The Missing Man

So I was reading some of the commentary about the new Geithner plan, and the one thing that struck me (particularly as I read this) is that we still haven't see anything cogent about the valuation of these "troubled assets".

At the end of the day, I think the banks ARE currently insolvent BUT I think they can survive this. The key will be getting those assets off their books. YES, they will be insolvent. Get over it. As Steve Randy Waldman said over at Interfluidity the other day, they were insolvent before, during the S&L crisis. Insolvency isn't the issue. A few years of reasonable earnings w/o dividend payouts and public markets recapitalization -- as James Surowiecki has advocated (see the Interfluidity post for the links to Surowiecki) -- and I think many (not all) of the current banks survive in some form. Obviously, the industry will see huge structural changes in other ways, but overall, I don't think we risk losing too many of the existing banks. Yes, the banking system needs to be fundamentally overhauled, and personally, I think Glass-Steagall needs to make a return, but that's a conversation for another day.

Aside: The ones I think we DO lose would appear to be interesting shorts. :) Figuring out those names is left as an exercise to the reader. That's what the comments are for! I'll start with WFC.

What worries me most is whether Geithner's new plan will attempt to do what Hank Paulson's original plan(s) attempted to do - bailout the banks with unrealistic valuations of these assets. I don't think too many private investors will be interested in overpaying to take these assets off the balance sheets of the banks. I know I wouldn't be interested in overpaying for distressed assets. The marks they carry are because they are distressed! So I am particularly curious to see when and how this question is answered. If anyone out there reading has anything to share, speculation or otherwise, please do share!

I already think this bounce is setting up a huge shorting opportunity. However, until this question is answered, we're still in what Upside would call a Wile E. Coyote moment, not realizing there's no ground underfoot but still running. If this question isn't answered well AND soon, gravity kicks in with a vengeance! Of course, that's not to say that gravity won't kick in just because. It is "The Market" after all.

Finally, realize that I am only speaking about this plan right now. So many people seem to have forgotten about the BIG elephant in the room, the REAL missing man. There will be a next leg down, I'm fairly certain. And the banks will continue to be insolvent. Whether that turns into a liquidity problem is To Be Determined. All bets are off on any of the existing private banking institutions surviving once the leg down kicks in.

Until next time...

UPDATE: Looks like I spoke a bit too soon, but still, I personally want more detail.