Green Mountain: Starbucks Deal Hides Poor Report [View article]
A year ago I could understand the caution and uncertainty over the patent expiration and the downside affect on sales. Fast forward and sales and revenue have increased. I have no data regarding consumer patterns but from my observation is the traditional coffee maker has taken a back seat to the use of K-Cups. K-cups are prominent in every distribution channel and coffee consumption is increasing . My sense is that GMCR has strong growth potential as well is now a likely take over candidate. Sorry I don't buy the negative on GMCR nor BTW did I accept the Amazon negatives. For some reason Seeking Alpha uses both as a punching bags.
The stock price reflects the vision of the company investors in both short and long term. The slim profit margin and low earnings are diving some analysts crazy. The stock has rewarded those who have remained long and that is the bottom line. The thought that the stock price should not be this high is interesting but I don't see any upending event that will change the increasing trend of on-line shopping. I know there are some who have predicted that the sales tax effect would result in a move away from Amazon, but that has not nor likely will happen.
It Feels Like The Dotcom Craze All Over Again [View article]
I have done well with Amazon ignoring the conventional wisdom and I am remaining long. It is a unique company and the standard benchmarks for earnings and stock price very clearly do not apply. I had set myself a time line and this quarters report will for me be deterministic. In the same vein I sold apple at $650 believing that it would not be possible to sustain growth and earnings unless they introduce another game changing product. BTW I thought the Ipad mini was ill advised and would dilute sales of the more profitable Ipad and MacBook Air. I guess right on selling Apple but it was a gut call that went against the grain.
Back on track I remain bullish on Amazon but fully understand Paul concern regarding earnings and price. BTW the Dot com problem was the result of companies with no valid business model, product or way to build earnings.
What Amazon.com Selling Double The Kindles Really Means [View article]
I admit I am puzzled. I understand your continual comments that Amazon is overpriced. What I don't understand is why institutional holdings continue? The stock price cannot be driven by small share holders, what do institutions see that we do not?
I also read where Amazon just raised $3 billion from the sale of bonds at very low rates. What are others seeing that you don't?
Gadget Slapdown - Google Chromebook Vs. Apple iPads [View article]
The Chromebook is an interesting device. Ultra lightweight, silent, no heat and ideal to access the web and usable to retrieve your data from the cloud when necessary. No it is not a laptop replacement and for those who are hooked on apps, stay away.
Surf the web in your chair, bed side or on travel it has the virtue of a full keyboard and good size display. No it does not have the fashion appeal of a tablet but it is a device that may very well find a place in my brief case or travel bag.
Some focus on what a device does not do, I tend to look at what it can and frankly for me it makes a lot of sense and at this price is hard to resist. With no moving parts baring a huge leap in WiFi technology it could serve a purpose for quite a long time. Since my MacBook Air Hard Drive recently died this might find a home in my gadget collection.
Apple's iPad Mini: It Isn't The Size That Counts, It's How You Use It [View article]
I am big on objectivity in review and analysis. Stating the obvious Apple has been successful in innovation, style and marketing and there is no reason to document that. Apples customers have been one of their strongest assets, customers lining up for the release of a new and improved product, crazy but true.
Let's look at hype for a moment, the Retina display, a Apple invented marketing term for high resolution on a display, there is nothing magical or factual truly superior about a retina ( high res) display on a small screen. For the real geek look at the research findings by the Sarnorff Institute.
Apples lightening connector, a great term for a totally proprietary connector that BTW has limited backward compatibility and only after you spend another $29.
The IPAD imini is commendably light and thin with performance specs that lag the competition but is significantly more expensive, marketing genius. How successful Apple will be with the mini depends on its customers and Apple will not change what has made them successful until they receive customer push back.
BTW I remember when Apple was criticized for doing with its software OS what Amazon is doing now but I am a child of autoexc. bat. If any Apple fans think that keeping the OS in the background is bad I have one word, history.
Amazon: Drowning In A Large Flood Of Negative Developments [View article]
The continued increase in the National Debt makes the concern over Amazon Trivial. If we go over the fiscal cliff the net earnings of most stocks will tank.
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
It is indisputable that the Apple I-Pad (tablet) has been a huge success and its 9.7" size was clearly acceptable.
At the same time the smaller tablets e-ink were also very successful.
The emergence of less expensive and smaller 7" tablets also met with success and it is unknown to me if it was the size, cost or their associated eco-systems.
Back on point, the tear down of all the product provides insight into the components and their cost but nothing about the R&D and other costs associated with product realization to determine profit.
Right now lots of tablet product choices are or shortly will be available and that affect on Apple Sales and profit is too complicated for me and I suggest others to predict with any granularity. Will a smaller less expensive Apple min expand the Apple Pie or take from it?
