Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: t2 who wrote (15768)	2/10/1999 11:05:00 AM
From: t2	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

Cramer on CNBC mentioned how well MSFT has done during this sell in tech stocks. He also stated that maybe investors feel that a broken up MSFT would be worth even more. ---sounds good to me!

To: t2 who wrote (15768)	2/10/1999 2:48:00 PM
From: Hal Rubel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

iMac The DOJ is not the only boggie-man out there. The Wintel platform could really use a plug-and-play iMac type product to capture, re-capture, and maintain the public's long term loyalty to standardized computing. Nothing should be taken for granted, especially customer devotion the Windows OS solution. Case in point Apple/Japan: "Japan going 'nuts' for the Mac by Dennis Sellers, dsellers@maccentral.com January 29, 1999, 8:00 am ET Japanese computer users are going "nuts" over the Mac, according to a MacCentral reader who's been tracking Apple's market share in his country. Following are statistics emailed to MacCentral, with market shares measured by a Business Computer News (BCN) service which compiles POS (point-of-sale) data from 200-plus computer retail outlets in the three major urban markets (Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya). The original bondi blue iMac came to Japan on Aug. 29. Since then, the iMac's share has never dipped below 10%. The consumer machine has been the top-selling personal computer for 21 weeks straight and counting. Even more impressive: it's done it without discounting at stores. BCN's Japanese-language trade paper calls this unprecedented. Around November, when watchers figured the fad couldn't maintain momentum much longer, iMac market share did indeed change, says "JT of Japan." It started rising. The new revision models and Apple Japan's popular "Smart Loan" campaign kicked iMac share from its low-teens cruising altitude to as high as 20% the first week of December. Pundits fussed, wondered and said it couldn't go on, reports JT. On Jan. 17 Apple Japan gave the iMac its first price break. The Revision B model dropped from 178,000 yen to 128,000. Market share promptly shot to 25% by the end of that week. The latest figures for the week of Jan. 11-18 show the iMac's retail market share is 28.8%. The runner-up is the NEC LaVie NX laptop at 5.3%. In overall market share by manufacturer, the iMac helped Apple rise to the number three, then the number two spot, approaching the rarified leader position touched only by perennial ruler NEC. But in the week starting Nov. 30, Apple stunned NEC by grabbing the number one spot, squeezing an extra 2.5 share points past NEC's 23.3%. But NEC retook the number one spot the following week, pushing Apple back to the runner-up position. The week of Jan. 11, Apple had five machines in the Top 15 sellers. Three new G3 towers and a PowerBook ganged up with the iMac to round up a 37.0% retail share, nabbing the numero uno spot once more. Of the 15 top-selling machines ranked by BCN for the week, the iMac is the least expensive. Its only close competitor is an IBM Aptiva family desktop at an average (discounted) selling price of 144,100 yen. Every other machine is above 200,000 yen. "Apple Japan's Smart Loan has helped make the iMac attractive," says JT. "It's more of a Brilliant Loan on Apple's part, if BCN's numbers are correct. On one day, Jan. 17, over 80% of iMac buyers utilized the program. And all this excitement happened before the five-color iMacs went on sale. JT says the 'iCandy' models entered stores just a few days ago." Of course, there are caveats behind the good news. The market's still waiting for a low-cost Apple laptop. While the iMac was the cheapest computer in the Top 15, the lone PowerBook model was the most expensive at an average 406,400 yen. "More importantly, the BCN retail figures exclude the enterprise market handled through SIs, VARs, direct sales and other channels," JT says. "That puts Apple's share of the whole market at a much lower level -- but we'll all be watching to see how fast it's rising!" Apple may be addressing the dearth of a low-cost Apple laptop soon. Rumors speculate that Steve Jobs, Apple iCEO, may pre-announce the much anticipated consumer portable at Macworld Expo Japan next month." A "Wintel iMac" just might stimulate overall computer sales for wintel loyalists and for new users. The demand is out there. Hal PS: The bolding was added by me for the benefit of those who just wanted to skim the article. Note that Steve Jobs is now referred to as Apple's "iCEO". (Actually the "i" is for "interum".) H R

To: t2 who wrote (15768)	2/11/1999 6:55:00 PM
From: johnd	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

Why there is chance for a blowout Q, like the one that surpirsed me last Q: (1) PC market in all geographics segments is on high cylinder Look at projection on asia below. computerworld.com (2) Y2K spending is benefiting MSFT and continuing to this Q. Mostly s/w upgrades that brings upgrade dollars to MSFT (3) AMD - Intel price war and free PC is a big boon. US households are doubling or tripling per household PC usage. I now have 6 PCs. 3 laptops, 1 HP Pavilion, 1 Samsung, 1 Leading edge (old). (4) Microsoft does extra well when being pushed to the wall on other fronts like image (DOJ), SUN boasting about revenue acceleration of revenues etc.. I don't want to miss another blowout Q. I am looking for min 73% growth in EPS or 87c /share. That would put the company at 2.72 in trailing EPS and considering wall street gives 75 PE, I see 202+ by April. johnd