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Apple (AAPL +1.9%) is rallying again, as hopes grow the company will soon begin returning more...
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Monday, February 11, 11:19 AM ETApple (AAPL +1.9%) is rallying again, as hopes grow the company will soon begin returning more cash to shareholders. Citi reports hearing the time of Tim Cook's Tuesday presentation at a Goldman conference has been moved up to 10:15AM ET, which is fueling expectations of an announcement ahead of Cook's remarks. Meanwhile, Topeka's Brian White says he's "now confident" a cheaper iPhone will arrive this year. (Apple/Einhorn)
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This news story has 18 comments:
Good comment, it is very simple:
10% of SA receive alerts on AAPL:
The world exists on RAITING.
http://seekingalpha.co...
APPL must be following the truly disappointed new BB Z10 users with interest now that lots of Z10's are being returned to the carriers by frustrated BB fans.
It's not all about sales of the Z10, it's also and importantly about return numbers which seem to be massive in the UK and Canada.
How about learning just after your purchase that you cannot sync to your computers' OUTLOOK whicht was common practice with the earlier Desktop Software most people use to sync ?
Yes, there is a way around it, buy an app, which also materialises in security issues.
Great, leaving out the most used sync tool for BB users. Great to disappoint new Z10 buyers so much that they return their phone to their carrier and never come back again.
Congrats, BB !
Apple doesn't announce new things at these gs conferences.
Frankly, the more I see Tim Cook in action, the less I like him. The guy impresses me as a paper-pushing bureaucrat. That's NOT a complement.
Tim Cook is doing a great job. As a long term Apple holder I couldn't be happier.
Please keep you freaking stock advice to yourself and I'll manage my own portfolio if you please.
I've been an AAPL shareholder for 6 years and have a $188 cost basis. However, I don't have to blindly follow the management of every company I own. Does that make me disloyal to you? So be it. When AAPL (or any equity I own) does something stupid or says something stupid, I will respond accordingly. I've paid for that right with MY investment and I will exercise that right when I see fit.
Personally, I believe Tim Cook is doing an "average" job at best. For proof I'll submit that Cook was promoted from the supply chain side of the business when Steve Jobs stepped aside. Yet he couldn't manage the parts inventory side of all the product releases this fall. Huh??? Then Cook and the CFO Oppenheimer (sorry can't remember his first name) have continued to treat their shareholders like lemmings (listen to the last conference call in January). All that was fine when the company was blowing away earnings quarter after quarter. However, AAPL has missed it's last three quarters. Now that isn't so cute anymore. If you call that a "great job" then you have a MUCH lower grading level then I do.
I own stocks to make money. Not to blindly follow every statement made by company leadership. That is just plain stupid.
Have a good day!
I happen to hold a different point of view than you on the points you mention. I realize Apple had some supply-chain issues this past quarter. With all the new products and the complexity of the supply chain I would argue that the job was handled as well as it possibly could have been considering the demand. Apple announces products and begins shipping them a few weeks later. Compare that to others like Microsoft who announced the Surface in June '12 but don't deliver a single product until late october for RT and Surface Pro just recently last week. 8-months after being announced yet there were complaints of only a few Surface Pro's being sent to stores. That sounds like an example of mediocre supply-chain management to me. Now Apple could take this route and reveal a product and then wait 8-months to deliver but I prefer the products trickle in as supply meets demand. I'm not going to buy another computer if I want a new iMac. I'll just wait for the iMac, as I would suspect most people do. In addition, Apple is investing $10b a year in capex to improve there supply situation. Things will improve drastically as they open up large production facilities that can more efficiently handle the demand. This is all being orchestrated at the top by Tim Cook.
Regarding the last conference call, I think Peter Oppenheimer did a few things to help shareholders. First, he is now going to give a range estimate as opposed to a single number. This will help keep expectations in line from the over-zealous analysts, who quite frankly know as much as you and I about the company (sometimes far less). He also purposely didn't give an EPS estimate to leave the door open for more aggressive buybacks at this level. Secondly, he introduced a new set of revenue categories. Now we get a glimpse into how large iTunes, software and accessories has become for the business. Growing at 30% a year. Lastly, they are looking into ways to return more cash to shareholders.
In my opinion there are many bright days ahead for Apple. I am very happy with the competent team of executives running the show. 2013 will be full of surprises for shareholders.
When Steve Jobs died, I was of the opinion that the hit the shareprice took was unwarranted because I was sure that the management team was more then competent. Therefore I viewed that as a prime buying opportunity and took advantage of it. However, and here is the thing that bothers me a LOT lately, after listening to the conference calls over the last 3 quarters - I'm not so sure of that anymore. Obviously you have a different opinion - and I hope you are right. However, Tim Cook just does not impress me as a farsighted, imaginative company leader. Personally, he is beginning to impress me as the next Steve Balmer. That is obviously NOT a complement.
The bottom line here for me is this: Where as Apple, in the past, was given basically a complete pass to do pretty much anything they wished business-wise, they are now on my personal watch list and I put their business decisions under a LOT more scrutiny. While I still think there is a lot of value in AAPL moving forward, the management team is under a much heavier burden to show me as an shareholder that they deserve my continued support. Right now they would probably grade out as a "C-" on my rating scale. Time will tell if they can improve that grade. They could begin that process by halting the arrogant nature of their dealings with shareholders. If I wanted that attitude I would buy into Amazon instead.