Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 997 Is that you, Warren?

   "This is the statistical buying situation."

  The financial department of the company took some measures to list the brokerage companies that bought Coca-Cola stock scattered and continuously in the past period of time.

"This is a premeditated action. You see, it is a fixed amount of sweeping goods every day, keeping the transaction volume in the past year slightly higher, while reducing costs, without attracting the attention of the market. Once they exceed 5%, they will It must be disclosed to the China Securities Regulatory Commission. At this time, they will unite with other small shareholders to propose a motion to replace the director's seat at the annual general meeting." Donald Keogh's fighting spirit was inspired by this behavior.

  "In fact, they have broken through 5%. In addition to these relatively consistent purchases, which have accumulated to more than 4.5%, they also have several other hidden purchases. I suspect that this acquirer is one.

If you look at these accounts, it is very similar to the buying style of this major stockbroker seat. Since the beginning of the year, I have bought 0.2% of the stock in two batches. Recently, I have been more cautious, buying no more than $2 million worth of stock. If we're a little careless, they can launch a surprise attack. "

  People in the financial department pointed out that the other party may use the number of shares held by the other party to jointly hold part of the S&P 500 fund that Coca-Cola currently holds, and propose to hold a special general meeting of shareholders, which may catch the management by surprise.

"Sergio, what do you think?" Just as everyone was expressing their opinions, the president Donald Keogh found the marketing director Sergio Seaman who had returned from Ronald, and was buying stocks with his arms. Recorded in musings.

Sergio Seaman was originally a strong contender for the successor president. Diet Coke, which he promoted during his tenure, was a great success. After Coke fell into a trough in the 1970s, it was the first time to hit a market segment. Pepsi won.

  But the fiasco of New Coke (NewCoke) in the southern market later kept him away from the succession echelon. However, in some respects, it also made President Keogh trust his opinion more.

   "Have you noticed that none of these stocks were bought by Wall Street stockbrokers?"

"Um?"

  After being reminded, everyone looked at the form. Sure enough, there were only two suspected purchases of 20 million US dollars at the beginning, which were in the seats of Wall Street brokers. After that, they all bought company seats in the Midwest and West Coast. Among them, Charles Schwab is the most common.

   "Midwest and West Coast, shit, aren't my old friends?"

  President Donald Keogh cursed and went to the inner room to make a phone call.

"Warren, this is Donald. Hello, is that you? You just happen to be buying Coca-Cola, right?" Keogh asked the old friend directly, without going in circles with the Berkshire Hathaway boss. of stock purchases.

   There was a moment of silence on the phone, and Warren Buffy replied, "I'm buying, by coincidence. But I would be very grateful if you would keep quiet until I make a statement on my holdings."

   "You still want to buy?" Keogh was surprised. Is this going to buy 10% of the shares and then launch a special general meeting of shareholders alone?

   Buffett means nothing more than this. If the news of his purchase of Coca-Cola shares leaks, other investors will flock in and eventually push up the stock price, and Berkshire's purchase goal may not be achieved.

   "Yes, I have followed your stocks for several years. At the Millennium Berkshire shareholder meeting, I even used cherry-flavored Coca-Cola as a formula drink. I like your style of doing things very much.

  I also think your business is very good. As a shareholder, I will still respect and support the efforts of your management team. After all, management ability is also the most important aspect of a company's operating ability. "

   "If you get on the board, will you promise not to interfere with the operations of our management team? Coca-Cola is being defeated by a bad management team. I don't want me and Robert (Goizueta, Keogh's boss)..."

   "This is exactly why I want to buy. You have increased the profit margin from less than 8% you took over to 17% last year... Your new strategy for the bottling plant, I also appreciate it..."

   "Okay, okay," Keogh believed Warren Buffy's words completely. When he took a stake in the Washington Post before, he also kept his promise and never interfered with the operations of his boss, Mrs. Graham. Very welcome, the alarm is off.

"I plan to buy a little more than 5%. After reporting to the Securities Regulatory Commission, it depends on the market price..." Buffett is very optimistic about this stock this time, and plans to replace one-third of the company's total assets with Coca-Cola. Bet on this once-in-a-decade chance.

   "What do you mean by buying more than 5%? You didn't make those hidden investments in New York and Los Angeles?"

