  • Time Warner
  • Comcast
  • ATT

An IRYS application is embedded in online marketing sites for all these companies, and this service generates significant revenues and allows IRYS the leverage to launch a platform robust enough to manage the records and transactions for 200 million consumers and 15 million small businesses in the US.

Once launched, IRYS will generate revenues from the businesses- not from consumers. Businesses who enroll in the program will pay a nominal monthly fee to be included in the interface. Fees will range from as low as $14.95 to $39.95 per month depending on how pro active the business owner wants to get with IRYS and its local customer base. It’s far cheaper than a Yellow Pages ad, and allows for direct contact with local customers. This could end up being the most cost effective advertising any local merchant has.

Where To From Here?

I suspect IRYS is going to explode between now and the end of March. Why? The company is focused on uploading the most valuable parts of its 200 million record consumer database, and 15 million record business database. IRYS will focus on businesses with the right SIC codes for local merchants, and consumer in certain high density parts of the country.

The site went live this past weekend, and a look at the chart gives you an idea of how market investors feel about the upside potential of this new platform.

I suspect the chart and the useage level of the site will track each other. So, as local businesses and consumers all over the country slowly realize there’s a win/win competitor for Groupon, buyers are likely to flock to the stock as they adopt the service.

Consider that IRYS already has hundred of thousands of sign ups from the first version of it’s online service, and people are now coming to the site in droves and signing up.

The key to making the dream returns of a lifetime in a situation like this is getting in early- getting in before the crowd realizes robust nature of the service and the substantial growth potential.

By the summer consumers will be telling all their friends about a web site that allowed them to ask for a discount at 5 different local dry cleaners, and how they got a 25% discount from the one that replied.

The platform is still in development, and won’t be finalized and really robust for several months. There’s going to be a major initiative to enroll businesses as subscribers.

This new service is what the Internet is all about. It’s getting information and saving money and time quickly and efficiently. It’s surprising no other company has launched a service that allows consumers to negotiate discounts with local merchants, but perhaps no other company has ever had access to the data that can marry both sides of the equation.

Today, IRYS only trades in the $.70 to $.80 range. There’s massive upside as the company grows and the stock moves higher. This is the kind of stock investors want to accumulate before the word gets out.

I believe the stock has the potential to easily trade into the $1.50 to $2 range over the next 2 to 3 months, and a $5 target price is possible long term as iTracker’s service gets widely adopted by consumers and merchants. The possiblity of 100% to 500% returns on this stock in 2012 are very real.

Get into this stock ahead the millions of other investors who will learn about over the coming days.

Full disclosure- I am a shareholder in this company, and I invested in a substantial number of shares with my own capital. You should view my ownership in shares of IRYS as a potential conflict of interest. Beyond that, I have no business relationship with IRYS. I simply believe we can make money on this idea.

I could be buying and/or selling shares at anytime, so keep that in mind. I’m hoping to see the stock well over $1 with plenty of volume in the next several weeks.

Home Page : www.otcjournal.com

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Penny Stock Exposure: Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

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Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

You might be wondering what the heck is going on with the latest series of publications. It’s time to give you the full view so you’re dialed into the method behind my madness.

Of late, I’ve been referencing three, new, Big Ideas I’ll be delivering over the next several months- the first coming this Wednesday. I’ve also been showing you a marketing campaign featuring penny stock guru Timothy Sykes, which is not the sort of content I normally publish.

The two are intertwined. Let me explain.

2011 was one of the worst years I’ve ever had professionally. I spent the summer months of 2010 working on the launch of my www.emergingchinastocks.com subscription based site, and rolled it out in October of 2010.

After a few months of strong performance, the China small cap sector was decimated in a way I’ve never experienced in the 25 years I’ve been involved in small stocks. I didn’t understand the extent of the high levels of fraud being committed by Chinese companies on US investors. I lost a substantial amount of my own capital, and the service ended up having little value in the face of the tsunami of fraud.

If nothing else, after all these years I know I can make money in the small cap world. I’ve proven it time and time again. In order to reverse the tide, I turned my attention to 3 major new ideas back in the good old USA. I’ve been working on these projects since November, and my efforts are now coming to fruition.

I’m not giving up on the China small cap sector. I simply recognize there’s nothing to be done there for now. The truly great companies in the sector are trading rather listlessly, and as soon as they perk up, I’ll pounce on the solid opportunities that remain.

Exciting new companies come along regularly in today’s penny stock environment. While many of them have little or no audience, the technology exists to develop big followings for the favored few, and I’m going to put you at the front end of major awareness campaigns.

