Einhorn: We Don’t Need No Stinking Ratings Agencies

David Einhorn likens not having ratings agencies to when his parents decided to move to Wisconsin when he was seven. “I didn’t know what would happen. I was very upset at the time, but we moved it kind of worked out OK. The idea that If we didn’t have official ratings, that something bad would happen, I don’t think that makes much sense.”

Author:
Zachery Kouwe
Updated:
Jan 14, 2019
Original:
Jun 3, 2010

This morning, over the phone, David Einhorn compared the fear over not having official ratings agencies to utter terror he felt when his parents decided to move to Wisconsin when he was seven. “I didn’t know what would happen. I was very upset at the time, but we moved it kind of worked out OK. The idea that If we didn’t have official ratings, that something bad would happen, I don’t think that makes much sense,” he told Bloomberg TV.

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Remember how David Einhorn got in trouble in England for insider trading on Punch Taverns stock and he was all "what?" and we were all "what?"? Well, you can judge it for yourself because now the entire disputed call with Punch is available online (at the back of this). So go read it, or read the highlights here. The FSA still thinks it's insider trading, but the count of people confused by the whole thing is rising, and now includes the Merrill banker on the call. There's lots of insider traderiness on this side of the pond today too so we should talk about that in a bit. For now, though, two other things. One is quick - no one can resist one part of the call and I can't either so here it is: DAVID EINHORN: Hi, I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you when you were in New York. PUNCH CEO: No, no, we -- well, we’ve -- we’ve only had the chance to speak once, although we have seen [reference to Greenlight Analyst] a few times since then. DAVID EINHORN: Oh, you’re -- you’re -- you’re getting more than -- than I could help with anyway. So, this is good. PUNCH CEO: Okay. That’s fair enough. Well, one day we’ll get you around on a pub crawl around some English pubs. DAVID EINHORN: Oh, that sounds fun. PUNCH CEO: It is. You’re right. English readers: Is it? I just assumed that Punch Taverns are rather grim places, like TGI Friday's but with more ... punching? ... but maybe I'm totally off base here. Also, here is a hypothesis: vice investments do well because, for the same level of profitability, they get more analyst/investor coverage and enthusiasm. Wouldn't you rather go on a pub crawl instead of like a tour of an auto parts factory in Queens? Would that influence your stock recommendations / money allocations? Someone should do a study.

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A small business lender once targeted by David Einhorn has agreed to settle fraud charges by Justice Department for $26.3 million. The settlement, from Ciena Capital (once part of Allied Capital Corp.,) also resolves a whistleblower lawsuit by Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital.

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