"Los Angeles? No, my purchases were all bought by brokerage seats in the Midwest around Omaha. I don't want you to misunderstand. But someone thought of it with me? This is very interesting. After you find out who it is , I would like to see him."

   "He only bought about 0.6%. I think he may be an individual investor. That's it, see you at the shareholders meeting."

"It's Warren, we don't have to worry too much. He has a good reputation and everyone knows he is a passive investor." After the president Keogh came out, he said to others waiting outside the door, "But he denied the other purchase It's him, who do you think it will be?"

"It's probably a discerning individual investor. Those public funds that focus on the standard 500 components to buy are not in this style, and they didn't say hello to us. Do you know which rich people are buying? The Middle East, or Japan?" Finance The director breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was Buffy. If those big crocodiles used Wall Street's junk bonds to engage in leveraged hostile takeovers, they would face a tough battle. Even if it wins, Coca-Cola's development strategy will be affected.

Marketing Director Sergio Seaman suddenly remembered something, and said, "Interesting, I just heard from a film director that he bought a lot of our stocks before. But I didn't take it seriously, a young director , wouldn’t you be so rich?”

   "Ask the people at Columbia Pictures, how does the director make? What's the name of your director?"

  …

   "Cut! I need a little passion here, Julia, passion!"

   On the set of Steel Magnolia, director Herbert Ross has restrained himself a lot. However, he will still severely point out where the actors do not meet his performance requirements, but he will no longer accuse Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton of not being able to act.

   "Since the death of his wife Nora, Herbert has been abnormal." Shirley Maclean is relatively familiar with him, and she is also very disgusted with Ross's behavior. Among these actors, she is the only one who is old enough to not be afraid of the bad temper of these ego directors.

  With the support of Ronald, she and Sally Fields, Olympia Dukakis and others formed the Oscar Club (a gang of actors who have won the statuette). Discussing the director's bad temper and how to perform in this situation.

"His fiancée will come to visit the class soon, and I hope his temper will be better by then." Ronald also participated in the discussion, "I'm leaving soon, please take care of me here. If Diane, hi, and If Julia is personally attacked by him, you can fight back. I don't worry about Dolly."

"She's really depressed," Sally Field said. Originally, Dolly Parton came here because of Ronald's invitation, and she really doesn't know how to act. The three of them have more experience than the three of them, and they know what the director needs. What.

   "Don't worry, your sweetheart, we'll take care of it for you." Shirley Maclean laughed. A pat on Ronald's shoulder.

   "And you my sweethearts... Take care of yourself too, call my assistant if you need anything..." Ronald smiled and hugged the three Oscar winners one by one.

   "Your cousin, are you invited to the platform now?" While hugging Dukakis, Ronald quietly asked her about the situation.

"Thanks to the sultry moonlight, I have a lot of film contracts now, and I don't have to make money for Michael anymore." Olympia now cares more about her acting career than politics. She gave a platform to her cousin at the Oscars. Be in a good mood.

   "How are you? Will you support my cousin?" Olympia Dukakis asked Ronald. They were the closest, and could chat half-jokingly about their political leanings.

"To be honest, I don't care much. At this stage, I support the Elephant Party and hope to get tax incentives. I am more concerned about next year's mayoral election in New York. The law and order outside my apartment is not very good. I hope the new mayor can solve it .”

  “I’m planning to buy a house now. I’ve paid for the tuition fees of several children, and I don’t know where there is a cheap one in Lower Manhattan.”

  “I dare not buy cheap ones now, and the public security is not cheap, and rent-controlled apartments are becoming more and more difficult to rent. My cousin can’t find a suitable one.”

   Two New Yorkers made two complaints. Ronald bid farewell to the crew and prepared to go back.

   "Mr. Li...", the head of marketing of Coca-Cola is back again.

   "Why are you back?" Ronald wondered.

"I am entrusted by the company's board of directors to ask you about the situation. You said last time that you bought a lot of shares in our company. If it is convenient, can you tell me the specific amount? When the shareholders meeting comes, we are very likely to reorganize the board of directors.

   Of course, if you don't want to say it for privacy reasons, that's okay. As long as it doesn't exceed 1%, we fully understand that some shareholders want to keep a low profile. "

   "Hey, where do I have so many, probably just over half of 1%, 0.6%." Ronald felt that such a company with a market value of more than 10 billion probably wouldn't care about small shareholders like himself.

