Search results for Microsoft
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Posted
Oct 23 2009, 03:24 PM
by
Jim Jubak
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
When I added Microsoft (MSFT) to Jubak’s Picks on July 24, 2009 after the company announced results for its fiscal fourth quarter, I wrote “This is as bad as it gets.”
After its Oct. 23 earnings release, the company is now saying the same thing. In the post-earnings conference call, Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell said that the fourth quarter may have been the bottom. Certainly, the company is behaving as if it were: Microsoft resumed buying back shares in the quarter that ended in September, with purchases of 1.4 billion shares.
First quarter earnings for fiscal 2010 fell to 40 cents a share, but that beat the 32 cents expected by Wall Street. Revenue declined by 14% from the first quarter of fiscal 2009 to $12.92 billion. That big drop in revenue came because Microsoft deferred $1.47 billion in revenue from customers upgrading to Windows 7. Put that back in and revenue came to $14.39 billion, a 4% decline from the year-earlier period.
Microsoft beat Wall Street estimates this quarter by cutting costs by more than Wall Street expected. Operating costs dropped 6.9% after the company made its first ever company-wide firings, slashed travel costs, and cut the prices it pays vendors. In the conference call, the company increased its cost-cutting target.
The big question going forward, however, isn’t about cutting costs, but about how many copies of the new Windows 7 operating system Microsoft can sell.
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Posted
Oct 20 2009, 03:53 AM
by
Douglas McIntyre
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
Price cuts work. In September, Sony’s (SNE) PlayStation 3 outsold the Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii for the first time in recent memory.
Industry research firm NPD said that the video game industry, which includes both consoles and games, had sales of $1.28 billion in September, up 1% from a year ago.
Sony shipped 491,800 PS3 units in September, moving ahead of Nintendo’s Wii which shipped 462,800 units, and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 which dropped to third place with 352,600 units shipped.
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Posted
Oct 13 2009, 01:42 PM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article is written by Minyanville's Glenn Curtis Microsoft’s (MSFT) share price has mounted a pretty hefty comeback from its annual lows, and I’m here to tell you that I think the wind it’s had at its back is going to continue. Here are some of the reasons why Ballmer and crew warrant some love:
1. From a big-picture perspective, even though Mister Softee has arguably lost some of its so-called panache, the fact is, it's going to have a tremendous impact on the way we compute and communicate as far out as I can see. It’s got a big name, a smart management crew, a big float, and it trades some big volumes, which is likely to keep it atop the favorites list at many an institution.
2. Digging a bit deeper, I’d like to see the company come out with one or two blowout quarters. But to its credit, it’s either met or beat expectations in the past three of four quarters -- nothing to sneeze at.
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Posted
Oct 08 2009, 03:46 AM
by
Douglas McIntyre
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon (AMZN), is being praised as the man who has invented the next big and important electronic device.
That category includes the Sony (SNE) PlayStation 2, the Apple (AAPL) iPod, and the Nintendo Wii. The iPod has sold 200 million units worldwide. That, in the nomenclature of the electronics industry, makes it a once-in-a-generation success, a truly mass market product.
Bezos lowered the price on the Kindle to $249 from $299, and Amazon will release a version this month that can work over wireless networks in 100 countries. There is some compelling research that says people will not pay more than $200, or even $100, for an e-reader. That has not prevented Sony and Barnes & Noble (BKS) from entering the e-reader industry. Rumors are that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp (NWS) will come out with a product of its own.
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Posted
Oct 07 2009, 11:48 AM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article is written by Minyanville's Mike Schuster
Gourmands, harried fiancées, and dentist office waiting rooms were struck a blow on Monday when publishing giant Condé Nast announced the closure of four of its popular magazines after severe drops in ad revenue.
Elegant Bride and Modern Bride will be ceasing publication as well as the soccer mom handbook Cookie. Gourmet will be shuttered at the release of its November 2009 issue, but will live on with TV programming and online recipes.
See also, Who Needs Newspapers Anyway?
The closures see roughly 180 employees laid off and a collective circulation of more than four million issues stripped from shelves and mailboxes.
Despite the dedicated readership each magazine held, the publications were at the mercy of a three-month study by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. After its analysis, McKinsey advised several Condé magazines to cut 25% from their budgets, but no amount of cost-cutting initiatives was able to save the aforementioned few.
