Car Sick before and after Winnebago's Conference Call on Friday

As a shareholder, conference calls have been a bit scary lately thanks to a volatile stock market.  Think how nervous long term Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE:WGO) investors are feeling?  They sell massive $50K+ beasts that maybe get 10 miles to the gallon.  31% Short float and -38% YTD Return.  Makes you throw up both in and out of the car.

You just have to ask, how many shareholders are expecting 'good news' come Friday?  Then again, how much worse can things get for WGO?

Last Monday WGO announced plans to idle production at a manufacturing plant and lay off 270 salaried and hourly employees due to a drop in demand.  Really?

The company said market conditions have dramatically worsened with increasing fuel prices, decreasing consumer confidence and a difficult lending environment hampering sales of motor homes.

During the third quarter ended May 31, production was reduced during 12 of the 13 weeks, resulting in capacity utilization of less than 35 percent for the quarter, Winnebago said.

"While current demand for recreation vehicles has softened significantly, over the longer term, the motor home market should benefit from the increased popularity of RVs, demographic growth in the prime target market of people over age 50 and the broadening age range of people who are buying motor homes," Chairman, President and Chief Executive Bob Olson said in a statement.

Now most of America can believe that, Baby Boomers will pony up for one of their RV's eventually, right?

But not everyone thinks WGO sucks.  Bob Simonson at William Blair & Co. pointed out that Winnebago is debt free, has substantial cash and investment balances, and is increasing Class A market share in both gas and diesel units even as the industry suffers from a debilitating decline in consumer demand.

Bob also said this reported on June 9th:

"If they're not buying houses on foundations, they're not going to buy them on wheels," noted Bob Simonson, analyst at Chicago's William Blair & Co.

Will RVs turn around anytime soon? "No, no," Simonson said, emphatically. "What was terrible is getting worse."

Now take a look at the chart:

You bet, Barf Buddy bucket coming right up.

How about you buy WGO shares before the call, then we'll talk afterwards. I'll wait for them to fall under $10 then think about it.

That being said, if Winnebago has anything positive to say, the stock could really jump, but then again, gas could go back down to $3 a gallon, I mean $4 a gallon, or is it $5?