Exactly, remove Ballmer and Kevin Turner. Replace Ballmer with an up and coming tech savy person with strong marketing sense. Replace Turner with a business savy person that understands that employ morale, partnership and camaraderie will fuel success from within. The company is dead in the water, floating between $25 - 35 as long as these guys are around.
Is Windows 8 making a bad situation worse for the (non-Apple) PC industry? NPD believes U.S. retail sales of Windows gear is down 21% Y/Y since Oct. 26, the day Win. 8 launched. Notebooks -24% and desktops -9%. Also, thanks to inventory-clearing and perhaps also a cautious enterprise response, Win. 8 has only made up 58% of Windows device sales since launch time, compared with 83% for Windows 7 in its first 4 weeks. 6% of Win. 8 notebook sales involved touchscreens, and ASPs rose to $477 from $433 in the year-ago period. (40M licenses) [View news story]
Today economy is much different than when Win7 or XP were released. Its foolish to base health of a company of product based on these comparisons.
4M Windows 8 upgrades were sold to consumers during its first 3 days of availability, Steve Ballmer discloses at Microsoft's (MSFT) BUILD conference. An aggressive upgrade price of $40 has something to do with that figure. John Paczkowski notes Windows 7 sales (including new PCs) totaled 175M in their first year, and that Microsoft has a total base of 1.25B PCs. Reviewers continue to complain about using the new UI with a keyboard/mouse, but some users like the revamp, and investor expectations are pretty low at this point. (live blog) (more) [View news story]
Tired of the UI discussion. It's really no big deal and an easy learning curve.
The Microsoft Surface Pro Launch Debacle Proves It's Time For Steve Ballmer To Go [View article]
The only thing holding MSFT back is Ballmer and Turner. Financially the company is strong. The products are strong. Only haters continue to call the products buggy. Every product shipped regardless of manufacturer has bugs. What it comes down to is that irregardless of the companies performance the investor community is largely against Mr. Ballmer. He has allowed Kevin Turner to infuse the Wal Mart management mentality into the MSFT review model. That has driven the top performers out in droves. It is this that is the reason Ballmer must go and take Turner with him. The majority of employees will agree the others are afraid to in fear they will lose their jobs.
Can Microsoft Fix Its Strategic Mistake With The Surface Pro? [View article]
Do some research. The Surface has the selection of a flexible touch keyboard OR a,rigid type mechanical style keyboard. The rigid is easily used on our lap.
Will Microsoft Shares See A 10% Surge If Ballmer Leaves? [View article]
Depends on who replaces him. If its Kevin Turner you very well could see a decline in share price. If a well qualified replacement then a 10% - 15% increase. If Bill himself then who knows, the sky is the limit.
Ballmer has to go. He has allowed Kevin Turner to destroy employee morale. In fact he has condoned the practice of letting go very talented individuals simply because they are not willing to change jobs and wish to remain in a position the love and are excellent at. The practice of communicating across product lines for the good of all is very low due to the horrendous review model.
Microsoft is a great company with a plethora of diverse product lines. Some lines are on top of the world and others are emerging. Apple is very limited and others have caught them and have moved into the passing lane.
Honestly the biggest factor that is holding MSFT stock back is it's senior leadership team. 20 years ago Ballmer was a highly motivating leader for the sales team. That's was his strong point. Where he failed was hiring Turner away from Wal-Mart and allowing the tyrant to, like a virus infect and contaminate Senior management with his morale busting philosophies. Ask any middle manager what the best day at Wal-Mart was. They will answer the day Turner left for Microsoft. Happy developers, engineers and leaders are more motivated, innovative and work better as a team. That is not the environment at Microsoft these days. Ballmer and Turner have to go but the board is to weak kneed to make the move in spite of shareholders repeatedly indicating they know what the problem is.
Microsoft: Excessive Pessimism Presenting An Opportunity? [View article]
Thanks for stating this. Most of the naysayers' here have never touched Windows 8 so have nothing but hearsay and speculation to base their comments on. That's just what a person should build their portfolio based on. NOT
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: Microsoft Is A Buy In All Scenarios [View article]
Good article Shrideep, I enjoyed the analysis. There are way too many bashing parties on SA. I'm not a financial guru but savvy enough to know when something don't line up. All to often people base MSFT's future solely on its OS or mobile all the while ignoring the plethora of other products they produce. Your article isn't so narrowly focused.
