analysts posts

Join TUAW for Apple Q4 earnings call liveblog at 5 PM EDT today

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Oct 19th, 2009

Time flies when you're having fun -- it seems like it was only a few weeks ago that we were enjoying the Q3 earnings report from Apple, Inc.

Well, today the wizards of Cupertino are on the phone again with top Wall Street analysts to report how the company did during the fourth quarter (July - September, 2009). Many analysts are expecting Apple to continue its recession-defying high wire act, with an analyst poll by Thomson Reuters Financial showing an earnings forecast of US$1.42 per share. That's 13 percent over the same quarter a year ago, and higher than Apple's own forecast of US$1.18 - US$1.23 per share.

As usual, we'll be covering the earnings call via CoverItLive. Drop by TUAW at approximately 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT) and join us. Bring your questions, and we'll supply the news and commentary.

Tags: AaplEarnings, analysts, Apple, Earnings call, EarningsCall, Inc., LiveBlog, Q4

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Desktops, OS, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, MacBook

Analysts: Windows 7 may boost Mac sales

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Oct 13th, 2009

Most electronics industry analysis is obvious at best and misinformed at worst, but this one made us chuckle. Analyst firm Broadpoint AmTech has released a report that claims that, rather than diminish sales of OS X, Microsoft's impending release of Windows 7 may actually help sell Macs. They cite the chart above, which seems to show a boost (especially after Vista) in Mac sales right after Microsoft releases a new OS version.

Now, even they admit they're making connections here that probably aren't there -- there are tons of factors involved in both sales of Windows OSes and Mac computers (we'd just mention that Windows 7 seems to be getting fairly good reviews so far, and while no one would argue that Vista wasn't a disaster, I'd argue that iPods and iPhones were much better "Mac sales helpers" after 2001 and 2007 than Windows would ever be), and there's no real evidence here that Microsoft's releases have any bearing at all on their competitors' numbers.

But it is a nice thought for us Mac faithful to hang on to anyway -- in the next few weeks, as Windows users vibe on their new and shiny and have their super fun release parties, we can know that if we just wait, Mac sales will eventually have their day.

[via Apple Insider]

Tags: analysts, broadpoint-amtech, mac-sales, microsoft, release-parties, sales, vista, windows, windows-7

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Desktops, Rumors, iMac, MacBook

New iMacs and MacBooks coming soon?

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Sep 17th, 2009

Maybe so, if you believe the predictions of some analysts at Wedge Partners. They proclaim in their neverending analyst-y wisdom that in the next few weeks, Apple will again refresh its lines of iMacs and MacBooks, including a slimmer iMac and an only slightly updated MacBook. Why would Apple announce such a thing, especially so soon after the recent June revamp? Windows 7 is apparently the answer -- Apple wants to distract from Microsoft's big release, according to the analysts

Personally, it all sounds kind of hokey to us -- Apple's already got their back-to-school lineup all set, and while there probably is room for one more update before the holiday season, it's hard to believe they're going to announce some extremely minor updates in a desperate grab against Windows 7.

And not even the analysts will guess at a netbook or tablet release -- they say neither one of those is coming up for an announcement any time soon. You have to think that if Apple is doing one more update before the holidays, it really will come up in the next few weeks, so by the time Halloween candy starts dropping in pillowcases, we should know for sure.

[via PC World]

Tags: analysts, apple, back-to-school, hokey, holidays, imacs, macbooks, predictions, questionable, rumors, slimmer, updates, upgrades, wedge-partners

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, Macbook Pro, MacBook

Macs still cheaper when you look at TCO

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Mar 13th, 2009

With all of the iPhone news lately, some of you may have worried that we're forgetting what got us here: Apple computers, not the other gadgets and doohickeys they sell. But worry not -- we're still Mac-crazy, which is why we'll still link to a Grade A smackdown on the old argument that Macs are more expensive than PCs.