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Posted
Sep 29 2009, 03:33 PM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article is written by Minyanville's Mike Schuster
Tsk tsk, volume abusers. In between tucking in your shirt and wiping the dirt from your face with a saliva-soaked thumb, the European Union has noticed that you might be setting your MP3 player just a tad too loud. So they're gonna go ahead and limit that for ya.
In strict accordance with the "If it's too loud, you're too old" mantra, 52-year-old Meglena Kuneva -- the EU's Consumer Affairs Commissioner -- said that the division will be drafting an industry-wide ordinance to limit the default volume on digital music devices sold in Europe. And since the standards will apply to all players, companies like Sony (S), Panasonic (PC), and of course Apple (AAPL) will have to readjust the settings on their popular MP3 devices.For more on Apple products, see Overhyped Products: Apple Newton. In addition to the default settings, a health warning will be displayed when the user chooses to override the default maximum volume settings -- a guilt trip worthy of a long-distance phone call from your mother reminding you to wear your jacket.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Kuneva said she hopes that this initiative will limit the cases of hearing loss with younger patients. "If you want to enjoy your favorite songs in 20 or 30 years time, turn the volume down," Kuneva said in defiance of personal responsibility.
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Posted
Sep 23 2009, 03:59 PM
by
admin
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
By Andrew Horowitz
Microsoft (MSFT) has been doing what it can to finally work on the offensive. Bing search is now making significant progress against rivals and Windows 7 is getting excellent reviews. There is even talk that the next generation Zune HD will become a serious contender, along with the recent upgrade to the Xbox gaming/entertainment console.
The retail stores I am still scratching my head about, but I will wait to comment until that plan is either launched or squashed.
Now we are seeing the first glimpse of what could be the next generation of tablet computing. If you recall, this has been on the mind of Microsoft and Bill Gates for years. The first attempts were met with luke warm reception. But that was then. Computing power is now much more significant and much more energy efficient. The photo (hat tip Gizmodo) shows a device that opens like a book or traditional day-timer and has both pen and touch-screen input. Could this be a real competitor to Apple's (AAPL) 10" tablet, expected to become available in February 2010?
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Posted
Sep 16 2009, 07:26 AM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article is written by Minyanville's Sean Udall
Listening to CNBC yesterday morning I was struck by two key things: First, there are obvious factors/evidence that many are choosing to ignore. Second, we should always be mindful of what may not be obvious and try to skate to where the puck is going to be. However, sometimes the obvious meshes with where the puck is going. I find this especially true during times of great collective doubt. Read Our Marionette Economy for an opposing viewpoint.
Post 1991, it was very popular to doubt the rally. We were at war and the S&L crisis was far from being declared dead. It was an incredible time to believe that stocks deserved to be pushed higher -- especially in light of numerous signs of profound growth in many industries.
Moreover, when I hear that the market price is "unjustified" by "current fundamentals," I simply know we're going higher in the intermediate term and longer.
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Posted
Sep 09 2009, 09:55 AM
by
Louis Navellier
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
Apple (APPL) has almost single-handedly redefined the consumer electronics market with innovative products, from changing the way we listen to music to redefining the role of cell phones.
But don't think this company is all fun and games. Apple continues to make inroads into the computer market and erode the market share of fellow tech icon Microsoft (MSFT). The Mac vs. PC rivalry is more than just a cute ad war.
Bing: Apple or Microsoft - who's winning?
Actually, I'm a big fan of those Mac vs. PC ads -- and not just because they're funny. I think they provide a glimpse into the corporate culture of each company. Apple is, at heart, an inventive company looking to grow by creating the next big thing. On the other hand, Microsoft is an established giant that keeps doing what it has always done well … then using the profits to purchase a smaller company's ideas and leverage them to even bigger returns. Apple's strategy is obviously much more glamorous and appeals to image-conscious consumers, however both of these strategies have merit.
Which of these tech powerhouses is a better investment right now? Take a look at some numbers:
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Posted
Sep 03 2009, 12:56 PM
by
InvestorPlace
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 This article was written by InvestorPlace's Nick Atkeson and Andrew Houghton.
The adage "Sell in May and go away" certainly did not apply this summer. MarketWatch reports that since 1950, the two worst months in which to invest are August and September.
Well, so far, 2009 has proved to be an exception as we smashed through August with one of the best performances on record. And September may very well disprove the historical data and reward stockholders with another round of hefty gains.
Bing: Is the Halloween Indicator legit?
So, to make your Labor Day labor-free, we've compiled three of the best trades for you here.
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