The Rant

Ok now first I have to tackle this question, who writes company press releases? I understand that the majority of press releases are meant to confuse investors and I know from experience that SHLD has some of the most confusing documents around but today's press release is just ridiculous:

Holdings currently expects that net income for its fourth quarter ending January 28, 2006 will be between $570 million and $635 million, or between $3.55 and $3.95 per fully diluted share. The results contemplate an estimated $15 million of pretax gains ($9 million after-tax) from the sale of assets during the quarter.....

Now I know there are a few definitions for the word contemplate dictionary.com gives three:

con·tem·plate (kntm-plt)v. con·tem·plat·ed, con·tem·plat·ing, con·tem·plates v. tr.

To look at attentively and thoughtfully. See Synonyms at see1.

To consider carefully and at length; meditate on or ponder: contemplated the problem from all sides; contemplated the mystery of God.

To have in mind as an intention or possibility: contemplate marriage; forced by the accident to contemplate retirement.

Now I know what they probably meant here, but honestly you don't need to right click everyword and use the synonyms function, but you know what sometimes you seem like kind of a moron when you do it. Or maybe SHLD is just thinking about including gain on sales in its results...who knows. Let me ponder for a moment how crappy this company is...-11.9% Sears comps, get real, this company sucks.