Why does Apple need $20 billion?

On August 10, 2008, pingdave posted the following:

Apple’s most recent quarterly report shows that the company holds $20 billion in cash (behind only XOM and MSFT). Historically, they have not needed that cash for acquisitions - their pattern has been buying small companies purchased for very strategic reasons.
With the rate that AAPL is building [...]

More on page 163

Weekly standings update

On August 9, 2008, an anonymous member posted the following:

AAPL is still not in a major investing newspaper’s weekly 100 list of top rated stocks at possible good buy points. It hasn’t been in since June of 2008. I think we’ll need a heavy volume up day or two, and the 50 DMA (about 2 [...]

More on page 158

Small story about why the iPhone is great

On August 7, 2008, moonjockey posted the following:

I was at work today. I work at a major national television company. 
I was in an edit bay deep in the underbelly of my very large building, somehow still getting reception. We were stuck for a particular idea when someone referenced a youtube video. There was a [...]

More on page 155

SJ’s email to employees re MobileMe - what does it mean?

On August 5, 2008, TechStock2000 posted the following:

In case anyone has been too busy to read the posts from last night, SJ sent an email to Apple employees yesterday afternoon about the problems with the MobileMe launch.  Little in his analysis of what went wrong is news to members of Applelot - our own analysis was [...]

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Store visit: Natick, Mass

On August 4, 2008, Gila_munster1 posted the following:

I needed a genius visit to help with a macbook question, so it was off to the Apple Store in Natick, Mass. 
The mall itself was busy the Apple Store was mobbed.

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The herd investing mentality

AAPL Comments (0)

On August 18, 2008, PingDave posted the following:


All too often, investors follow the crowd - with disastrous consequences. Here is the thought process, overlaid on a company’s stock price.

More on page 176

techstock2000 @ August 18, 2008

Weekly standings update

IBD 100 Update Comments (0)

On August 15, 2008, an anonymous member posted the following:


AAPL regains its spot

In a popular investing newspaper’s list of 100 stocks that they think have great fundamentals and may be at good buy points. It checks in @ number 86. More on page 173

techstock2000 @ August 15, 2008

New Deagol Model of AAPL

Quarterly Forecasts, Earnings & Guidance Comments (2)

On August 15, 2008, Deagol posted the latest update to his model of Apple’s business. Historically, this model has been substantially more accurate than any of the professional analysts that follow Apple.


Long term recommendation: 

STRONG BUY below $186 
buy from $186 to $214 
neutral from $214 to $246 
sell above $246  More on page 170

techstock2000 @ August 15, 2008

What every CEO needs - a “no man”

AAPL Comments (0)

On August 14, 2008, GettingRicher posted the following:


Steve Jobs has admitted that MobileMe was rolled out at the wrong time.  Sure, there were some issues with iPhone activations, as well and Apple is rolling out to even more countries on the 22nd.

Every president/CEO needs a guy that can come to him/her and say, “This is totally screwed up” without having his head handed to him on a platter. 
 
Does Apple have this now?  Who’s the guy that tells SJ that’s something wrong without facing the “flame thrower?  

More on page 167

techstock2000 @ August 14, 2008

Goodbye, Comcast

AAPL Comments (0)

On August 11, 2008, rjack posted the following:


I just completed the paperwork for switching from Comcast to Verizon FIOS, going from the high end fast comcast service at 15Mb to 20Mb on FIOS that doesn’t share the wire with the kids on our block.

What does this have to do with Apple? More on page 165

techstock2000 @ August 12, 2008