TAKING STOCK: All that glitters isn't Goldman

Dear Mr. Berko: I just finished reading "Why I Left Goldman Sachs," a revealing expose written by Greg Smith, a 12-year veteran. I was shocked and disgusted at his accusations and at first thought that his comments were lies and the result of an unhappy employee. Then I was shocked at the tepid response of Goldman Sachs, whose people cavalierly dismissed the accusations with: "we investigated and found nothing to support his allegations." If Greg Smith's accounts were lies, wouldn't you think that Goldman Sachs would aggressively sue for libel and slander? And that they haven't taken any forceful actions against Smith or his book suggests that Smith's allegations are true. So, should I sell my 100 shares that I bought at $103 this year? JW: Troy, Mich. Dear JW: Goldman Sachs (GS-$122) expects to report earnings of $11.90 and pay a $1.70 dividend this year on revenues of $38.5 billion. This will up from $4.85 in 2011, when revenues were $36.7 billion and the dividend was $1.40. Even though global macroeconomic headwinds are expected to persist, and even though troubles in the Eurozone credit markets will continue to worsen, GS will continue to prosper. GS has politicians from Greece, Spain, Germany, Italy and France on its consultancy list, so it thrives during unstable and uncertain times. And as the U.S. economy continues to flounder, Goldman will quietly employ a dozen or so new Congressmen and judges as consultants to insure its revenues grow. Goldman, like the Mafia, never loses money. And the only major difference between the two organizations is that the Mafia doesn't spend much money on office supplies. But don't sell your shares because GS is on the way to earning gigantic profits. Its recent $2 billion investment in Islamic Bonds and its intent to open an investment bank in Iran will be a Golkonda. While approval is yet to be granted, observers believe that a Goldman bank in Iran could add $4 to $5 a share to GS's earnings and give Iran the sophisticated banking skills it needs to compete in world markets. This will be a celebrated coup by GS management. And later, when GS gets a toehold in Iran, it will then step up and forge banking relationships with other radical Islamic countries, exploding Goldman's profits even more. Iran badly needs Goldman's financing skills to modernize its infrastructure, build manufacturing facilities, chemical and steel plants, electric power grids, plus oil and gas pipelines. And for the right commission, GS has the juice to raise the capital that Iran and other radical Islamic governments need. Many suggest this is anti-American, but money has no country or allegiance and neither do the fluffers at GS. And don't sell your shares because the GS mongers will also assist the European Union to raise the funds to rescue Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal and accrue billions from the process. According to a source at PIMCO, the world's largest bond fund, GS is counseling for a huge fee with the governments of China and Saudi Arabia. These nations own multiple billions of dollars of U.S. Treasuries, the purchases of which were facilitated by Goldman for a fee. Now GS will help China and Saudi Arabia liquidate a few hundred billion of low interest U.S. Treasuries for another fee. Then, using the proceeds, Goldman will help China and Saudi Arabia purchase higher interest bonds issued by Greece, et al, increasing their interest income by 1,000 percent or more. And of course GS earns another fee. The Treasury liquidations will lower U.S. bond prices but GS will, for another sweet commission, will protect the portfolios of large Treasury bond holders by issuing a proprietary derivative designed to increase in value when the market prices of Treasuries decline. Hold those GS shares. They may decline 10 percent or 15 percent if the Dow takes a dive, but the consensus is that GS could be a $250 stock in the next few years. Even Value Line thinks so. ---------- Please address your financial questions to Malcolm Berko, P.O. Box 8303, Largo, FL 33775 or e-mail him at mjberko@yahoo.com. Visit Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. © 2012 Creators Syndicate Inc. Published: Wed, Dec 19, 2012