Sony – Dare to be different.

          Sony must still control the experience on PCs if it sells. While all the attention is on Microsoft, it appears that Sony is looking to quietly get rid of its PC business. This is not a big deal in itself but if one considers the ecosystem that Sony is trying to build, this is a...

Microsoft – Myopic Machinations

          The opportunity is at risk from taking the easy option. The naming of Satya Nadella as the next CEO could cause some wild gyrations in the share price. The market wants Nadella as CEO because it believes that his strategic choice will be to break the company up to focus on just Enterprise (see here)....

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Facebook Q4 – Some steam left

          Being limited to social networking will not hit growth in 2014. Facebook reported strong Q4 results as it continued to improve on its ability to monetise the traffic being generated by mobile devices in its ecosystem. Revenues / EPS were $2.39 / $0.31 compared to estimates of $2.35bn / $0.27 where mobile revenues drove most...

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Google Lenovo – The bigger picture.

          Google is taking big steps to bring Android to maturity. Selling Motorola Mobility is a further step by Google to mature its ecosystem from the rather chaotic reality in which it currently exists. Google has finally decided to get rid of Motorola Mobility letting it go to Lenovo for around half what it paid for...

Yahoo! Q4 – Tough love.

          Alibaba grabs attention but upside is in the ecosystem. The value in Yahoo! continues to be driven by the Asian affiliates while the core business drifts gently downwards. This is disturbing but also where the opportunity is to be found if Marissa can live up to her billing. Revenues / EPS were $1.2bn / $0.33...

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Apple Q2 – Service with a smile.

          Services are what really matters for long term profitability. Apple reported disappointing Q2 results as it missed iPhone shipments which cast a pall over the superb performance of the iPad and the Mac.   Q2 results                 Q2A                      Consensus iPhone (m)                      51m                             55.3m iPad (m)                          26m                            24.9m Mac (m)                           4.8m                          4.6m iTunes ($m)                    $4.4bn                       $4.5bn...

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Samsung – Home on the range.

          The value is there but Samsung is driven by earnings. Samsung’s Q4 was in line with estimates but I am getting increasingly concerned with its loss of momentum. Samsung has a window (see here) to move to the next phase of its development but the window is narrower than I had previously thought. Revenues /...

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Microsoft Q2– The Good and the Bad

          Software looks strong but Nokia smartphones had a shocker. While Microsoft reported excellent results, the Nokia smartphone business looks to have suffered badly.   The Good Microsoft reported excellent results and guidance confounding the PC sceptics. Revenues / EPS were $24.5bn / $0.78 compared to forecasts of $23.7bn / $0.69. Enterprise, cloud and even consumer...

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Netflix Q4– On to stage 2

          Content will be the key asset for Netflix from here. Netflix handsomely beat forecasts with Q4 revenues / EPS of $1.18bn / $0.79 compared to forecasts of $1.17bn / $0.66 Subscriber numbers were also strong with 2.33m added in the last quarter taking the total to 44.4m worldwide. 41.4m of these accounts are paying Netflix...

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Rockstar – Falling star

          Desperate tactics indicate all is not well at Rockstar. It looks very much as if Rockstar has been having a hard time earning a decent return on the $4.5bn that it spent to acquire 6,000 patents in 2011. So much so that its tactics appear to be getting dirtier causing more and more commentators to...