Well, the votes are in. Apple blew away the analysts’ predictions again. Apple gave conservative guidance again, but not as conservative as everyone thinks it should be – what with everyone on planet Earth and in several neighboring solar systems wandering the streets naked and hungry because of the recent dip in the Dow.
So everything happened just like it has for the last couple of years, except (and this is where my crystal ball gets a little cloudy) the stock went up $13.00 after the bell.
Apple might become the “widders’n'orphans” stock of the Big Frigging Disaster.
That would be flaky, but who ever said Wall Street wasn’t flaky?
It’s possible the fundtards will be falling all over each other to buy AAPL tomorrow. AAPL could have a brief run-up, or, who knows? Maybe it will actually hit my $275 by 1/1/09. Hard to tell. They’re skittish lately.
Seriously, don’t make any sudden moves around fund managers these days. They’re likely to wet themselves and run out of the room weeping.
…
Master Jobst Fimil spoke at today’s event. It was his standard stump speech with a couple of minor deviations.
He talked about the iPhone. Apple is now the number three handset maker in terms of something (revenue?). Apple sold more units than RIM by roughly a swillion skillion. I’m going with approximations because research is too hard.
He also said Apple has 25,000,000,000 USD in the bank and no debt. They have no plans to do anything special with all that lucre. Some wiseass in the audience suggested hiring all the engineers in silicon valley for life with the money. His Steveness replied, “Good idea.” The Master was probably kidding. He could hire all the good engineers in Silicon Valley for life and have enough left over to buy Bolivia. I think they’re better off sitting on their money. Cash is a good position right now.
He answered a question about “netbooks.” Apple already does netbooks. They’re called “The MacBook Air Jordan.” Also, for the mass market, there’s the iPhone. In fact, except for some iPods, every portable device Apple sells is a netbook. He said he’d wait and see how the whole netbook thing develops. In other words, if there turns out to be a market for something we aren’t already selling, we have one in the dungeon that will blow you away.
If Master Jobst Fimil keeled over tomorrow, Apple could coast on its current technologies for ten years without anyone having a clue how to catch up. I’m typing this on a three-year old MacBookwith the most recent OS and software. Try doing that with a three-year old Dell.
…
Over on MacDailyNews, a fresh flamewar has been established with the assertion that Apple could buy Dell for cash. It seems that Apple’s cash hoard is bigger than Dell’s market cap. If I was Apple, I’d wait about six months to a year for that purchase. The price will go down, as more and more of Dell’s customers defect to Mac.
Dell needs the low end to claim market dominance, but they need the profit margin of high end machines to make a profit. Apple is stealing all their high end (profitable) customers. All Dell is going to have left is their $500 crapware machines. They can sell lots of them, but for lemonade stand margins. No profit, no business. Ditto, HP. Ditto Sony, Acer, Samsung. Somebody will stay in business selling machines for Vista to run on. Those computers will be the digital equivalent of Emerson. They’ll get you on the internet. Sort of.
…
Time for a sandwich.
6 responses so far ↓
1 digitalcowboy // Oct 21, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I learned something here tonight and I intend to report you to the proper authorities as a result.
I didn’t check after-market trading today and the nightly business report mentioned Apple as among the most active. AAPL was down 6.95 to 91.something at the close of the market. That’s what? Something like a 7% loss? (I’m too tired to do the math.)
If Master Jobst Fimil keeled over tomorrow, Apple could coast on its current technologies for ten years without anyone having a clue how to catch up.
I was just telling another Apple-loving friend the other night, “I’m no fan of all that eastern, buddhist, new-agey crap that Jobs is into, but he’s certainly gotten the long-term mindset of the Asian philosophy and you can’t argue with results. He’s introducing stuff today that he envisioned 5 years ago and envisoning what he’s going to do 5 years from now. His competitors - such as they are - live quarter to quarter and rarely look a year down the road.”
I’ll bet somebody at Nokia pissed down their leg today when - right after he bragged about being the #3 cell phone maker and then was asked about “netbooks” - basically said (my paraphrase), “We’re waiting to see if that market develops. If it does, we’ll swoop in and own it immediately, too.” (He actually said that if it develops into a market, “we have some good ideas.”)
I’m so glad it’s not my job to compete with Apple.
2 tim // Oct 22, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Bolivia.
Bolivia?
Possibly a great place to be in about 1000AD.
Today? Not so good.
Maybe Steve could buy Australia.
I’d like that.
3 GizmoKicker // Oct 22, 2008 at 8:24 pm
It’s been 2 years of waiting on the sidelines in silence and I figured now was as good a time as any to speak my peace and protect my digital domain.
For starters, let me introduce myself. I am the boyfriend of Rip-Ragged Jr. (a.k.a. “The Daughter”) I have decided to call myself GizmoKicker a.k.a. “The Boyfriend.”. In case anyone is curious as to my credentials:
I love I.P.A., Badass Cars, and I am a proud owner of…(deep breath)… Apple Stock, a MacBook, iPod nano, iPod 40 gig, iPod video, an iPhone (3G), Apple Tv, Nike-iPod adapter (with shoes), mobile me account, Apple bluetooth headset, Apple airport extreme, (inhale)…..Shall I go on???
I also love business and as a business student, I am pleased to say that only two stocks went up today AAPL and YHOO. The first with 27% increase in sales, $1.14 Billion in reported quarterly profit was…are you sitting down? Apple. Surprise, Surprise, with an additional 25Billion (with a B) waiting in the wing, new macbooks, and macbooks pros in their inventory. Bottom Line: I’m not too worried.
The second, who although didn’t have the same great quarterly earning, did have excellent intuition to not get sucked into the world of fiery inferno hell better known as Microsoft. So they should equally be acknowledged as “Cool” for lack of better wording.
But I’m not here to convince you that Apple computer lineup is far superior to that of PC’s, or that the iPhone is seconded only to my better half, or that I.P.A. is without a doubt the exact polar opposite of Bud-Light and tastes fantastic with a Rueben….Or am I? You decide. Until next time.
The Boyfriend ( Rip-Ragged Jr.)
P.S. ~ If you put lipstick on Vista, it still sucks.
4 tim // Oct 23, 2008 at 3:45 am
I wonder if we held Vista underwater for a long, long time it would stop sucking?
..
Just a thought.
5 wlao // Oct 24, 2008 at 3:09 am
@tim: I fear that that would backfire and empty the oceans instead.
6 GizmoKicker // Oct 24, 2008 at 8:51 am
True story:
As I listed earlier I am a business student. One of the subjects I’m currently studying is spreadsheet modeling. It’s an excel based class where we build business models to execute a multitude of scenarios involving formulas, tricks of the trade, etc. We have to use a PC for the course.
Yesterday, my teacher who is proficient in excel to put it mildly and is always informed of newest of the new with PC’s, informed us of a new link that allows you to purchase office 2007 which was currently selling for the low price of $59.00.
After a few moments of silence, crickets chirping, and no hands raised. He calmly said, “Who am I kidding, this program is shit anyway.”
In case anyone wasn’t convinced.
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