A recent emailer wanted to know why Wall Street values certain companies so highly when said companies can’t seem to deliver product on time or at high levels of quality. In retrospect my response — that the Street’s definition of “execution” means generating positive cash flow, growing profits and revenues, and meeting guidance was different from ours — seems limp. Generally, I think execution is a companywide commitment. It would certainly be interesting to know whether certain manufacturing metrics are leading indicators for financial performance. I’m going to query a few analysts and will let you know what they say.

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I’ve been asked by more than a few folks about updates to the rumored acquisition of Amphenol’s PCB division (the former Teradyne manufacturing site) by Endicott Interconnect Technologies (the former IBM manufacturing site). In the words of a great man, “I ain’t heard nothing yet.”