The Timothy Sykes offerings I’ve been publishing of late are all focused around the first of my 3 big ideas. Thousands of potential investors, through a number of publishers, have signed on to learn about the first pick, and you’ll be learning the symbol the day before most of them.

The truth of the matter- I need to make a lot of money this year. I need to make up for last year’s extensive losses. I’ve taken three major positions. I’ve put my own capital at risk.

While I have no contractual obligation to cover any of these names with OTC Journal subscribers, I’m going to- because that’s what I do.

Wednesday’s first idea will feature company that has the potential to revolutionize the way consumers interact with local merchants. The Groupon model is doomed unless the company makes some major changes.

Here’s a phrase I’ve coined that sums it up:

With Groupon, only Groupon wins. With xxxxx, Everybody Wins.

This new company just launched an interface that marries consumers to merchants in a new and unique way, and it is growing and evolving everyday. This company is already providing technology services to the likes of AT&T, Time Warner, Comcast, and many others. It’s no start up.

On Wednesday, you will learn just who xxxx is, and what they do.

In the meantime, if you want to follow the Sykes campaign, here’s the today’s content. If you have an interest, sign up and go through the process. Sykes is a pretty bright guy in this sector, and has a big following.

His involvement gives us a really strong possibility for a great short term surge in this stock simply because in the early going, there will be more buyers than sellers.

I have a pretty substantial position in this stock that I’ve acquired by putting my own capital at risk, so you should probably view that as a potential conflict of interest. If you decide to invest, I might be selling you the stock you’re buying.

In this case, I’m not in a hurry to sell this week- I expect higher levels and better volumes over the next 3 to 4 weeks, so I plan to be rather stingy on providing my shares to the market. Nevertheless, you should view my position as a potential conflict.

Here’s the next installment of the Sykes campaign which you might find interesting and informative.

NEW VIDEO: Big Trade Lining Up

If you like the idea of trading stock promotions (those marketing campaigns that Tim Sykes showed recently that drove stocks up 280% gain in 14 days… 642% in 42 days…and even 1,540% in 21-days in 2011)…

…then Tim’s new video is going to rock your world, because he says another trade is lining up.

The Best Part: Tim—who spent 3 years as a #1
rated hedge fund trader—is going to take you step-by-step through trading one of these promotions LIVE and with REAL MONEY, so you know exactly how to play these promotions.

Click here to get Tim’s latest video.

http://60day-trial.com/?aff_id=4294

Just the other week, one of Tim’s students, a college kid, used one of Tim’s alerts on a stock promotion to make 108% in 1 day, without leverage, from his smartphone while waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Remember, Tim has a long history of major successes as a trader, including: In 2007, he was named one of Trader Monthly’s top 30 traders under 30. He turned $12,415 of Bar Mitzvah money into $1.65 million in four years before he graduated from college, and then grew it into $2,730,000# Yes, you read that right, he published his broker statements online to prove it.

Barclay Rankings, the hedge fund ranking company, rated Tim the #1 short-bias hedge fund for three years running, 2003-2006, while he still ran his hedge fund. PLUS…

Tim’s been ranked the #1 trader out of 60,000 traders on Covestor—a website that verifies trades and performance—over the last four years.

When the market crashed in 2008, he still ended his year with a 197% GAIN.

Since 2008, he has helped members in one of his trading services generate a verified $1.7 MILLION in profits. In a second service, he has helped regular investors generate $1.5 MILLION in profits.

So Tim’s not only a great trader, he’s a great trading teacher as well.

If anyone can help you take your trading to the next level, Tim can.

Now he’s offering to take you, step-by-step, through trading a real, live, stock promotion as it unfolds. Just click here to get all the details.

I wouldn’t put this off because you don’t want to miss out on the trades when they come through.

Check out the video now.

http://60day-trial.com/?aff_id=4294

All my best,

Larry Isen

There’s today’s installment. One more tomorrow, and off we go on Thursday.

Home Page : www.otcjournal.com

Email Questions or Comments To: [email protected]

 

 

“CALL GOOD To US”- Three Monster Pennies Coming

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The “CALL” Has Been Good To Us

Mark it on your calender- the week of March 12th. My big win for 2012- the March 15 CALL options recommended in early January at $1.40 needs to be liquidated before that week. Here’s why.

This is a good one for your market experience “hard drive”- burn it onto your mental disc drive. When a stock runs up into an earnings release, 99% of the time it will sell off immediately after the news comes out. The one exception would be Apple Computer (AAPL)-the company absolutely blew away analysts estimates and the stock went up.

I called this perfectly on Baidu (BIDU) last week- choosing to suggest to subscribers at www.emergingchinastocks.com they sell covered calls against their position on the earnings news. Kaching- 65% gain in 3 trading days.

