Apple: Future Trillion Dollar Company Trading At 46% Discount [View article]
It seems inevitable AAPL will sink back to Earth someday, but junk like Android and MSFT phone doesn't have the mojo to hurt AAPL; and the stock is currently GROTESQUELY undervalued; and they still only have small computer marketshare, especially in Windows-dominated Enterprise. I am fully ready to sell when my "spider sense" (a reference to Marvel comics, not ETF's) starts to tingle-- it's usually pretty obvious when tech companies are losing direction (Sun, SGI, SNE) well before the "bottom drops out", but ,frankly, I don't feel uncomfortable with AAPL right now. I thought about selling at 200-- an arbitrary "take profit" point. Happily, I did not. I thought about selling when Steve passed. His departure worries me, but I don't think it is concern in the short term. Companies CAN grow and prosper and even renew themselves without the founder around. IBM was left for dead in the 1980's-- now it has a nice place in my IRA (bought lots at 87, in 2008).
At least the Chinese are able to execute public works programs without it becoming some kind of politicized referendum on the role of Government-- I'll give them that.
My preference would be that the US not trade at all with China: their labor practices, human rights, environmental policies, and expansionism-- plus the fact they are stealing American jobs-- leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. But, given that almost EVERY US private or public company deals with China, I think it is reprehensible to single out Apple. I think it is a deliberate attempt to sully Apple's brand.
China Cord Blood: A Stock With High Market Beating Growth Potential [View article]
I wouldn't expect the Chinese to be careful enough to assure proper storage/labelling for something like this, with their track record on product safety. I wouldn't touch this company.
Microsoft Is Cheap, With An Economic Moat Driving Cash Flows [View article]
MSFT's key franchise is Windows. Talk to any computer scientist; Windows is hopelessly, unredeemably primitive. It is unreliable and unsecureable. The reason it still sells is mostly because there's a bunch of IT guys out there who grew up on DOS who haven't retired yet. If OS X doesn't replace it by the end of the decade, some friendly version of LINUX will. This is not an opinion; look at the trend lines. Why would they reverse, when there is no MSFT roadmap to suggest that they are getting serious about updating Windows' core?
I do NOT believe they will be able to move into services like IBM, as IBM has such a big lead there and so much more credibility.
Microsoft Girds Itself For Windows 8 Battle And Beyond [View article]
MSFT missed the boat BIG time. Instead of devoting most of their resources to eye candy in Win7, they should have made the move to UNIX. The early days of computing are gone forever. Proprietary OS's cobbled together with glue and chicken-wire were OK in the 80's and 90's, but serious OS's are all UNIX based now-- either LINUX, of BSD (such as OS X).
Priceline (PCLN) kills off William Shatner's Negotiator character in a new 30-second TV spot set to begin airing Monday. "Save yourselves - some money," he says as he and a bus of panicked vacationers tumble off a bridge. After Shatner's 14-year run as Priceline's pitchman, the company says an advertising change is needed as it shifts from a name-your-price model to a fixed-price approach. [View news story]
Conventional wisdom regarding Microsoft (MSFT) has been that the Windows (PC) and Office divisions are its cash cows, and everything else is a sideshow (if not a profit drain). But that's quickly changing: Microsoft's Server & Tools division generated $2B in operating income in FQ2, up 17% Y/Y. Meanwhile, the Windows division saw its income fall 11%, to $2.85B. MSFT +2.8% AH. (earning call blog) [View news story]
It's astounding they still sell so much crummy server software, but IT is addicted to Outlook/Exchange.
Apple PC Sales Increasing, But Their Revenue Impact Is Down [View article]
I agree. One of the most unsatisfactory tech experiences people have every day is logging out of their Mac at home and having to deal with a clunky Win7 machine at work. Phones and MP3 players are all well and good, but I REALLY the coming modernization (Macification?) of IT.
Apple: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle [View article]
"A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article suggesting that Amazon (AMZN) was on its way toward being Apple’s No. 1 contender...But it clearly now demonstrates a track record for innovation "
I disagree that a company with one idea (doing E-commerce well while dodging state sales taxes) can be called innovative. It is also irrelevant, as AMZN will never be a good investment, due to its P/E.
Apple May Have Jumped The Shark And Reached Its Zenith [View article]
Lynch also favored having direct knowledge/experience/u... of the company's actual PRODUCTS; a principle that has guided my investing, particularly in this age of companies with nebulous, vague, low-moat business models (e.g. Groupon).
Apple: Future Trillion Dollar Company Trading At 46% Discount [View article]
Apple's Problem With The Chinese [View article]
Apple's Problem With The Chinese [View article]
China Cord Blood: A Stock With High Market Beating Growth Potential [View article]
Microsoft Is Cheap, With An Economic Moat Driving Cash Flows [View article]
Microsoft Is Cheap, With An Economic Moat Driving Cash Flows [View article]
I do NOT believe they will be able to move into services like IBM, as IBM has such a big lead there and so much more credibility.
Long: AAPL, GOOG, IBM, INTC
Microsoft Is Cheap, With An Economic Moat Driving Cash Flows [View article]
Was Google's Price Decline Predictable? [View article]
Microsoft Girds Itself For Windows 8 Battle And Beyond [View article]
Priceline (PCLN) kills off William Shatner's Negotiator character in a new 30-second TV spot set to begin airing Monday. "Save yourselves - some money," he says as he and a bus of panicked vacationers tumble off a bridge. After Shatner's 14-year run as Priceline's pitchman, the company says an advertising change is needed as it shifts from a name-your-price model to a fixed-price approach. [View news story]
Conventional wisdom regarding Microsoft (MSFT) has been that the Windows (PC) and Office divisions are its cash cows, and everything else is a sideshow (if not a profit drain). But that's quickly changing: Microsoft's Server & Tools division generated $2B in operating income in FQ2, up 17% Y/Y. Meanwhile, the Windows division saw its income fall 11%, to $2.85B. MSFT +2.8% AH. (earning call blog) [View news story]
Apple PC Sales Increasing, But Their Revenue Impact Is Down [View article]
Apple: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle [View article]
I disagree that a company with one idea (doing E-commerce well while dodging state sales taxes) can be called innovative. It is also irrelevant, as AMZN will never be a good investment, due to its P/E.
2 Stocks With Solid Fundamentals And Strong Early Momentum In 2012 [View article]
Apple May Have Jumped The Shark And Reached Its Zenith [View article]