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: Microsoft Is A Buy In All Scenarios [View article]
I'm not sure you can back up the fact that $20B has been pissed away. I to have always been concerned with the amount MSFT spends on R&D. There is a lot of this research that may turn up in future products so how do you measure that in return on you R&D dollar? I can say MSFT hit a homerun with Kinect but really didn't see the bigger picture with it till developers began to demand access to code for writing apps to leverage it. MSFT was apprehensive and denied these request AT FIRST. But Microsoft does listen and did release Kinect for Windows. This cost MSFT very little and the potential for what can be done with Kinect for Windows is huge. At least for Kinect return for R&D dollar is very favorable. Just one example.
While I'm not favorable to MSFT Sr Management I am invested and long on MSFT.
Microsoft: In The Forefront Of The PC Revolution Once Again [View article]
Finally someone gets it. Only issue is I'm betting you already missed the opportunity to buy at the bottom. Indicators are that the move up has begun so better jump on now.
Everybody remembers Vista but what's that got to do with anything. Remember how people questioned graphical interface and the mouse. Most all change meets some apprehension. The beauty of the past is it gives an example of what not to repeat. Windows 8 is nothing like Vista. WP8 is years ahead of Android and iPhone with its user friendly , customizable interface. You can burry your head or buy MSFT and thank yourself later. Oh BTW remember when Apple was $18 and Microsoft saved them from bankruptcy. :-)
Intel Vs. Microsoft: Stability, Growth Or Stagnation? [View article]
Can Microsoft Rise Again? [View article]
Ignore The Hate: Buy Microsoft! [View article]
Is Windows 8 making a bad situation worse for the (non-Apple) PC industry? NPD believes U.S. retail sales of Windows gear is down 21% Y/Y since Oct. 26, the day Win. 8 launched. Notebooks -24% and desktops -9%. Also, thanks to inventory-clearing and perhaps also a cautious enterprise response, Win. 8 has only made up 58% of Windows device sales since launch time, compared with 83% for Windows 7 in its first 4 weeks. 6% of Win. 8 notebook sales involved touchscreens, and ASPs rose to $477 from $433 in the year-ago period. (40M licenses) [View news story]
4M Windows 8 upgrades were sold to consumers during its first 3 days of availability, Steve Ballmer discloses at Microsoft's (MSFT) BUILD conference. An aggressive upgrade price of $40 has something to do with that figure. John Paczkowski notes Windows 7 sales (including new PCs) totaled 175M in their first year, and that Microsoft has a total base of 1.25B PCs. Reviewers continue to complain about using the new UI with a keyboard/mouse, but some users like the revamp, and investor expectations are pretty low at this point. (live blog) (more) [View news story]
Microsoft: Look Beyond The New Releases [View article]
The Microsoft Surface Pro Launch Debacle Proves It's Time For Steve Ballmer To Go [View article]
Can Microsoft Fix Its Strategic Mistake With The Surface Pro? [View article]
Will Microsoft Shares See A 10% Surge If Ballmer Leaves? [View article]
Microsoft Doesn't Need To Be Apple [View article]
Microsoft is a great company with a plethora of diverse product lines. Some lines are on top of the world and others are emerging. Apple is very limited and others have caught them and have moved into the passing lane.
Honestly the biggest factor that is holding MSFT stock back is it's senior leadership team. 20 years ago Ballmer was a highly motivating leader for the sales team. That's was his strong point. Where he failed was hiring Turner away from Wal-Mart and allowing the tyrant to, like a virus infect and contaminate Senior management with his morale busting philosophies. Ask any middle manager what the best day at Wal-Mart was. They will answer the day Turner left for Microsoft. Happy developers, engineers and leaders are more motivated, innovative and work better as a team. That is not the environment at Microsoft these days. Ballmer and Turner have to go but the board is to weak kneed to make the move in spite of shareholders repeatedly indicating they know what the problem is.
Microsoft: Excessive Pessimism Presenting An Opportunity? [View article]
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: Microsoft Is A Buy In All Scenarios [View article]
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: Microsoft Is A Buy In All Scenarios [View article]
While I'm not favorable to MSFT Sr Management I am invested and long on MSFT.
Microsoft: In The Forefront Of The PC Revolution Once Again [View article]
Windows 8: The Brave And The Bold [View article]