Garry Bartecki, CFO of employee-owned Illini Hi-Reach and Material Handling Wholesaler Bottom Line monthly columnist
Apr20

Future Business Silos

You have been following your standard business silos for many, many years. Let’s see, what do we have now: New sales Used sales Parts Service Short-term rentals Rentals with maintenance Rent to own (maybe) Other revenues and consulting I am not going to get into the GP Margins, since today’s numbers are all screwed up because of the pandemic and material and chip shortages that in turn increased your cost and thus your margin dollars...

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Garry Bartecki, CFO of employee-owned Illini Hi-Reach and Material Handling Wholesaler Bottom Line monthly columnist
Mar20

Changing landscape

And that is the problem. Inflation or no inflation. GDP growth or inadequate GDP growth. Job claims that help and worker shortfall that does not. Interest rates too high or not high enough. Consumer spending to slow because of increasing personal debt balances. Just what are economic factors telling us that provide comfort because you feel the “conclusions” our “guesses” are reasonable? As you know I read many economic reports and...

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Garry Bartecki, CFO of employee-owned Illini Hi-Reach and Material Handling Wholesaler Bottom Line monthly columnist
Feb20

Potential $$ is coming your way

There are still plenty of questions and discussions taking place about what to expect in 2024. Management is really under the gun trying to properly budget profits and free cash flow, and at the same time trying to entice customers to buy units and parts and properly maintain equipment. Speaking of customers, seeing that they are in the same boat you are, are looking for ways to become more efficient through cost reductions and...

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Garry Bartecki, CFO of employee-owned Illini Hi-Reach and Material Handling Wholesaler Bottom Line monthly columnist
Jan20

Screwy numbers

I spend a good couple of hours each day reviewing stock markets and other investment commentary. Always loved investment adventures and even produced my MBA thesis discussing the merits associated with distressed long-term bonds. And guess what? For the period I was covering returns from buying distressed long-term bonds produced above average returns if you select bonds of companies that have a good chance of covering their debt...

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It’s tax time! Are you prepared for what’s ahead?

Is there never a “TAX TIME” in the U.S.? Don’t think so. And I believe “TAX TIME” is going to increase dramatically. The PROBLEM being that the U.S. continues to spend more than it takes in, which we all know does not work in any way, shape, or form. And how do we fix this? By taking more money from you and your company. THERE IS NOT A CHANCE IN HELL THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN, because in four years U.S. debt will be about $40...

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What happens in the auto industry…..

OEM’s and Lift Truck dealers have always been paying close attention to what is happening in the auto industry, thinking that these large major industrial players that also sell via dealer networks are a step ahead of the equipment industry, and that most of the current as well as any expected financial and economic changes incurred by the car industry will eventually wind up on the equipment dealer’s doorstep. And you know what, that...

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Monetize your value Part 2

I am preparing an intro for this month’s topic, and then we will jump into material prepared by Nathan Hawkins asking him to update the readers about the status of ESOPs in today’s economic environment. I asked him five questions about the state of the ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) market, how ESOPs could help with recruiting and employee retention, what’s changed since the Pandemic, how interest rates and inflation have impacted...

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