Apple Earnings Preview: Should Be Good But It’s Always About Guidance

Apple reports its 2Q09 results after the close on Wednesday. As usual with Apple the stock will react to guidance unless the quarterly numbers are a major surprise. The stock has rallied sharply this year, up about 40%. This dramatically raises the expectations bar for short-term traders. In addition, good results and a huge stock […]

Apple Still Has Upside

Apple reports its March quarter next week. The stock sits near its 2009 high, up about 40%. Each time the stock has pulled back buyers show up and take it right back up. Recently, the chatter on the street has been bullish as iPhone and Mac demand appears to be holding up better than expected. […]

Trimming Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (DISCA) has been one Northlake’s best performing stocks. The stock was purchased in mid-September prior to the market crash at $16.50. Today, I trimmed the position across most client accounts at $17.83. Pretty amazing that any stock, let alone a media stock, is above its pre-crash level. With most all other holdings down […]

Apple: New iPhone Rumors Heating Up Ahead of Earnings

Pretty much everyone is now expecting a June introduction of a new iPhone model. Most people expect an upgrade to the 3G but a few hold out for a second form factor that would have a lower price and allow cheaper data plans. Rumors are rampant about upgraded production schedules in the Far East. Most […]

Monsters vs. Aliens Falling Short

I’ve written catuious commentary since Monsters vs. Aliens opened to $59 million in North America, in line with analyst estimates. The second weekend saw a drop of 45%, which is on the high side. The film is tracking close to Ice Age 2 over the past week but is $10 million behind overall. Ice Age […]

Discovery Communications Catches a Downgrade

I’ll bet you would be shocked to learn that there is a media stock trading above its mid-September, pre-crash levels. It’s true. Discovery Communications (DISCA) is up about 5% thanks to a restructuring from a tracking stock to a regular stock, two positive quarterly earnings surprises, strong ratings for its TV networks, and still positive […]

NII Holdings Gets Downgrades

I was hoping for a stronger defense by the analyst community after NIHD fell 18% yesterday following pre-announcement of lower than expected 1Q09 subscriber growth. The stock caught two downgrades and one analyst who has a buy lowered his price target. Goldman reiterated the buy noting that the change was minimal relative to its own […]

TWX Takes Another Step Toward Ridding Itself of AOL

The WSJ is reporting that TWX has asked bondholders for consent to amend covenants. The amendments essentially switch collateral on the bonds from AOL to HBO. The idea is to set up AOL for a spin-off as a debt-free company. I’ve written often on TWX noting that any divestiture of AOL will be positive for […]

NII Holdings Guides Subscribers Lower

NIHD is down 19% after announcing its 1Q subscriber figures. The numbers were below expectations and the company lowered its full year subscriber forecasts. Especially troubling was weakness in Mexico, the company’s largest and most challenging market. No change was made to full year financial guidance but an update was promised on the 4/23 1Q […]

Housekeeping: Sold Time Warner Cable

I sold all the shares clients received last week in Time Warner Cable (TWC) as a dividend from Time Warner (TWX). For each share of TWX owned prior to the 1 for 3 reverse split, clients received .03867 shares of TWC. For the long-term, I think the market is undervaluing cable stocks but I fear […]