What's Wrong With Apple (stock)?

[Lennys Tap]

That's the spirit.  My comments weren't directed at you by the way.  I'm Trying to understand why some people take glee in a stock going down that might hurt that person's financial situation....why is that the case Another84?

I'm not Another84 but if you're a trader you take long, short or neutral positions based on your analysis. Do you think traders who take short positions in the market or in individual equities are bad people?

[Jockey]

Let's just be clear here. The stock market can be volatile for many reasons. However, I doubt if we have we have ever had a time when one crazy, old fool can be this destructive.

According to the Chairman of the White House's Council of Economic Advisers:
"There are a heck of a lot of U.S. companies that have a lot of sales in China that are basically going to be watching their earnings be downgraded. "It's not going to be just Apple."

[Dish]

Thanks 82, appreciate the advice.

Any blue chips that one would suggest for the long term?

Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel.

[Cheeks]

I'm not Another84 but if you're a trader you take long, short or neutral positions based on your analysis. Do you think traders who take short positions in the market or in individual equities are bad people?

Bad people, no.  What I'm commenting on is what seems to be people happy others might be taking on some water.  Of course the reality is that there are multiple ways to play the stock game, someone shorting that comes out on top means someone else is on the wrong side of the equation...totally get it.

Not sure what the % of people are that play the short strategy, but my hunch is less than 15%....maybe even lower.  Have no idea, but feels like the exception rather than the rule.

[Cheeks]

Let's just be clear here. The stock market can be volatile for many reasons. However, I doubt if we have we have ever had a time when one crazy, old fool can be this destructive.

According to the Chairman of the White House's Council of Economic Advisers:
"There are a heck of a lot of U.S. companies that have a lot of sales in China that are basically going to be watching their earnings be downgraded. "It's not going to be just Apple."

Ironically, some of those same executives have said he's not wrong about China's actions the last 30 years, but no one has had the guts to stand up China.   We'll see how it plays out.  Are tariffs the right answer?  Most would say no.  If not, what is the appropriate answer or do you continue to let them abuse the system as they have?  Who blinks first?

[Benny B]

I don't own apple stock, but my parents gifted me 3 shares of Amazon stock for xmas. My dad's wealth advisor told him it would be a good long term stock for me to hold.

No offense, but when it comes time for you to invest your own money, for God's sake, don't use your dad's wealth advisor.

It was a nice gesture by your parents, but gifting someone a single stock comes with the expectation that the recipient will hold on to it.... which puts it on par with gifting someone a savings bond.

Why not just gift someone the cash and let them decide where to invest it?

[Lennys Tap]

Bad people, no.  What I'm commenting on is what seems to be people happy others might be taking on some water.  Of course the reality is that there are multiple ways to play the stock game, someone shorting that comes out on top means someone else is on the wrong side of the equation...totally get it.

Not sure what the % of people are that play the short strategy, but my hunch is less than 15%....maybe even lower.  Have no idea, but feels like the exception rather than the rule.

Definitely the exception - traders, not often investors. For traders, someone - him/her or those with the counter position - is always taking on water. Understandably they prefer it to be the other guy.

[MU82]

Apple announces that App Store spending topped $1.22B between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, a new holiday spending record.

Customers spent over $322M on New Year's Day alone.

The announcement follows yesterday's Q1 warning on iPhone weakness in China, which has the Street seeing red. But notable analysts including Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty have remained bullish on Apple's Services potential even as weak iPhone data poured in.

[Heisenberg]

Apple announces that App Store spending topped $1.22B between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, a new holiday spending record.

Customers spent over $322M on New Year's Day alone.

The announcement follows yesterday's Q1 warning on iPhone weakness in China, which has the Street seeing red. But notable analysts including Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty have remained bullish on Apple's Services potential even as weak iPhone data poured in.

Conclusion, Tim Cook is either liar or stupid for making the iPhone revenue shortfall announcement.

Should he be fired?

Or maybe Cook understands what matters and it is not the thread above.

(chart is through 2016.  If updated it would show the latest plot, Q4 2018, is 59%)

[mudeltaforcegurl]

No offense, but when it comes time for you to invest your own money, for God's sake, don't use your dad's wealth advisor.

It was a nice gesture by your parents, but gifting someone a single stock comes with the expectation that the recipient will hold on to it.... which puts it on par with gifting someone a savings bond.

Why not just gift someone the cash and let them decide where to invest it?

Yes, a modern day version of gifting a savings bond. My dad made it clear he expects me to hold on to the Amazon stock until I retire.   I am not interested in buying stocks and bonds, but I'll take a gift of 3 shares of Amazon stock as a gift. Have you seen the price?!

[MU82]

Conclusion, Tim Cook is either liar or stupid for making the iPhone revenue shortfall announcement.

Should he be fired?

Or maybe Cook understands what matters and it is not the thread above.

(chart is through 2016.  If updated it would show the latest plot, Q4 2018, is 59%)

Reminds me of the "Disney is doomed" narrative.

That's a lie, too.

[Cheeks]

Netflix announced yesterday they are no longer going to pay the "apple tax", that's the fee Apple charges for allowing people to add Netflix through an Apple device through iTunes.  All of us in the industry feel held hostage by Apple on this.  15% to 30%. Will cost Apple about $260M this year alone.  Netflix has the  heft to do this, but more will follow.

