Tag Archives: aapl

Apple Deflates iPad Pro, Taps Broadcom, NXP To Lead Smaller Device

Apple ( AAPL ) deflated its iPad Pro but didn’t skimp on the 9.7-inch machine’s specs, according to an iFixit teardown that found NXP Semiconductors ( NXPI ) and Broadcom ( AVGO ) among the device’s winners. But the second-generation iPad Pro , which Apple unveiled last month, only scored a 2 out of a best-possible 10 in repairability. Meanwhile, LG’s flagship G5 scored an 8, featuring hardware from Qualcomm ( QCOM ), Skyworks Solutions ( SWKS ) and Samsung.   How healthy is Apple and its key chipmakers? Find out at IBD Stock Checkup Apple “went back to the drawing board” in its smaller iPad Pro. NXP topped the chip count, providing three for the machine: the Touch ID second, a controller and a charging component. Two Broadcom chips returned from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and InvenSense ( INVN ) and Maxim Integrated Products ( MXIM ) both provided a chip apiece. Apple’s A9 processor also made a repeat appearance. Samsung and SK Hynix provided RAM and flash memory chips, respectively. But iFixit was especially enamored by the LG G5, which separates itself from other flagship phones by offering an easily removed — and therefore replaced — battery. LG unveiled the device in February. Qualcomm topped the G5 with six chips, including the processor and two power management chips. The chipmaker also supplied charging, audio codec and LTE transceiver chips. Broadcom and Skyworks Solutions each provided two chips, leading NXP, which supplied a controller. LG tapped Samsung for both RAM and flash memory. In midday trading on the stock market today , shares of Qualcomm and NXP were up nearly 1% and more than 1%, respectively. Shares of Maxim and Broadcom were up a fraction, while Skyworks stock was down a fraction.

Apple Investors Should Brace For Two Rough Quarterly Reports

With current iPhone sales looking soft, Apple ( AAPL ) is likely to face two rough quarterly financial reports before the launch of the iPhone 7 this fall, Pacific Crest Securities analyst Andy Hargreaves said Sunday. “We continue to view the medium-term risk/reward on AAPL positively,” Hargreaves said in a research report. “However, we believe soft near-term iPhone demand should drive fiscal Q2 results at the low end of guidance and prompt fiscal Q3 guidance below consensus estimates, which is likely to prevent further near-term stock appreciation.” Hargreaves reiterated his overweight rating on Apple stock, with a price target of 127. Apple stock was up 1%, near 110, in midday trading on the stock market today . Hargreaves forecasts Apple sold 47.5 million iPhones in the March quarter, which is below the consensus estimate on Wall Street of 50 million units. “Supply and demand checks continue to suggest mediocre iPhone unit volume,” he said. Because of the lower fiscal Q2 iPhone sales volume, Hargreaves expects Apple will report earnings per share of $1.88 on sales of $50 billion, which is below Wall Street’s consensus estimates of $2 in EPS and $52.2 billion in sales. Also, Wall Street’s June-quarter estimates “appear slightly high,” he said. For the company’s fiscal Q3, Hargreaves expects Apple to sell 41.8 million iPhones, below the consensus estimate of 44 million. Sales of the current iPhone 6S series handsets have disappointed, but potential consumer upgrades with the iPhone 7 should keep Apple shares from falling too much, he said.

Apple, Facebook, Netflix Stocks Face Key Technical Tests

Facebook ( FB ), Apple ( AAPL ) and Netflix ( NFLX ) are among the coolest and widely used tech companies. But their stocks have struggle to break through key levels in recent sessions. Facebook is trying to stay in sight of a buy point, while Apple and Netflix keep bumping into resistance at their 200-day moving averages. Facebook A Buy, or Bye-Bye? Facebook holds its big F8 Developers Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, with analysts and investors eager to hear what Mark Zuckerberg has on offer. The stock has formed a cup-with-handle base that started when it peaked at 117.59 on Feb. 2. Shares have formed a handle with a buy point at 117.09. But Facebook fell 2.7% on Friday and 4.7% for the week and its stock is now closer to its 50-day line than buy area. Facebook users are posting less  on the site, according to Friday reports that helped pushed the stock lower. Get a better read on Facebook’s stock health and how it stacks up vs. rivals at IBD Stock Checkup Apple Looks To Break Above 200-Day Apple has rallied nearly 18% since hitting 92.39 on Jan. 28 to 108.66 but is still down 19% from its record high of 134.54 set in April 2015. Twice last week Apple closed within 20 cents of its downward sloping 200-day moving average. The stock hasn’t closed above the line since early October. Apple recently released a new 4-inch iPhone SE along with a smaller iPad Pro. Both have gotten solid reviews, but neither is likely to be a huge blockbuster. Apple is expected to post its first year-over-year sales decline in years later this month. Sales may continue to struggle at least until Apple releases its iPhone 7 later this year. Netflix Looks To Rewrite Script Netflix hasn’t closed above its 200-day average since Jan. 20. Twice last week the stock crossed that technical line intraday but ended below that level. On Friday, Wall Street analyst Richard Greenfield said Walt Disney ( DIS ) should buy Netflix. A Disney-Netflix deal would give the Mouse a leader in video streaming and provide a possible future leader in Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. That unsolicited advice didn’t move Netflix’s stock though. Netflix is spending heavily on expansion and content. While revenue growth has been strong and consistent, profits have fallen for the last three quarters and aren’t projected to rise until Q4 2017. But analysts are betting on powerful earnings growth from 2018-2021.