Sanofi: Don't Ignore This Powerhouse [View article]
Sanofi is a poorly run pharmaceutical company. The company has a bad relationship with the FDA. With the exception of vaccines, Sanofi has had one product approved by the FDA - Multaq for treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. Since launch, Multaq has received two serious FDA warning letters, the sales force was cut by 60% and many EP/Cards will not touch this product.
How will Sanofi perform now that Plavix is generic, Lovenox has biosimilar competition and cancer drugs coming off patent? Employee morale is extremely low as management attempts to address issues. Sanofi announced this week the closing of R&D labs in France - 2,500 employees.
Post Aventis merger, Sanofi management continues to run this once proud company into the ground. Strategic sales/marketing missteps, mishandled lawsuits and product after product rejected by the FDA will lead Sanofi shares lower. The stock has benefited recently by the weakening Euro. Fundamentally, Sanofi is a "sell" once currency tail winds cease.
It's rather apparent why Sanofi CEO Chris Viehbacher didn't get the CEO position at GSK. In fact, Mr. Viehbacher will be in the market for an attorney as he is implicated in the recent $3B settlement with the US FDA. He's a smooth talker - but is errantly leading Sanofi away from it's core Pharmaceutical business. It's my humble opinion he will fail as the Sanofi CEO and will be replaced in the next 12-18 months.
A Common-Sense Analysis Of iPhone Sales [View article]
Kenn, your article makes a lot of sense. As an "n" of one family - my wife and I have an iPhone 4 - love it. I'm due for an upgrade in Nov - perfect timing for Xmas and a new iPhone 5. My son just graduated HS is May and was given an iPhone 4S for graduation. No, we didn't wait until Sept/Oct - just not remotely practical. My daughter turns 21 in August and yes, being an SA reader did consider waiting for Sept/Oct for iPhone 5 launch - but again it just isn't practical to wait. Both my children attend college and the iPhone 4S is their first smartphone, both have iPods and Mac Book Pro's. I don't think my family situation is all that much different than most. Based on my opinion your thesis is right on target. As a side note - I'm paying for all these Apple devices as a result of purchasing Apple April 430 calls in January before 1Q EA at $21.75 and selling at $118. Took profits and reinvested the next day with triple my position and made out nicely again - Here's to SA and staying updated. Thanks for your article!
Likely Impact Of Apple Solving The Chinese iPad Problem [View article]
Given Apple's new iPad manufacturing capacity, when would Apple launch iPad 3 in China? Could it be parallel launch with iPhone 5 in US? I would expect CNBC will hype the hell out Apple around Labor Day?
Apple's Q4: Things To Look Forward To [View article]
The biggest catalyst coming in Apple's 4Q is the launch of the iPhone 5. Apple celebrated the 5 year anniversary of the iPhone - 250 million iPhone's in 5 years. Can you imagine the # of iPhone 4 to iPhone 5 upgrades? This will be a huge catalyst going into the fall. All indications are a Sept/Oct launch. Based on supplier reports - I would say Sept this time around. Remember, the iPhone 4S was delayed into October - this hit the stock hard in 4Q 2011. I don't see Tim Cooke allowing that to happen this time around! Long Apple.
What is with the anemic Apple daily volume? This has to be Greece and Europe. There is so much money on the sideline and in Treasuries - the retail investor is out of it completely. Apple is selling a huge number of iPads this quarter - nobody seems to care? This sell in May and go on an extended vacation is totally true!
Linn Energy's 8.0% Yield Likely To Increase For Retirees [View article]
Linn has been an excellent investment over the past two years. It trades in a normal range; 35-40 most of the time, management has raised the distribution ( last quarter to $2.90) - even while Nat Gas is at an all time low, return is protected via hedged investments and management continues to buy properties/projects already yielding return. Sooner or later the US economy will come back and Linn will capitalize! I keep adding to my investment a couple of times per year and am extremely pleased. I only wish the options market were a little more active. I've written covered calls twice to increase my yield.
More on Apple: A survey from Mizuho suggests Mac buyers are as loyal as ever. 95% of respondents who only owned Macs indicated their next purchase would be a Mac, and the same went for 70% of respondents owning both Windows and Mac machines. Mizuho is slightly lifting its Mac sales estimates as a result, and is also raising its iPad estimates. iPhone estimates are being lowered for the next 2 quarters after checks indicated slowing demand, but a strong holiday season is forecast. [View news story]
Linn Energy: Using Options To Enhance A Long-Term Bull Position [View article]
This strategy sounds OK - but the Linn Energy options market is extremely thin. I had some success in 2011 writing covered calls to increase my yield. The first half of 2012 hasn't provided anywhere near the options premium as in 2011. Maybe due to "risk on" in 1Q and extreme European fear and historically low equity volumes? Thoughts?