After a few analysts question whether or not Macs are worth it (as if buying a powerful and easy-to-use computer was ever not worth it), MacsimumNews' Dennis Sellers pulls out the big guns, and shows that report after report will make it clear that when you compare the quality vs. cost that you get with an Apple to what you get with a PC, the Mac will almost always win.

Sure, if you compare a new MacBook Pro with the bargain laptops you'll find on the shelves at Best Buy, you'll be seeing a smaller charge on your credit card. But when you compare the total cost of ownership due to what's actually in those laptops (and the experience you'll have with each computer), the Mac is cheaper than ever.

[via MacBytes]

Tags: analysts, argument, cost, mac, macbook, macbook-pro, macintosh, news, pc, reports, tco, total-cost-of-ownership

Filed under: iPod Family, Apple, iPhone

Analysts: Macs will continue to take market share from PCs

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jun 27th, 2008

Are you sitting down for this one? Good. Here goes: Apple is going to keep taking market share from "traditional PCs." I know, it's a real shocker. But so says Zacks Investment Research (which is not, apparently, run by a dude named Zack as you'd think). They say that consumers are enjoying Apple's innovations, and that a strong product line lead by the iPod, iPhone, and the MacBook Air will continue to increase Apple's business and give them a bigger piece of the personal computing pie. Who knew?

But Zacks isn't jumping into anything -- they still say that the iPod line will slow down over the next few years, so they're going "hold" with AAPL. Still, it's a good thing they told us about that marketshare thing. Without analysts like these, we'd have no idea what we're buying lately.

[via MacBytes]

Tags: aapl, analysts, apple, iphone, ipod, market, market-share, zacks

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, Deals, iPhone

Why did Apple drop the price?

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Sep 6th, 2007

I think there's no question by now what the biggest announcement yesterday was. The iPod Touch is cool, and the new CoverFlow interface will definitely make some music listeners happy this holiday, but since the end of the announcement, the biggest splash has come from the iPhone's price drop.

Why would Apple drop the price of something that was already hitting all the marks they expected to hit? The analysts have already started their breakdown, and if stock prices are any indication, it seems investors are sure Apple is worried (not about competitors obviously, but about expectations), and wants an extra boost. Of course, us Apple fans will disagree-- Apple really does want the iPhone to be "more affordable," and a lower price is icing on an already sweet cake. A lower price doesn't mean desperation-- it's Apple doing what Apple does: breaking the mold and making things better for consumers.

Except that if any other company dropped the price of a product after only a few months (ahem, Microsoft-- one of my Twitter buddies noted that no one raised hackles about the Zune's price drop), it'd be seen as a sign of big trouble. What's going on here? Is Apple just aiming to put more iPhones in consumers' hands? Are they worried about the iPhone's sales numbers? Or did they bring down the price just to make sure the iPhone was still competitive against the iPod Touch?

Tags: analysts, applefans, investors, iphone, pricedrop, stevejobs, why

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Retail

Apple's US market share still falling and rising with the tides

by David Chartier (RSS feed) on Oct 19th, 2006

Yesterday's prelim 4th quarter report was great news for Apple's health as a manufacturer of personal computers - they shipped over 1.6 million Macs, the most ever in a quarter and 30% more than the previous quarter. Today's news of a rise to 6.1 percent market share in the U.S. from Gartner, however, has the Mac web doing the market share dance all over again, as just a year ago this month it was the NPD Group reporting that Apple's U.S. market share - excluding online sales - had risen to 6.6 percent. The confusion ensues when considering MacNN's conflicting report from Gartner claiming Apple's U.S. share just rose to 6.1 percent. Of course where and how these different groups are getting their numbers is unbeknownst to this blogger, but methinks something might have been lost in translation between all these analysts.

Still, while market share numbers might be getting a little fuzzy as of late, we can at least trust Apple's announcement of selling the most.Macs.evar in a quarter, and that's alright with me.

Tags: analyst, analysts, computers, gartner, hardware, mac, macnn, macs, market share, MarketShare, npd group, NpdGroup, percent, percentage, united states, UnitedStates, us

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