[Heisenberg]

Reminds me of the "Disney is doomed" narrative.

That's a lie, too.

Yup, no answer.

Keep hiding under that Bed of yours, some day the price will rise again and you can go back to being overbearing self with confidence.

[Heisenberg]

82 ...

You do realize quoting imagine in your footer is the same as writing "look at me, I'm an as*hole."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/26/head-to-head-imagine-john-lennon-soppy-meditation-hope

https://nypost.com/2016/10/28/is-john-lennons-imagine-the-worst-song-of-all-time/

https://sojo.net/articles/why-john-lennons-imagine-actually-not-great-song

https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2017/01/imagine-nightmare-john-lennon-ronald-stelzer.html

You forward to your twisted and disturbing reasoning for this footer.

[MU82]

82 ...

You do realize quoting imagine in your footer is the same as writing "look at me, I'm an as*hole."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/26/head-to-head-imagine-john-lennon-soppy-meditation-hope

https://nypost.com/2016/10/28/is-john-lennons-imagine-the-worst-song-of-all-time/

https://sojo.net/articles/why-john-lennons-imagine-actually-not-great-song

https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2017/01/imagine-nightmare-john-lennon-ronald-stelzer.html

You forward to your twisted and disturbing reasoning for this footer.

I like the song.

Effen twisted and freakin' disturbing, I know.

Looking forward to your reasoning for why you keep coming back to Scoop only to get banned again for being a planet-sized d-bag.

[MU82]

With a market cap of about $233 billion, Verizon is the world's 19th largest company.

Apple has $237 billion cash in its coffers.

In other words, Apple's cash position alone would have it ranked as one of the 20 largest companies in the world.

Doomed.

[Cheeks]

Not a big Cook fan, but they aren't doomed. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Netflix announced yesterday they are no longer going to pay the "apple tax", that's the fee Apple charges for allowing people to add Netflix through an Apple device through iTunes.  All of us in the industry feel held hostage by Apple on this.  15% to 30%. Will cost Apple about $260M this year alone.  Netflix has the  heft to do this, but more will follow.

Epic Games did the same thing with fortnight on android.  Bypassed the play store and download the app directly from their website.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Wall Street Journal published an article about Tim Cook's Apple earlier this month. 

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/tim-cook-apple-steve-jobs-trump-china-iphone-ipad-apps-smartphone-11596833902

[MU82]

Remember the good ol' days, when Smuggles was saying only dopes would buy AAPL at 90 ... rather than these crappy days, when AAPL has become the world's first $2 trillion company, with a share price of $460+?

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3605238-apple-tops-2-trillion-in-market-cap

[tower912]

Won't that lead to the destruction of cities?   Or something like that?

[Jockey]

Remember the good ol' days, when Smuggles was saying only dopes would buy AAPL at 90 ... rather than these crappy days, when AAPL has become the world's first $2 trillion company, with a share price of $460+?

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3605238-apple-tops-2-trillion-in-market-cap

Maybe he meant Goodyear. 

[The Sultan]

Remember the good ol' days, when Smuggles was saying only dopes would buy AAPL at 90 ... rather than these crappy days, when AAPL has become the world's first $2 trillion company, with a share price of $460+?

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3605238-apple-tops-2-trillion-in-market-cap

'


Heisey is the George Costanza of Scoop.  Just do the opposite of what he predicts and you'll be good.

[MU82]

'


Heisey is the George Costanza of Scoop.  Just do the opposite of what he predicts and you'll be good.

Ya know, I normally would give something like that a pass. Anybody who ever has said anything about the stock market is wrong on occasion. For example, I sold my Target shares because I didn't think they could come back from being horribly mismanaged and I thought they couldn't gain market share from Amazon, Walmart and Costco. But the stock has more than doubled in price since I sold it, and TGT had another good earnings report today.

However ...

Smuggles was so damn smug, so cock-sure that only a moron would buy AAPL down there, he deserves to get teased every time the stock hits a new milestone.

Frankly, although I would never try to talk anybody out of buying AAPL now, I probably wouldn't buy it here myself; seems quite overvalued. But I haven't sold a single share of the AAPL I already own; it has been a 4- and 5-bagger for me, and I like to let my winners keep running unless they break their legs!

[Lennys Tap]

Ya know, I normally would give something like that a pass. Anybody who ever has said anything about the stock market is wrong on occasion. For example, I sold my Target shares because I didn't think they could come back from being horribly mismanaged and I thought they couldn't gain market share from Amazon, Walmart and Costco. But the stock has more than doubled in price since I sold it, and TGT had another good earnings report today.

However ...

Smuggles was so damn smug, so cock-sure that only a moron would buy AAPL down there, he deserves to get teased every time the stock hits a new milestone.

Frankly, although I would never try to talk anybody out of buying AAPL now, I probably wouldn't buy it here myself; seems quite overvalued. But I haven't sold a single share of the AAPL I already own; it has been a 4- and 5-bagger for me, and I like to let my winners keep running unless they break their legs!

AAPL has been relentless, and the announcement of the split only accelerated things. Wouldn't surprise me if it backed off a bit post split - a common result for stocks that split - but I see no reason to sell here.