Any Weakness In Apple Is A Buying Opportunity [View article]
Windows based tablet faces an uphill battle. I can't imagine working on a spreadsheet or producing a PPT presentation on my tablet. Apple has been extremely busy selling the iPad in the Enterprise market. This will be revealed in the upcoming 3Q Apple earnings in July. Another HUGE advantage for Apple is increasing numbers of retail Apple stores. Microsoft, Google/Samsung do not have this "hands on" type of support. This is true Steve Jobs genius! Again, Microsoft is too late to the tablet game. This reminds of how Apple dominated the iPod/music market.
The pharma industry escapes being imposed with liabilities of billions of dollars after the Supreme Court rules by 5-4 that GSK (GSK +0.8%) doesn't have to pay its reps overtime for visiting doctors' offices to promote its medicines. Two GSK employees had appealed a lower-court ruling that they were "outside sales" personnel exempt from overtime pay requirements. [View news story]
You have to be kidding me - Pharma Reps wanting overtime? Don't they get paid a salary? Salary plus bonus, company car, 401K match, business expenses, etc. - based on what my Pharma friends tell me. That's far different than an employee making $10 per hour period. This should have been a 9-0 decision. At least 5 of the justices got it correct! Friends?
Apple's Revenue Growth: A Dual Track Bullet Train [View article]
This is an excellent 30,000 foot view of Apple. A few takeaways: 1) It's easy to project iPhone and iPad sales doubling unit growth in the next fiscal year; iPhone 5 launch in Sept/Oct and this leads to a contract with China Mobile. 2) The European crisis is now in year 3 - sales growth will trail other Regions but will not fall off a cliff and robust growth can be found in other Regions. Buy Apple on dips caused by Greece, Spain, etc. 3) I'm long Apple through the iPhone 5 launch - Apple TV/iPanel/Mac TV is Tim Cooke's first real test of taking a new product from "bench" to market. Success makes me an Apple investor for the next 5+ years.
Are Apple Analysts Scaring Off Investors? [View article]
Apple's 3Q is going to be a monster quarter for the new iPad. I've heard very little from the analyst geniuses about the enterprise market and shift from lap top computer to the iPad. I'm convinced Dell, HP, etc's computer sales continue to weaken. Analysts also fail miserably to value the Apple ecosystem. My observations conclude very few leave the Apple ecosystem for Google, Samsung, etc. As Tony Soprano says, "Once you enter this family, there is no getting out"!
Sanofi: Don't Ignore This Powerhouse [View article]
How will Sanofi perform now that Plavix is generic, Lovenox has biosimilar competition and cancer drugs coming off patent? Employee morale is extremely low as management attempts to address issues. Sanofi announced this week the closing of R&D labs in France - 2,500 employees.
Post Aventis merger, Sanofi management continues to run this once proud company into the ground. Strategic sales/marketing missteps, mishandled lawsuits and product after product rejected by the FDA will lead Sanofi shares lower. The stock has benefited recently by the weakening Euro. Fundamentally, Sanofi is a "sell" once currency tail winds cease.
It's rather apparent why Sanofi CEO Chris Viehbacher didn't get the CEO position at GSK. In fact, Mr. Viehbacher will be in the market for an attorney as he is implicated in the recent $3B settlement with the US FDA. He's a smooth talker - but is errantly leading Sanofi away from it's core Pharmaceutical business. It's my humble opinion he will fail as the Sanofi CEO and will be replaced in the next 12-18 months.
Sweet dreams Chris!
Is Visa Worth $150 Per Share? [View article]
A Common-Sense Analysis Of iPhone Sales [View article]
Likely Impact Of Apple Solving The Chinese iPad Problem [View article]
Apple's Q4: Things To Look Forward To [View article]
Long Apple.
Fundamental Or Technical? [View article]
An Apple Mean Reversion: Not As Crazy As It Sounds [View article]
Linn Energy's 8.0% Yield Likely To Increase For Retirees [View article]
More on Apple: A survey from Mizuho suggests Mac buyers are as loyal as ever. 95% of respondents who only owned Macs indicated their next purchase would be a Mac, and the same went for 70% of respondents owning both Windows and Mac machines. Mizuho is slightly lifting its Mac sales estimates as a result, and is also raising its iPad estimates. iPhone estimates are being lowered for the next 2 quarters after checks indicated slowing demand, but a strong holiday season is forecast. [View news story]
Linn Energy: Using Options To Enhance A Long-Term Bull Position [View article]
Any Weakness In Apple Is A Buying Opportunity [View article]
The pharma industry escapes being imposed with liabilities of billions of dollars after the Supreme Court rules by 5-4 that GSK (GSK +0.8%) doesn't have to pay its reps overtime for visiting doctors' offices to promote its medicines. Two GSK employees had appealed a lower-court ruling that they were "outside sales" personnel exempt from overtime pay requirements. [View news story]
Apple's Revenue Growth: A Dual Track Bullet Train [View article]
Apple's Revenue Growth: A Dual Track Bullet Train [View article]
Are Apple Analysts Scaring Off Investors? [View article]