As you can see from the chart, the stock had traded up beautifully into earnings. The company beat the estimates by 10% on a strong top line, then the stock sold off 4 consecutive trading days before heading back up.

This happens when hot, short term money makes a bet on an earnings surge a month or two ahead of earnings, then looks to harvest profits when the news comes out.

In the case of the Magic Jack (CALL) Call options I recommended at $1.40- they are now trading at $3.50- down from their high of around $5. Today, it’s 150% return in 6 weeks- not bad.

Magic Jack (CALL) has announced it will release Q4 and year end audited results the week of March 12th. These options expire on March 16th. The time value is eroding on these options, and the stock will likely sell off after the news comes out.

Therefore, you would be well served to be out of these options by the end of next week of the latest, if not earlier. If the stock has traded up or remains close to the $20 level when the numbers come out, I will suggest a quick trade on the short side to take advantage of the inevitable sell off. If you see the stock approaching the $20 level, sell immediately. That will likely be the ceiling in the short term.

The First of a Blockbuster Trio

As alluded to in previous editions, I’ve been working on 3 incredibly strong penny stock opportunities, to be released consecutively over the next 3 months. These are a different breed of cat from the few hit or miss, quick trade ideas I’ve delivered this year.

On these 3 ideas, you will have a “First Look” out in front of millions of investors who will learn about these three ideas a week or two after you get the “first look”. There will be lots of follow up on these ideas.

I’ll be releasing my first “Monster Idea” next Wednesday, and you’ll want to be first to make a trade ahead of the rest of the world. Here’s a little preview:

Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) has been highly touted as the company to get to $1 billion in revenues faster than any company in history. I guess $1 billion in revenues ain’t what it used to be.

I believe the entire Groupon model is fatally flawed, and unless the company makes some changes, this ship is destined to sink. The market is catching on as well - the stock is now permanently camped below its IPO price.

There’s problems on both the user and merchant side. Speaking as a user, I can’t recall the last time Groupon notified me of any “flash sale” on any item I was actually interested in purchasing. Every day it seems like I’m bombarded with a myriad of offerings that include bikini waxes, yoga classes, and tanning beds. I have zero interest in any of those offerings.

On the merchant side, Groupon is getting the bottom of the barrel. When you “pre pay” Groupon for a 50% discount at a restaurant, Groupon keeps half the money, and sends the other half to the merchant in about 90 days. Therefore, only the most desperate of merchants are using the service in most cases.

Groupon does have the largest network, so there’s value in their ability to distribute. However, this model is doomed. Without adjustments, Groupon will go the way of many of the early entrants into explosive digital markets- does anyone remember Netscape, AOL, or MySpace? All early entrants with flawed models.

Move over Groupon- the first online site that creates a direct interface between consumers and local businesses is about to launch, and it will allow the consumer to reach out to local merchants and negotiate a discount in advance.

For example- you could pick 3 dry cleaners in your neighborhood, ask for a 25% discount between from any or all of the 3, then go wherever they will work with you. For me- this has value.

Stand by to learn more next Wednesday. I’ll have more early next week.

Home Page : www.otcjournal.com

Email Questions or Comments To: [email protected]

Uranerz Energy (URZ): Forgotten Commodity Rocking

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Oil, Gold, Copper, Silver- it’s all any commodity player can talk about. However, there’s another commodity the main stream media is ignoring. Why- I’ll tell you why- It’s because the big boys on Wall Street are accumulating their position before they let their secret out to the public through the talking heads of Wall Street media.

When Cramer goes on his Mad Money show and tells the suckers of the world it’s time to buy Uranium and Uranium stocks, he will be acting as a puppet for the big boys who already own it cheaper than you. Where do you think these “journalists” get their stories? From Hedge Fund Managers with positions must cheaper. They use the Cramers of the world to create an exit strategy.

So - what is this forgotten commodity? Glad you asked- it’s Uranium- nuclear fuel. A big run in Uranium was sabotaged in 2011 by the Japanese Tsunami- who could forget the imminent threat of a nuclear melt down in Japan? All of a sudden, the world lost its enthusiasm for building nuclear power plants. So, where is new demand coming from?

Nuclear In China - All the Rage

Coal is the only cheap commodity in China, and the Chinese are trying to reduce pollution and diversify into other forms of energy.

Mainland China currently has 14 nuclear power reactors in operation. 25 more are now under construction, and more are about to start construction soon.

Additional reactors are planned, including some of the world’s most advanced, to give a five- or six-fold increase in nuclear capacity to at least 60 GWe by 2020, then 200 GWe by 2030, and 400 GWe by 2050.

