I was watching this stock as a potential "value" play, but not any longer. I am of the humble opinion this company is heading for the toilet, unless it is bought out by a competitor or investment firm. Too many people have either left this company or been let go for me to believe it will remain viable.

I have lived in the Northeast Ohio area for my entire life. I watched the Keithley organization grow into a leader in the low level measurement market. Then JFK passed away, leaving the company to JPK. Sadly, it wasn't "like father, like son". JPK has, slowly and painfully, run this puppy into the ground. Some of the managers that he surrounded himself with, in particular Linda Rae, give me absolutely no confidence regarding the future viability of this company.

This is where a solid board of directors is a great asset to a company. They would get people like JPK and Linda out of there in a hurry. But when one "owns" the board it's something that just doesn't happen. It's also why I am now firmly of the view that second-generation companies are nothing but a future train wreck to happen. Somebody give me an example of where this has not been the case, but the landscape is littered with too many examples of where the family crashes and burns the company, especially privately-held enterprises.

I wish KEI's board would grow a backbone and get JPK out of there, plus the team of managers around him. How sad to take something your dad worked so hard to build and destroy it the way you did. Very sad.

wsj