According to Eric Mancini, a Certified Financial Planner and holder
of a B.S. degree in economics from Penn State University, trade
dollars are a good hedge against inflation in that they represent
real buying power.
Here are his recent comments...
“ITEX Corp. (OTCBB:ITEX) offers a very unique product to small
businesses around the country. They operate a web site which
facilitates its members’ ability to barter each others excess
inventory or services to one another without using cash.
“The company instead uses ITEX dollars as the main unit of currency
for the member companies to exchange goods and services. This
presents an interesting play for inflation. The company itself holds
some ITEX dollars (as well as extends ITEX dollar credit lines to
some of its customers), thereby hedging itself to some extent from
the U.S. dollar. These units represent true and absolute buying
power for other members’ goods and services.
“ITEX makes it money through fixed annual member fees and
transaction fees that range from 5%-9%. The company is profitable
and relatively financially stable. ITEX should earn about
$0.03/share this year, and has $0.07/share in cash, with no long
term debt.”