This aggressive build out by the Chinese has led to massive new demand for Uranium for the foreseeable future.

Over the last two months Uranium has quietly sneaked up from $40 to $53- heading back toward’s its high of about $110 per pound pre 2008.

Uranerz Energy (AMEX: URZ): Recent Drilling Programs Have Stock on Fire

Uranerz Energy is absolutely on fire. Coming off a severe low last October of $1.40, the stock recently ticked up to $2.85 and is looking higher nearly every day.

URZ has been drilling in Wyoming’s prolific Powder River Basin. 6 uranium exploration holes were drilled to a total of 140,000 feet, with three drill rigs in place. Last week the company reported the best drill results to date from the nose area of the Nichols Ranch deposit that were even better than had been expected. URZ had resources of over 19 million pounds of U3O8 as of October 14, 2010.

According to a recent press release as it relates to their mining operations: ” Construction is well underway and is currently on schedule. The Company’s focus is on the construction of the processing plant, the office and laboratory, the maintenance facility, and the installation of monitor and production wells required for ISR uranium mining. Six drill rigs are engaged in production well installation.”

This company is fully underway- mining and processing are in place, and the Chinese are knocking on their door.

Is it any wonder the stock is behaving so well?

A quick look at this chart shows me a stock that has traded nicely in 2012, but has a long ways to go.

URZ has been in a solid up trend since December as the price of Uranium started to surge once again.

URZ is owned by 10 large institutional holders, and 10 different mutual funds.

The stock is part of the Russell family of indexes- specifically the 3000, 2000, Global & Microcap.

URZ trades, on average, 517,000 shares per day, and as you can see the chart looks absolutely outstanding.

As demand for Uranium continues to expand, and URZ moves further down the road with harvesting Uranium from its Power River Basin operations, there’s no reason this stock couldn’t at least go back to its 2011 high of $6- before the Japanese Tsunami caused an unwarranted sell off in Uranium stocks.

I like URZ for at least $3.50 in the next week or two, and much higher levels over the coming months. This one is not just a trade- this is a good long term hold for your small cap, commodity oriented portfolio.

Uranium is the forgotten commodity. When Cramer is talking about this one again, you’ll know it’s too late. Accumulate while this one is still relatively under followed, then sell when Cramer tells everyone its safe to buy.

Facebook Madness Drives OTC Journal Winner

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It’s nice to be right even if it takes a little longer than anticipated. 2011 followers should remember, and hopefully still have shares of video ring tone company Vringo (AMEX: VRNG)- a stock I featured in about 6 editions just a few short months ago.

My first edition on this company was published on Sunday, May 1st, and over the course of last year I wrote about 6 editions on the company. My first edition was at $1.40, and the stock found its way to $2.60 for a 44% gainer in 7 trading days.

The stock then fell on some hard times as they had some issues meeting their listing requirements with AMEX, but that is all behind them now.

VRNG has very clever video ring tones that are being adopted globally and now available to millions of mobile device users. The stock has gone nuts over the past few days as a result of the Facebook ap, and all the hoopla surrounding the pending Facebook IPO.

Their ap is very clever - here’s how it works. You call your buddy on your smart phone. You both have the Facebook ap installed. While you are talking to each other, you see his latest Facebook pictures roll by on your screen, and he sees your latest pictures as well.

Their revenue model is clever as well. You can get the AP one of three ways. You can buy it for $2.99 permanently, pay a monthly fee of $.99, or get a free version that allows advertising. Very clever.

Last I checked, the AP was available through Verizon for most mobile phones, but I’m not sure if the iPhone is included yet. If not, it will be.

This stock becomes one to watch as one of the only companies that has a killer Facebook Ap. As you can see from the chart, the stock went absolutely nuts out of the blue this week, and as we get closer to the Facebook IPO, could go even crazy. Probably a good one to accumulate on dips.

January Updates

Here’s a recap of the January ideas.

  • Liberator (LUVU)- introduced at $.15- closed at $.20 on Friday, off a high of $.24. 33% gainer based on Friday’s close. Still looking for momentum and much higher levels.
  • Frog Ads (FROG)- January’s introduction at $.30- Friday’s close at $.27 on nearly 1 million shares of volume. 10% loser, and on support- a good level for a trade right now.
  • Magic Jack (CALL) $15 March calls at $1.40- closed Friday at $3.10- up 121% - a giant winner.
  • Dexcom (DXCM) $10 March calls at $1.40- closed Friday at $1.80 for a 28.5% gain.

That’s 3 for 4 in January, with the giant win being the Magic Jack Calls up 121%.