   "Welcome, Mr. Shareholder. I will only convey this news to members of our board of directors, please rest assured." Sergio Seaman thought to himself, the people in Columbia Pictures also underestimated the income of the person in front of him.

  When the news that Sergio bought Warren Buffet also came out, Ronald couldn't help but be happy. It seems that his choice is very good, and he has been recognized by one of the most powerful investors now.

   "I know him, his son Peter, who worked on my films. How much did he buy?"

   "I can only say that he will be in the company's annual report."

   "Oh...", Ronald was happy. Buffett bought at least ten times his own stock, which is still a heavy position. It seems that this time I bought it casually, and actually hit the same stock as the professional investment master, and I will continue to buy it with my own money in the future.

  Sergio Seaman also understands clearly that Ronald only bought stocks for investment and with the mentality of buying blue chip stocks. This kind of investor is easier to deal with than Buffett. They are not like Warren, who still have requirements for business operations. If the management ability deteriorates in the future, he will leave without hesitation.

   Investors like Ronald don’t know much about company management. This kind of shareholders does not put much pressure on the operators. Anyway, most of them are just letting go of dividends, and few of them really know how to operate.

  Several parties involved are gentlemen, and the stock price of Coke has not fluctuated. In this way, Buffet continued to buy, and Ronald only hated that his next dividend had not yet arrived. When the news spread, he would definitely not be able to buy such cheap stocks.

  Ronald then came to New York, where he will continue to discuss the romantic movie with Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron.

  The negotiations of the Screenwriters Union are now in chaos. The union's board of directors began to distrust negotiators. Many members are joining forces in private, hoping to launch a vote to force the union to agree to the terms and end the strike.

  The backbone of some other labor unions began to fire at the seven major studios and the three major public television stations, accepting media interviews, condemning the largest employers of these screenwriters, showing no mercy to the tragic situation of screenwriters, and only thinking about their own interests.

   In this way, Nora Ephron cannot hire other screenwriters to revise the script together. She can only slowly follow Ronald's request alone, trying to change the ending into a happy reunion.

   "If I want to change the ending, I don't even know how to direct it..." Rob Reiner pouted with Nora's revised first draft at the three people's quiet gathering.

   "What's so rare about this? The audience likes this ending, and why can't Harry and Sally be together? Isn't that how many people go around and get together with the original person?"

"The change of this character is wrong, and it will damage the rhythm of the previous story. I don't have to insist on not filming the reunion, but such a turning point will make the audience look strange, and it may not be a good thing for the box office." Rob Reiner stood his ground.

   "Let's think of a way..." Ronald knew that what Reiner said was not unreasonable from the perspective of drama theory. But a romantic drama isn't going to win an Oscar, is it? There are some flaws in the plot, but it does not affect the enjoyment of the audience.

  These filmmakers in New York have this problem. Although compared to people in Hollywood, ego is not as big and easier to communicate with. But at the same time, they also have their own ideas, and if they don't find reasons for their approval, they can't even think about changing their own opinions.

  This is a common problem among New York artists. Five people have six opinions on a play. One would say, "Woody Allen would do it one way. John Cassavetes would do it another way."

   "What do you think?" Ronald had to ask Nora Ephron who was silent beside her.

   "I don't know, sometimes I think Rob is right, and sometimes I think Ronald is right."

   This is the first time that Nora Ephron has encountered a director like Ronald who considers the plot of the movie and tries to deal with it in a simple direction. His theory is very simple, audiences have regrets in their love life, and the purpose of coming to the theater is to let them make up for their regrets on the screen.

"I want to pay an advance fee for the production. I will interview real couples in life. We all say that the princess and the prince will live happily together in the future. How about looking at how many couples are happily together in the real world. This can also confirm that a couple like Harry and Sally cannot be together?"

   "Your idea is very good. I will pay you in advance how much you want." Ronald agreed as soon as he heard it. These artists don’t understand statistics. If you go to a couple who are still married, how likely is it that they often quarrel in their lives and cannot divorce?

  It seems that my idea will definitely be confirmed.

   "You can do an interview, it will definitely confirm my idea." Rob Reiner insisted on his own ideas. He himself and Petunia Marshall were attracted to each other because of their talents at the beginning, and then hated each other, and a very sad divorce proceeded.

   "Okay, let's let the real interview decide", Ronald snickered.

  (end of this chapter)