Wow!!

http://halfwheel.com/swisher-interna...w-estate/72299

Well best of luck to them. Hope it doesn't hurt their products... they make some of the best sticks I have smoked. Best of luck JD and the boys at DE.
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sad
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:-) Better go grab another box of Undercrowns/T52/#9 before the get turned into flavored paper..
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^ this

I feel happy for JD & co, they are some $$$ ballers now.

But can't say I think their products will go anywhere but down.
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JD got PAID...good for him.

I'll wait and see about the smokes :-)
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I don't blame them for getting paid. It's just a bit sad to me. Anybody want a wood tipped Dirty Rat!?
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Not yet has a good cigar gotten conglomerated and remained exceptional.
It's sad for the smokes, but I'm happy for JD. He's worked his ass off, and done some very special things. I'm happy to see it pay off for him!!! :-)
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CAO.. cough cough
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I think they were about to go belly up. Doesn't swisher have a traditional premium cigar? I thought they did, although I've never had one.
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While I understand the thought process (and please understand I am not picking on you specifically) I find this line of thinking to be somewhat odd...Ligas and Acids and all the rest are all going to be rolled at the same factory, by same rollers, using the same tobacco for the foreseeable future...In other words, Nothing will change with the blends for the foreseeable future.

Have you SEEN how much tobacco DE has stockpiled?

Just because Swisher has purchased the company does not mean that any of the blends will change, at least in the short term.
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Seriously?

I don't believe that for a second....unless 'foreseeable future' and 'short term' are relatively shorter than I'd normally consider
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"Multiple years" according to the article.
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If everything is the SAME, then what'd be the point? Will this deal give DE a larger profit margin? How? Highest end tobacco has often been scarce for DE. Will this deal make more somehow? If not, then what good would additional markets or sales be? jhedrick was obviously joking, but I have a very hard time imagining that this deal won't be blamed (by us) for diminished quality in a couple/few years.
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There have been examples of larger companies buying smaller ones, and it being a POSITIVE thing.

The first example that comes to my mind (albeit in a different industry) is InBev purchasing Goose Island. The consensus at the time was that it would destroy Goose Island and their beers, but I think any beer geek would be hard pressed to say that at this point.

In fact, GI has been able to produce beers (and the number of beers) they never could have dreamed of before they were purchased.
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It saves them from collapse. It secures JD's and his partners futures, while buying the employees time to sort their stuff out. It also benefits swisher in terms of adding new revenue streams to their portfolio, which hedges against the attack on flavored machine made cigars. It seems beneficial for both companies, but I agree that the benefits of the consumer are still unknown at this time. DE was in pretty serious trouble, from what I've heard from industry insiders. Is a different DE better than no DE? Only time will tell.
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There is more than one way to make money in a tobacco company other than making more cigars for more money.

Streamlining processes, cutting costs other than tobacco/production costs etc.
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Interesting ... and the Outlaw party on the 25th is a DE party ... I am guessing some plans might be changing.
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Do you have anything supporting that they were about to go belly up?
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True, it does not necessarily mean that things will change tomorrow. I may be pleasantly surprised. However, properly pulling of a Merger/Acquisition where both parties benefit is extremely hard. Is a pre-merger Chrysler the same quality as a Daimler Chrysler or a Fiat Chrysler? Usually one gets cannibalized somewhat and there has to be a genuine culture fit between the two parties. I don't know JD or anyone at Swisher. So you are right, I have no idea what will happen. Maybe it's like Tata buying Jaguar and totally revitalizing it. :-) My point is that for me, for my taste in cigars, there are many options in the same price range (and lower) that I enjoy just as much. If I know I can go pick up a Anejo 46 and it'll be spot on, or I can go grab an T52 for a few bucks more that may or may not be what I remember. I'll grab the Fuente every time. is LP dead to me? No. Will I be as sure purchasing them as I was before? No.

Foreseeable future is an easy phrase for a company to throw around, it keeps everyone happy and everything copacetic. It's great management. Let everything settle down, learn the ins and outs of your shiny new toy and then do what publicly traded businesses do, maximize shareholder value!

BTW, Brooks, I do love Halfwheel.:-)
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To be clear, "Foreseeable Future" is my term, not theirs.

Thanks for your insight!
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