Sears Holding Follow-Up

Late last year, I sold my position in Sears Holding (SHLD) on the basis that I no longer had an edge in analyzing the shares. I am willing to buy back the shares if I feel my edge returns, so I was especially interested when Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter, the clear axe in the […]

Motorola: Gains Off Analyst Meeting Don’t Last

I know tech is very weak today so it might not make sense to read too much into it but Motorola (MOT) is giving up its Friday gains pretty quickly today. I still think the bearish view presented in my earnings coverage is the right call, especially for the first half of 2007. Friday’s rebound […]

Tribune Auction Fails

My colleague at StreetInsight.com, Chris Atayan, made a really good point that the failed Tribune (TRB) auction shows that private equity isn’t a cure for everything. I think another conclusion that can be drawn from the TRB auction is that private market value does not always noticeably exceed public market value. TRB shows that the […]

Many Bullish Catalysts For Apple Over Next Six Months

Apple (AAPL) shares continue to pull back sharply following release of the company’s latest quarterly earnings report. I remain surprised by the size of the pullback as well as the large amount of negative press Apple is getting surrounding the introduction of iPhone. I think a major disconnect has developed as many bullish catalysts exist […]

Motorola 4Q Earnings Review

Motorola (MOT) reported 4Q earnings in line with its recently lowered forecast. Key to the stock performance over the next six months is the 2007 outlook and unfortunately it is hard to get a read on this off the earnings conference call. MOT has a second two hour call scheduled for later this morning to […]

Motorola 4Q06 Earnings Preview

There won’t be much fresh news when Motorola (MOT) reports its 4Q06 tomorrow morning. The preannouncement the first week of January has already delivered the bad news. All eyes will be on guidance and commentary about the outlook. MOT shares have collapsed from $26 in mid-October to recent trading levels near $18. The decline was […]

Apple December Quarter: Great But Provides Some Ammunition For Bears; Bears Will Run Out of Ammo, However

What follows is my analysis on Apple immediately following completion of the company’s conference call to discuss December quarter earnings. I’ll have more to say once I review analyst commentary but I am surprised that the shares are trading off sharply this morning. I think the drop will prove temporary – the results were good […]

Central European Media Enterprises: I Have Company For My $100 Target

Central European Media Enterprises (CETV) broker out to new highs this week following an upgrade from Czech-based analyst Tibor Bokor of Wood Company. Tibor sharply raised his estimates for 2007 and 2008 and increased his price target to $100. Tibor’s new optimism is based on his analysis of the likely 2007 and 2008 resutls for […]

Endeavor Acquisition Due Diligence

Last week I had an opportunity to talk with Elizabeth Haynes of Haynes & Company Consulting about the acquisition of American Apparel (AA) by Endeavor Acquisition Corporation (EDA). Haynes & Company Consulting is a management consulting organization specializing in retail. Elizabeth’s insights are especially valuable because she has spent time working on Wall Street and […]

Apple December Quarter Earnings Preview

Despite the sharp advance in Apple (AAPL) shares over the past week, I think the setup is favorable heading into the company’s earnings report after the close on Wednesday. I expect better than expected Mac sales, solid results in iPods, and March quarter guidance no worse than the cautious commentary everyone is expecting. If I […]