I would think Ajit has made sure that we're covered legally, with a high quality firm - those are not all that easy to find in the tech area, as a company like AAPL likes to have many top quality firms represent it, so they don't have to face them on the other side of a negotiation, or worse, a lawsuit!
With all this talk of Apple, Google, maybe Samsung and others, we are wading into very deep waters. For example, even if multiple companies were interested, what if they all went to Apple and arranged for a sub-licence of the tech? And we're left to deal just with Apple?
All kinds of things are lurking dangerously for us, however, at the very same time, unless we've already tied our hands with Apple or BAE (highly, highly unlikely at this point), all the aforementioned big players have to watch out for another of them or an outsider making a successful run at POET, and thus putting those big players at the mercy of one of their brethren (perish that thought!). So they have plenty at stake, too - can you imagine, "Tim, you had them in the palm of your hand and you screwed up!" Not something any CEO wants to ever hear directed at him or her.
This certainly appears to be shaping up into very high stakes poker - and for most of the players it's just another big game, but for POET, well, we don't have nearly the same depth and experience (Ajit's our number one player, but he'll be up against a lot of tough individuals). So absolutely first rate legal and business counsel are a must. Hey, we have Tony Blevins, right? LOL
I know that if things went just right, we'd be much better off not selling out, and licensing and making zillions, but often things don't go just right. If POET can get the stock price moving upward strongly and soon, whoever is the winner will have to pony up substantial dollars.
A cheap buyout would be a great shame, but at some point and dollar amount, notwithstanding some genuine disappointment amongst longer term shareholders, accepting the cash and removing all risk is a pleasing thought. Dealing with withdrawals from this adrenaline producing enterprise will be tough, but....
It's plenty weird to be chatting like this with the stock making such modest moves, not to mention the incredibly modest market cap. However, recent events (last three months or so) make the conversations far less fanciful than they have sounded to me in the past.
Good luck to us!
