.., it appears, by many regarding what the letter to shareholders says - particularly in regard to the acquisition effort.  Read the friggin' thing and try a little harder to grasp what they mean:

"Our M&A search activity is being expanded by our having initiated efforts to engage an investment banking firm to help introduce us to candidate companies."

So, IF YOU READ IT, is says they're about to engaged an investment banking firm to help introduce them to candidate companies. 

Please think about this. 

We do KNOW that they've had talks with some candidate firms, ranging from very small companies to some with as many as a hundred employees.  These were all relatively small firms, where formal "introductions" weren't necessary or part of "protocol".  Those talks were BEFORE the settlements in TX.

Now they're telling us that, to support efforts with their new/current candidates, they NEED the aid of an assist to get in the door.  And I would suspect that this is proper protocol when trying to initiate talks with a (much) larger firm.

I would imagine that if some larger firm got a call from some little dinky company saying they wanted to talk some business proposition, they'd blow 'em off like we do a telemarketer.  If our guys showed up at their headquarters, they'd be shown the "No Soliciting" sign at the entrance.  The "introductions" to a large firm must be made in a formal fashion, I'd think, and by a recognized entity with established credibility.

You guys getting the subtle message(s) that I'm thinking was thrown our way?

Pure speculation on my part, but the message I got was:

1) We got a big pile of cash out of TX, greatly expanding the list of possible acquisition candidates (higher tiers).

2) It's so much money that we can comfortably afford to pursue candidates having a lot more going for them than those little companies we were talking to before (though they too may be continuing candidates); companies already on a major exchange with great management and great products and a great future, and that are already profitable.

Just my take, but it sure sounds like the candidate list got a major "quality boost" due purely to the amounts of money recently received.  They were looking for a nice used car, now they're in the market for an airplane.  And to continue the analogy, a plane will get us where we want to go a lot faster than that used car.

JMHO, and I KNOW absolutely nuttin'!

SGE