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
Apple owned the large tablet market. It blew off the e-ink Black and White(nook, Kindle, B&N) market. Apple also did not see or ignored the potential demand of the 7" color tablet market and how that gave Android a toe hold at the expense of IOS.
Apple now is in the awkward position of playing catch up and worse perhaps having to be concerned about price. My sense is the Apple brand will best the competition however the position that smaller tablets cannot deliver a quality user experience (vice Jobs) is now gone.
B&N, Nook, Samsung, Amazon are not selling junk or inferior products but the market will be the judge
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
I assume Amazon must have something terrible to you in the past, missed an gift delivery perhaps :) I don't see Amazon getting into the business end of TI or can bring anything to the table to fix TI's problems. The chip business requires huge amounts of capital for not only R&D but their fab's. TI will fold or be taken over long before Amazon.
Amazon Earnings Preview: Q3 May Be Good, But Guidance Will Disappoint [View article]
I live in NY. The metric is the % of customers and sales from those states where Amazon has been charging tax. The % of population is interesting but not as telling as % of sales from those states.
My contention is that it is the information on product provided, the rapid delivery and customer service that were the key elements of Amazon's business model. Best Buy, Target and Walmart were certainly in a position to adopt the Amazon model.
Amazon Earnings Preview: Q3 May Be Good, But Guidance Will Disappoint [View article]
The sales tax issue became moot when Amazon started applying sales tax based on the state laws in affect. I have been charged sales tax on my purchases for quite some time.
Green Mountain: Starbucks Deal Hides Poor Report [View article]
Amazon's Growth Is Shutting Down [View article]
It Feels Like The Dotcom Craze All Over Again [View article]
Back on track I remain bullish on Amazon but fully understand Paul concern regarding earnings and price. BTW the Dot com problem was the result of companies with no valid business model, product or way to build earnings.
Electronics Retailing - The Perspective Of A Buyer [View article]
Don't Buy The Amazon Kindle Fire HD Hype [View article]
What Amazon.com Selling Double The Kindles Really Means [View article]
I also read where Amazon just raised $3 billion from the sale of bonds at very low rates. What are others seeing that you don't?
Short Amazon: Its Businesses Face Monumental Challenges [View article]
Gadget Slapdown - Google Chromebook Vs. Apple iPads [View article]
Surf the web in your chair, bed side or on travel it has the virtue of a full keyboard and good size display. No it does not have the fashion appeal of a tablet but it is a device that may very well find a place in my brief case or travel bag.
Some focus on what a device does not do, I tend to look at what it can and frankly for me it makes a lot of sense and at this price is hard to resist. With no moving parts baring a huge leap in WiFi technology it could serve a purpose for quite a long time. Since my MacBook Air Hard Drive recently died this might find a home in my gadget collection.
Apple's iPad Mini: It Isn't The Size That Counts, It's How You Use It [View article]
Let's look at hype for a moment, the Retina display, a Apple invented marketing term for high resolution on a display, there is nothing magical or factual truly superior about a retina ( high res) display on a small screen. For the real geek look at the research findings by the Sarnorff Institute.
Apples lightening connector, a great term for a totally proprietary connector that BTW has limited backward compatibility and only after you spend another $29.
The IPAD imini is commendably light and thin with performance specs that lag the competition but is significantly more expensive, marketing genius. How successful Apple will be with the mini depends on its customers and Apple will not change what has made them successful until they receive customer push back.
BTW I remember when Apple was criticized for doing with its software OS what Amazon is doing now but I am a child of autoexc. bat. If any Apple fans think that keeping the OS in the background is bad I have one word, history.
Amazon: Drowning In A Large Flood Of Negative Developments [View article]
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
At the same time the smaller tablets e-ink were also very successful.
The emergence of less expensive and smaller 7" tablets also met with success and it is unknown to me if it was the size, cost or their associated eco-systems.
Back on point, the tear down of all the product provides insight into the components and their cost but nothing about the R&D and other costs associated with product realization to determine profit.
Right now lots of tablet product choices are or shortly will be available and that affect on Apple Sales and profit is too complicated for me and I suggest others to predict with any granularity. Will a smaller less expensive Apple min expand the Apple Pie or take from it?
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
Apple now is in the awkward position of playing catch up and worse perhaps having to be concerned about price. My sense is the Apple brand will best the competition however the position that smaller tablets cannot deliver a quality user experience (vice Jobs) is now gone.
B&N, Nook, Samsung, Amazon are not selling junk or inferior products but the market will be the judge
First Indications On Apple's iPad Mini [View article]
Amazon Earnings Preview: Q3 May Be Good, But Guidance Will Disappoint [View article]
My contention is that it is the information on product provided, the rapid delivery and customer service that were the key elements of Amazon's business model. Best Buy, Target and Walmart were certainly in a position to adopt the Amazon model.
Amazon Earnings Preview: Q3 May Be Good, But Guidance Will Disappoint [View article]